EP1602785B1

EP1602785B1 - Slide gate

Info

Publication number: EP1602785B1
Application number: EP04076490A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hendrik Albertus Boers
Original assignee: KWT Holding BV
Current assignee: KWT Holding BV
Priority date: 2004-05-19
Filing date: 2004-05-19
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-19
Also published as: EP1602785A1; ATE376101T1; DE602004009547T2; DE602004009547D1

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for closing or controlling the passage area of a passage (19), such as for instance a valve or a weir gate, wherein the apparatus is provided with a sliding plate (3) which is adjustable from an opened position to a closed position and any positions therebetween, wherein the sliding plate (3) is slidable with respect to a frame (2), which frame (2) is mountable on a wall (W) or the like in which the passage (19) closable and/or controllable with the apparatus (1) is included, wherein the apparatus (1) is further provided with a driving facility for adjusting the sliding plate (3) with respect to the frame (2), wherein the driving facility comprises a screw spindle (6) which is, near a lower side thereof, rotatably bearing-mounted in a lower bearing block (9) which is, preferably, connected with the frame (2), wherein the sliding plate (3) is provided with a threaded block (10) provided with internal screw thread which is arranged for cooperation with the screw spindle (6). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus for closing or controlling the passage area of a passage, such as for instance a valve or a weir gate, the apparatus being provided with a sliding plate which is adjustable from an opened position to a closed position and any positions therebetween, the sliding plate being movable with respect to a frame, which frame is mountable on a wall or the like in which the passage closable and/or controllable with the apparatus is included, the apparatus being further provided with a driving facility for adjusting the sliding plate with respect to the frame, wherein the driving facility comprises a screw spindle, wherein the sliding plate is provided with a threaded block provided with internal screw thread which is arranged for cooperation with the screw spindle.
Such an apparatus is for instance known from GB-A-1,451,435 . With the known apparatus or with other currently known valves or weir gates of which the driving facility comprises a spindle, a threaded block is usually mounted on the sliding plate for cooperation with the spindle and the spindle is bearing-mounted at an upper end in an axial bearing which is directly, or indirectly via the frame, fixed on the wall by means of a very solid bearing support. A drawback of such a construction is that, during closing or lowering of the sliding plate, the force required for this purpose needs to be transmitted over the entire length of the spindle. During closing of the sliding plate of a valve, the spindle is pressure-loaded over its entire length, which results in a greater risk of buckling of the spindle. Therefore, with the known valves, the spindle needs to have a relatively thick design which results in a higher cost price.
The invention intends an improved apparatus, in which the spindle can have a relatively light design while still a very high closing and opening force can be generated.
For this purpose, the apparatus of the type described in the opening paragraph is characterized according to the invention in that the screw spindle is, near a lower side thereof, rotatably bearing-mounted in a lower bearing block which is directly connected with the frame or the wall.
Preferably, here, the lower bearing block is an axial bearing. During closing of the sliding plate, the force transmission only takes place over a very short length of the spindle. In addition, the spindle will be tension-loaded during closing of the sliding plate, so that buckling of the spindle is precluded. Exclusively during opening of the sliding plate, the spindle is pressure-loaded and that over a very short part of the spindle extending between the lower bearing block and the threaded block. The major part of the length of the spindle is not loaded, at least with regard to tension or pressure.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, it is particularly favorable when the spindle is, near an upper side, bearing-mounted in an upper bearing block accommodated in a bearing support. The upper bearing block prevents the spindle from drifting, especially when the sliding plate is in the closed position or virtually closed position. In general, the upper bearing block will be designed as a radial bearing because it only serves for lateral stabilization of the spindle and not for the purpose of axial bearing. However, it is also possible to provide the upper bearing block with an axial bearing function as well. Under these conditions, both the upper and the lower bearing block have an axial bearing function and the spindle will be tension-loaded under all conditions, that is, both during opening and closing, or lowering and pulling up of the sliding plate. This has the advantage that the risk of buckling is precluded.
Preferably, the sliding plate is provided with a threaded block support on which the threaded block is mounted, the threaded block support being preferably located on an upper side of the sliding plate and extending from the sliding plate in the direction of the back side of the frame, such that the threaded block mounted thereon is in line with the upper bearing block and the lower bearing block.
