Hinges are one of the weak points in gates of all kinds, especially
heavy wooden ones that have to undergo much hard wear and tear; they
are apt to break and cannot always be replaced. Say you have a three
or four-barred gate, with vertical bars longer than the horizontal.
The top and lowest bars of the gate must project beyond the horizontal
and should be pierced with round holes. The gate is hung by having its
end post passed through the hole in the lower bar; the top bar is then
placed in position and the top of the gate post passed through its
hole. The intermediate bars are nailed to shorter posts which do not
come higher than the level of the top of the gate. A gate of this kind
will swing easily provided the holes are made large enough.
Another gate is more like the swinging section of a fence, and is
intended to block watercourses which run dry, at certain seasons. On
the other hand if the fence is brought down too low or made too solid
it may be swept away when the water rises. The method is to construct a
string hurdle, planned so as to stop gaps, with a strong and long top
bar. This top bar just rests in bifurcated posts on each bank or side,
the posts forming a sort of V-shaped rest. If necessary, this top bar
can be rivetted to the posts and the bottom of the hurdle weighted with
stones. If not weighted, however, the result is that the watercourse is
fenced over but the hurdle swings when the water rushes through without
being carried away and falls back into position as the stream subsides.