# Cattle Gate Auto Latches



## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I need to upgrade some of my cattle handling facilities to make it easier to sort and handle cattle as a one man show. Traditionally we had a lot of gates that have the short stub tube sticking out that catches on an auto latch. For all you locals, its the Paul B Zimmerman style. These work well but the auto latches are a little expensive. The upside is that stub tube is around 2" dia, so its about impossible to bend it.

Does anyone have any experience with the "slam latches". Basically its a tube with a 3/4" or 1" shaft that's spring loaded. The shaft catches in a plate with a slot in it that's bolted or welded to a post? These latches are much cheaper, however I wonder how strong they are. I could see a cow in a confined area backing up into one of these gates and bending the 3/4" or 1" shaft. Anyone have any experience?


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

We have a few and as long as the pins are 1 1/8" or larger and in a sleeve through the upright you should have no problems.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

gate-hardware

Scroll down the page a little, they have a good slam latch. We have some, and they would stop a skid loader. The gate will bend before the latch fails.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Gearclash said:


> gate-hardware
> 
> Scroll down the page a little, they have a good slam latch. We have some, and they would stop a skid loader. The gate will bend before the latch fails.


Don't see many people building gates out of square tube. I bet that's an expensive gate.


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