As a result of this threaded block support, which extends essentially behind the sliding plate, the spindle can move along behind the sliding plate when the sliding plate moves upwards.
In order not to let the friction during opening and closing of the sliding plate occur during the whole course of opening and closing, it is preferred when, with a valve according to a further elaboration of the invention, the frame is provided with a front side and a back side, while, in mounted condition, the back side abuts the wall, while the front side extends in a plane which includes an acute angle with a plane in which the back side extends, while the angle is such that the distance between the front side and the back side near a lower side of the frame is greater than the distance between the front side and the back side near an upper side of the frame, such that, during closing of the sliding plate, there is no contact between the sliding plate and the front side of the frame until the last moment. Because there is no contact between the sliding plate and the front side of the frame until the last moment, the friction force mentioned will neither occur until that last moment, which is particularly favorable for wear and load reasons.
In order to realize a good watertight closure between the frame and the wall, according to a further elaboration of the invention, the frame can comprise a box-shaped construction, which box-shaped construction bounds a passage closable with the sliding plate, while a side of the box-shaped construction facing the wall bounds an open side of the box which is, in mounted condition, closed by the respective wall, while, in mounted condition, the room bounded by the box-shaped construction and the wall is filled with foam to obtain a water-retaining closure between the frame and the wall. Thus, supplemental to rubber sections, a good watertight closure can be created, even when the wall is not perfectly smooth. Such a smooth finish is required for the use of exclusively rubber sections.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the sliding plate can be provided with strengthening ribs. Such strengthening ribs may be strips welded onto the sliding plate. Particularly with very high pressures, such strengthening ribs are generally desirable to reduce bending of the sliding plate.
Further, the apparatus according to a further elaboration of the invention can be characterized in that it is provided with two guides which are each provided with a first guide part, and a second guide part arranged for cooperation with the first guide part for slidably guiding the movement of the sliding plate with respect to the frame, each first guide part comprising a box-shaped section, provided with a base, two legs connected with the base and two flanges facing each other which together bound a passage, the legs extending substantially perpendicular to the sliding plate and the flanges and the base extending in planes which are substantially parallel to the plane in which the sliding plate extends, each second guide part comprising at least one guide block or a guide strip which is slidably included in the box section, the part of the guide block or the guide strip included in the box section being wider than the passage, such that the guide block or the guide strip cannot exit the box section via this passage.
The first guide parts referred to by the term box section in practice and in standards are symmetrically loaded when pressure is exerted on the sliding plate. The box sections, which remind a layperson most strongly of curtain rail sections, are fixed to the wall by their bases by means of anchors or bolts. These anchors or bolts are preferably positioned centrally between the two legs of the respective box sections. The second guide part designed as at least one guide block or as a guide strip has a similar function to a runner in a curtain rail section and, when the sliding plate is loaded, it is held and guided by the flanges of the box section. Because the box sections are symmetrically loaded, they can have a relatively light design and no consoles need to be provided to prevent the bending outwards of the sections.
According to a further elaboration, the first guide part is preferably connected with the frame and/or wall and the second guide part is connected with the sliding plate.
It goes without saying that, according to an alternative further elaboration of the invention, the possibilities also include the kinematic inversion, that is, that the first guide part is connected with the sliding plate and that the second guide part is connected with the frame and/or wall.
The mounting of the first guide parts takes place simultaneously with the mounting of the frame on the wall. Such a procedure results in a rapid mounting of the frame and guides on the wall.
In order to realize a good closure of the sliding plate against the frame, according to a further elaboration of the invention, it is preferred when each first or second guide part which the box section, the at least one guide block or the guide strip, respectively, comprises is provided with adjusting means with the aid of which the position of the respective box section, the at least one guide block or the guide strip, respectively, is adjustable with respect to the sliding plate or the frame. With such adjusting means, a defined clamping force can be obtained in a simple manner by bringing the sliding plate in the closed position after mounting, and then tightening the adjusting means with a defined force, for instance by means of a torque wrench. Thus, a defined closing force of the sliding plate on the frame can be obtained in a simple manner when the sliding plate is in the closed position.
It is noted that US 4,832,527 discloses an apparatus for closing or controlling the passage area of a passage, such as for instance a weir gate, wherein the gate is opened or closed by a upward or downward slidable lifter connected to the top of the gate. It is further noted that US 4,726,709 also discloses such an apparatus, wherein the gate is opened or closed by a upward or downward slidable rod that is connected to the top of the gate.
