The present invention is for a locking device for a safety gate which comprises a gate surface made from material which may be wound up with a mechanism for prevention of unintentional unwinding of gate material, said mechanism comprising a catch wheel which co-rotates with the unwinding, a rotatable catch for cooperation with the cogs of the catch wheel and a release mechanism for releasing of the gate for unwinding. The mechanism also comprises a driver (2) which is arranged adjacent the catch wheel (1) and may be rotated concentrically therewith at which rotation a pin (6) which is arranged at the catch is displaced in a slot in the driver so that the pin when the catch is in a released position contacts a surface (13) inside or adjacent the slot. The driver comprises a fork with two shanks (11, 12) between which the slot is arranged. The slot is open or L-shaped. In order to release the gate a manually performed movement in three different directions of a means (20, 21, 5) which affects the releasing mechanism is required. The locking mechanism is affected and the release occurs only at the movement in the last of the directions. The actuating means comprises a moveable first button (21) and one therein arranged second button (20) which may be displaced at right angle to the direction of displacement of the first button.