US Patent 7367161 Gate opening and closing apparatus

A gate opener has a gate that rotates between an open and a closed position in order to allow or retard ingress and egress through the gate. A plate is secured to the ground while a motor is secured to a post of the gate and is rotatably secured to the plate. Activation of the motor causes the post to rotate and thereby swing the gate open. Subsequent activation of the motor causes the post to counterrotate and thereby swing the gate closed. Appropriate limit switches delimit the arc of travel of the gate.