The invention will now be further elucidated on the basis of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus in the form of a valve;
Fig. 2 shows a front view of the valve shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 shows a side elevational view of the valve shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view over line IV-IV from Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 shows detail V from Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows detail VI from Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 shows a top plan view of the valve shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 8 shows detail VII from Fig. 7.

The exemplary embodiment of the valve 1 shown in the Figures is provided with a frame 2 and a sliding plate 3 which is adjustable from an opened position to a closed position shown in Fig. 1 and any positions therebetween. In practice, the frame is mounted to a wall W (see Figs. 4 and 6) in which a passage for a medium, such as for instance water, is included. The passage is closable with the aid of the valve. The valve can also have a controlling function, for instance to let a certain amount of water pass. The apparatus according to the invention further comprises a weir gate with a controlling function, in the sense that, for instance, a water level of a high reach or low reach can be controlled with the aid of a sliding plate. Here, the passage is not completely closed but controlled by varying the position of the sliding plate 3. Water or a similar medium then flows over the upper side of the sliding plate 3, at least as long as the water in the high reach is higher than the level of the upper side of the sliding plate 3.
The sliding plate 3 is slidably connected with the frame 2. To this end, the valve 1 is provided with two guides which are each provided with a first guide part 4, 4' and a second guide part 5, 5' which is arranged for the sliding cooperation with the first guide part 4, 4'. The valve 1 is further provided with a driving facility for adjusting the sliding plate 3 with respect to the frame 2. In the present exemplary embodiment, the driving facility comprises a screw spindle 6 which is, near an upper end, bearing-mounted in an upper bearing block 7 accommodated in a bearing support 8 connected with wall W. The spindle 6 is, near the lower side thereof, rotatably bearing-mounted in a lower bearing block 9 (see Fig. 4 and detail VI shown in Fig. 6). On the sliding plate 3, a threaded block 10 is provided which is provided with internal screw thread which is arranged for cooperation with the screw spindle 6. During rotation of the screw spindle 6, the threaded block 10, which is connected with the sliding plate 3 so as to be restrained from rotation, moves up or down along the screw spindle 6 depending on the rotation direction of the screw spindle 6. Of course, as a result, the sliding plate 3 also moves up or down, respectively.
Fig. 1, but especially Fig. 7, and more in particular the detail VIII thereof, which is shown in Fig. 8, shows the special construction of a guide assembly. Clearly visible is the first guide part 4 which is designed as a box-shaped section 4 provided with a base 11, two legs 12, 13 connected with the base 11 and two flanges 14, 15 facing each other which together bound a passage 16. The legs 12, 13 extend substantially perpendicular to the sliding plate 3. The base 11, the flanges 14, 15 and the passage 16 extend in planes which are substantially parallel to the plane in which the sliding plate 3 extends. In the present exemplary embodiment, the second guide part 5 is designed as a guide strip 5 which is slidably included in the box section 4. The part of the guide strip 5 included in the box section 4 is wider than the passage 16, such that the guide strip 5 cannot exit the box section 4 via this passage 16. The box sections 4 are connected with the wall with the aid of bolts or anchors 17. These anchors 17 are preferably positioned centrally between the legs 12, 13 in the base 11 in order to ensure that forces exerted on the box section 4 by the guide strip 5 are centrally transmitted away to the wall W. The box section 4 is thus symmetrically loaded and the tendency to bend outwards of the box section 4 is minimized. The guide strip 5 is connected with the sliding plate 3 via adjusting means 18. Thus, the position of the guide strip 5 with respect to the sliding plate can be adjusted, so that a desired closing force of the sliding plate 3 against the frame 2 can be adjusted when the sliding plate 3 is in the closed position. It will be clear that the box-shaped section 4, 4' may also be connected with the sliding plate 3 instead of with the frame 2 or the wall W. In this condition, the guide strips 5 are connected with the frame 2 and/or fixedly mounted on the wall. Further, in an alternative embodiment, the adjusting means 18 may also be connected with the box-shaped sections 4, 4' instead of with the guide strips 5, 5'.
