Slide Gate Fall-Protection Nut Prevents Unintended Closure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High operating loads on slide gates cause thread wear and failure in the threaded operating nut, leading to unintentional closure and flooding due to the inability to reopen the gate.
Innovation Solution
A slide gate with a fall-protection feature, incorporating a threaded fall-protection nut on the operating stem that rotates in unison with the operating nut and is designed to engage a stop plate, preventing unintended closure by minimizing wear and ensuring thread integrity in case of failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a threaded operating nut is used to control the slide plate, then the gate can be opened and closed through rotation of the operating nut, but the threads on the operating nut wear over time due to high operating loads and friction, leading to thread failure and unintentional gate closure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing a fall protection nut that acts as a safety mechanism before thread failure can cause catastrophic gate closure. The fall protection nut is positioned below the operating nut and engages with the operating stem to prevent the slide plate from falling if the operating nut threads fail, thereby cushioning against the harmful effect of thread wear and failure.
2Productivity
If the threaded operating nut is continuously used for gate operation, then the gate can be repeatedly opened and closed, but the continuous use causes substantial thread wear and eventual thread failure on the operating nut
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the cheap short-living objects principle by designing the fall protection nut as a sacrificial component that may engage to prevent catastrophic failure. The fall protection nut is positioned to engage the operating stem and prevent the slide plate from falling if the operating nut threads fail, thereby protecting the more critical operating mechanism and allowing for easier replacement of the fall protection nut rather than the entire operating system.
3Reliability
If thread failure occurs on the operating nut, then the slide plate can no longer be raised to open the gate, but the gate unintentionally closes due to the weight of the slide plate and water pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a fall protection nut that counteracts the gravitational force and water pressure that would cause the slide plate to fall if the operating nut threads fail. The fall protection nut engages with the operating stem to prevent the slide plate from descending unintentionally, thereby neutralizing the harmful effect before it can occur.
4Measurement precision
If a threaded operating mechanism is used to control the slide plate, then precise position control can be achieved, but the threads on the operating nut are subject to high frictional forces and wear from water pressure on the gate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing the fall protection nut as a mediator between the operating nut and the slide plate. The fall protection nut engages with the operating stem to provide an additional layer of protection against thread failure, thereby reducing the burden on the operating nut threads and decreasing the frictional forces and wear they must withstand during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A slide gate comprising:a frame assembly which defines an opening through which fluid flows;a slide plate movably mounted to the frame assembly for vertical movement relative thereto so as to selectively open and close the opening in the frame assembly;an operating mechanism for vertically moving the slide plate between its open and closed positions so as to regulate fluid flow through the opening in the frame assembly, wherein the operating mechanism comprises a threaded operating stem which is secured to the top of the slide plate and which extends through a threaded operating nut which is rotatably mounted to the frame assembly, and means for rotating the threaded operating nut so as to cause longitudinal movement of the threaded operating stem relative to the threaded operating nut, so as to raise or lower the slide plate, whereby to open or close the opening in the slide gate; anda threaded fall-protection nut disposed on the threaded operating stem in spaced relation to the threaded operating nut and configured to rotate in unison with the threaded operating nut, the threaded operating nut being spaced from a fall-protection stop plate which is connected to the frame assembly.