A drop bolt is normally mounted vertically and slides down into a receiver below the gate. A pad bolt slides into a keep and includes a facility for adding a compatible padlock.
A drop bolt and pad bolt are both secondary gate fastenings, but they operate differently.
The 300mm Traditional Drop Bolt is normally mounted vertically. The bolt slides downward into a suitable receiver or prepared position below the gate, allowing the bottom of the gate leaf to be held in place. The product is particularly relevant where one leaf of a paired gate needs to remain stationary.
The 150mm BZP Pad Bolt uses a sliding bolt and keep arrangement. Its distinguishing feature is the padlock facility, allowing the fastening to be secured with a compatible padlock when restricted access is required.
Neither fitting replaces the hinges used to hang the gate or the normal latch used for everyday opening and closing. They provide additional fastening in different ways: the drop bolt secures the gate vertically to a position below, while the pad bolt provides a separate sliding and potentially lockable closure.
Both can be compared with latches and hinges under garden gate furniture.