The frame 2 comprises a box-shaped construction, which box-shaped construction bounds a passage 19 closable with the sliding plate 3 (see Fig. 4). As is clearly visible in Fig. 4, a side of the box-shaped construction facing the wall is an open side which is, in mounted condition, closed by the respective wall W. In mounted condition, the room bounded by the box-shaped construction 2 and the wall W is filled with foam S to obtain a water-retaining closure between the frame 2 and the wall W. Although only a little foam S is visible in Fig. 4, in other vertical cross sections, a considerable amount of foam is visible next to the center, because, there, the circular passage 19 has a much smaller height than the rectangular box-shaped frame 2. The box-shaped construction will thus contain a considerable amount of foam after mounting.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the sliding plate 3 is provided with strengthening ribs 20. Such strengthening ribs 20 are required to be able to resist the possibly very high pressure exerted on the sliding plate 3.
Figs. 3 and 4 further clearly show that the frame 2 is provided with a back side abutting the wall W and a front side which the sliding plate 3 abuts in closed position. This front side extends in a plane which includes an acute angle with the plane in which the back side extends. This angle is such that the distance between the front side and the back side near a lower side of the frame 2 is greater than the distance between the front side and the back side near an upper side of the frame 2. As a result, during closing of the sliding plate 3, there will be no contact between the sliding plate 3 and the front side of the frame 2 until the last moment. Therefore, the driving facility will not need to produce the greatest forces until the last moment.
What is special about the driving facility is that, in contrast to conventional valves, the spindle is not (only) supported on the upper side in a bearing block but particularly on the lower side in a lower axial bearing block 21. The lower bearing block 21 provides the axial bearing of the spindle 6. The upper bearing block 7 particularly has a bearing function in radial direction. The lower bearing block 21 is clearly shown in Fig. 6 which shows detail VI from Fig. 4. Fig. 6 clearly shows that the bearing block 21 is fixedly connected with the frame 2. Further, Fig. 6 also shows the threaded block 10 which is mounted on a threaded block support 22 which is fixedly connected with the sliding plate 3. What is good about this construction is that when the greatest force needs to be produced by the driving facility, the distance between the threaded block 10 and the lower bearing block 21 is very small. As a result, the length of the spindle 6 which is to transmit this force is very short, which is particularly favorable in connection with buckling. The risk of buckling particularly occurs with great lengths, such as with the conventional valves, in which, during closing of the sliding plate, the spindle is pressure-loaded and the loaded part of the spindle is almost the entire length of the spindle. With the present valve 1, the part of the spindle subject to pressure forces is, conversely, very short and, in addition, this part is tension-loaded during closing of the sliding plate 3, so that the risk of buckling does not occur at all. Only during opening of the sliding plate 3, the relatively short piece of spindle shown in Fig. 6 and extending between the lower bearing block 21 and threaded block 10 will be pressure-loaded. This pressure drops for a great part when the sliding plate 3 moves upwards even a little, because then, as a result of the inclined front side of the frame 2, the sliding plate 3 has already detached from the frame 2. Fig. 4 clearly shows that the threaded block support 22 is located on the upper side of the sliding plate 3 and extends from the sliding plate 3 in the direction of the back side of the frame 2, such that the threaded block 10 present thereon is in line with the upper bearing block 7 and the lower bearing block 21. As already indicated hereinabove, in a closed condition of the sliding plate 3, the distance between the threaded block 10 and the lower bearing block 21 is relatively small, which is particularly important for preventing buckling.
Fig. 5 shows the upper bearing block 7 in more detail. Further, Fig. 5 shows that an upper side of the spindle 6 is provided with an engaging part 23 which a wrench or a motor for driving the spindle 6 can engage. The upper bearing block 7 shown exclusively has a radial bearing function. However, it is also possible to give the upper bearing an axial bearing function as well. Under these conditions, the spindle 6 is provided with an axial bearing both at the upper and at the lower end. In such an embodiment, the spindle 6 will be tension-loaded both during opening and closing, or pulling up and lowering of the sliding plate, so that the risk of buckling is zero.
It is clear that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described but that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. For instance, the constructions described can also be applied with advantage to weir gates, which may be understood to mean overflow gates or low-pass gates, and which can serve for controlling the water level in a watercourse. Further, the position of the threaded block 10 on the sliding plate 3 may be varied. Also, the position of the lower bearing block 21 on the frame 2 may be varied. Here, it is desired that the distance between the threaded block 10 and the lower bearing block 21 is relatively small in closed position of the valve to prevent buckling of the spindle 6.

