Abstract

A closure is provided that is directed, in the preferred embodiment, to an adjustable gate suitable for confining or preventing small children or pets from entering a secure area. The preferred embodiment of the gate is comprised of two connected panels that are relatively slidable to accommodate doorways of varying width. A thumb screw arrangement is used to fix the relative positions of the panels when roughly adjusting the gate to a particular doorway. Once the gate is roughly adjusted to the doorway a foot-pedal mechanism residing in one of the panels is employed to cause a pair of contact pads to engage the door jamb. As the foot pedal is depressed the contact pad blocks associated with one side of the gate and the bumpers associated with the opposite of the gate engage opposite sides of the door jamb. Further, depression of the foot pedal causes an increasing normal force to be applied to the door jamb that frictionally fixes or wedges the gate in the door jamb. The foot-pedal mechanism employs a presser panel having inclined surfaces that cooperate with ramped surfaces on the contact pad blocks to force the contact pad blocks into contact with the door jamb. The forces of the contact pad blocks against the door jamb is maintained by a releasable ratchet mechanism which allows the foot-pedal and hence the presser panel to be depressed but prevents any upward movement. The ratchet mechanism incorporates a release mechanism which allows the foot-pedal and presser panel to move upward thereby reducing the force of the inclined surfaces against the contact pad blocks and releasing the gate from the door jamb.