Have you ever been driving along the highway and spotted 5th wheels or trailers stationed along the road at various ranch entrances? These gates are, generally, access points for oil and gas drilling activity.
Well, we went to visit some friends that agreed to monitor activity at one of these gates for 30 days. This particular gate was quite active. They noticed a slight down time in activity between midnight and 3:00 AM each morning. But, in essence, it was a 24/7 activity.
Unless they were outside, the gate must remain closed. Sensors advised them when a vehicle approached the gate from either direction. The coming and going of each vehicle needed to be logged and signatures collected upon entry to the property.
The typical set up includes electricity, provided by a diesel generator with about 10-day supply of fuel, and an ample supply of water. Gray water is discharged and the black tanks are serviced every 10 days.
Now, whoever developed the design of this gate lock had entirely too much time on his hands.
In order to allow multiple land owners or other people access to the land, there are holes for eight different locks on the latch mechanism. By removing one of the locks, a hole is vacant in the end of the device. Rotating the bent handle until the straight bar lines up with the empty hole, allows you to pull the handle out with the bar passing through the hole, thus disengaging the gate. Quite ingenious.
Very interesting… Although I don’t think I’d like that job!
Have fun & travel safe
Donna