Slide Gates and Diverter Valves
Slide gates and Diverter Valves are frequently required within the material stream to act as cut-off
gates for intermediate discharge locations, to temporarily stop material flow for some maintenance
function or to divert the material stream between two (or more) conveyors.
There are various types and styles of slide gates:
Hand Slide Gates are always “flat slide” style and are frequently used to block-off a
rarely used intermediate discharge on a screw conveyor and drag conveyor. As the name implies, they are
opened and closed by hand.
Hammer Gates are always flat slide style and a step up from Hand Slide Gates. They
are used as is an inexpensive maintenance shut off valve above airlocks, screw conveyors and most other
mechanical conveying equipment. As the name implies, these gates are driven open or closed with a
hammer against a heavy metal block attached to the gate.
Rack and Pinion Gates can be flat slide or curved slide and are usually positioned
below infrequently used intermediate discharges on screw conveyors or drag conveyors. They are operated
by means of a hand wheel or chain wheel mounted on a cross-shaft that rotates a pinion gear against a
flat rack gear.
- Externally dust tight housings are an available option.
- Actuated slide gates can be flat slide or curved slide and are usually positioned below frequently
used intermediate discharges on screw conveyors of drag conveyors. They are remotely operated by
means of either an air cylinder (for pneumatic actuation) or an electric linear actuator.
- Externally dust tight housings are an available option.
Bin Valve Gates are always flat slide style with either pneumatic or electric
actuation. They are designed to mount under a bin or hopper that could have a significant head load and
are, therefore, much heavier duty that any of the above options. They may use cam followers (roller
slide) to support the gate or guide rails. They may have more than one actuator and are almost always
externally dust tight.
Pin/Rod Gates utilize round rods or shafts that push-in from the side to completely
shut off material flow. Wide applications have rods coming in from both sides to meet-in-the-middle.
The rods are slightly pointed to facilitate pushing thru a static column of material. The rods may be
individually moved or could be in gangs of varying quantities.
Diverter Valves are all single blade style and are ideal for diverting gravity flow
of materials when it is not critical to have complete sealing between the legs or where cutting through
a standing column of material is not required. They are available as follows:
- Straight-thru with a 45 degree single leg one side: the single in-feed chute continues straight
through and a single discharge leg kicks out at 45 degrees.
- Straight-thru with a 30 degree leg one side: the single in-feed chute continues straight through
and a single discharge leg kicks out at 30 degrees (from vertical).
- 45 degree “Pants Leg” diverter: the single in-feed chute splits into two discharge legs at 45
degree separation.
- 60 degree “Pants Leg” diverter: the single in-feed chute splits into two discharge legs at 60
degree separation (30° each side of vertical).
TPI Engineered Systems is based in Atlanta, Georgia; serving as the premier designer, engineer,
manufacturer, and installer of custom bulk materials conveyor systems all across the United States. For
more information on any of the TPI Systems, call 804-232-4580 to speak to one of our knowledgeable and
highly experienced employees.