Claims

An apparatus for closing or controlling the passage area of a passage, such as for instance a valve or a weir gate (1), wherein the apparatus is provided with a sliding plate (3) which is adjustable from an opened position to a closed position and any positions therebetween, wherein the sliding plate (3) is slidable with respect to a frame (2), which frame (2) is mountable on a wall (W) or the like in which the passage closable and/or controllable with the apparatus is included, wherein the apparatus is further provided with a driving facility for adjusting the sliding plate with respect to the frame, wherein the driving facility comprises a screw spindle (6), wherein the sliding plate (3) is provided with a threaded block (10) provided with internal screw thread which is arranged for cooperation with the screw spindle (6), characterized in that the spindle (6) is, near a lower side thereof, rotatably bearing-mounted in a lower bearing block (9, 21) which is directly connected with the frame (2) or the wall (W)..
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the screw spindle (6) is, near an upper side, bearing-mounted in an upper bearing block (7) accommodated in a bearing support (8).
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sliding plate (3) is provided with a threaded block support (22) on which the threaded block (10) is mounted, wherein the threaded block support (22) is preferably located on an upper side of the sliding plate (3) and extends from the sliding plate (3) in the direction of the back side of the frame (2), such that the threaded block (10) mounted thereon is in line with the upper bearing block (7) and the lower bearing block (9, 21).
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein, in a closed condition of the sliding plate (3), the distance between the threaded block (10) and the lower bearing block (9, 21) is relatively small.
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the lower bearing block (9, 21) is an axial bearing.
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the upper bearing block (7) is a radial bearing.
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (2) comprises a box-shaped construction, which box-shaped construction bounds the passage (19) closable with the sliding plate (3), wherein a side of the box-shaped construction facing the wall (W) bounds an open side of the box which is, in mounted condition, closed by the respective wall (3), wherein, in mounted condition, the room bounded by the box-shaped construction and the wall (W) is filled with foam (S) to obtain a water-retaining closure between the frame (2) and the wall (W).
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding plate (3) is provided with strengthening ribs (20).
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (2) is provided with a front side and a back side, wherein, in mounted condition, the back side abuts the wall (W), wherein the front side extends in a plane which includes an acute angle with a plane in which the back side extends, wherein the angle is such that the distance between the front side and the back side near a lower side of the frame (2) is greater than the distance between the front side and the back side near an upper side of the frame (2), such that, during closing of the sliding plate (3), there is no contact between the sliding plate (3) and the front side of the frame (2) until the last moment.
An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus is provided with two guides (4, 5; 4', 5') which are each provided with a first guide part (4; 4'), and a second guide part (5; 5') which is arranged for cooperation with the first guide part (4; 4') for slidably guiding the movement of the sliding plate (3) with respect to the frame (2), wherein each guide part (4; 4') comprises a box-shaped section which is provided with a base (11), two legs (12, 13) connected with the base (11) and two flanges (14, 15) facing each other which together bound a passage (16), wherein the legs (12, 13) extend substantially perpendicular to the sliding plate (3) and wherein the flanges (14, 15) and the base (11) extend in planes which are substantially parallel to the plane in which the sliding plate (3) extends, wherein each second guide part (5; 5') comprises at least one guide block or a guide strip which is slidably included in the box section (4; 4'), wherein the part of the at least one guide block or the guide strip included in the box section is wider than the passage (16), such that the at least one guide block or the guide strip (5; 5') cannot exit the box section (4; 4') via this passage (16).
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each first guide part (4; 4') is connected with the frame (2) and/or the wall (W) and wherein each second guide part (5; 5') is connected with the sliding plate (3).
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each first guide part (4; 4') is connected with the sliding plate (3) and wherein each second guide part (5; 5') is connected with the frame (2) and/or the wall (W).
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each first or second guide part (4, 4'; 5, 5'), which respectively comprises the box section and the at least one guide block or the guide strip, is provided with adjusting means (18) with the aid of which the position of the respective box section, the at least one guide block or the guide strip, respectively, is adjustable with respect to the sliding plate (3) or the frame (2).