Abstract:
A fixable-seal sluice gate has a valve vise ( 18, 19, 25, 26, 31, 32 ) that forces a sluice-gate valve uniformly and tightly in sealing-surface contact with a domed seal ring ( 4 ) that is fixable conveniently and removably intermediate a sluice-gate plate ( 3 ) and a sluice-gate wall ( 1 ) of a sluice-gate flange that encompasses a valve side of a sluice-gate aperture ( 2 ). A plate locator on the valve vice sets the sluice-gate plate in predetermined sealing-contact position for select structure of the fixable-seal sluice gate. The domed seal ring is a plastic material such as Hypalon® having predetermined toughness to resist particle embedment in combination with having predetermined softness for select uses and objectives. A dome flange ( 5, 6 ) on one or both sides of a base of the domed seal ring is bracketed removably to optionally the sluice-gate wall or the sluice-gate plate for rigid, reliable, long-enduring and yet quick and convenient attachment and detachment of the domed seal ring.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to sluice gates or valves which have an outlet and/or inlet into a usually large container such as a reservoir, holding space or processing container in contrast to an in-line valve in a pipe or other tubular conveyance. 
     RELATION TO PRIOR ART 
     Currently, most known sluice gates employ brass plates that are forced against brass flanges with oppositely-tapered wedge extensions. These are so prone to leakage from imperfect fitting that regulatory structural standards permit relatively high levels of leakage with undesirable results. Various soft, rubberlike and fibrous seals and washers have not been successful because they have not been made removably fixable reliably and because particles in fluids for which sluice gates usually are used embed in them. Embedded particles often prevent sealing contact and increase instead of decrease leakage. In addition, there has not been an adequate valving vise to position sealing members of sluice gates in tightly sealing contact. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide a fixable-seal sluice gate which: 
     has a resilient seal that is fixable removably without being dislodged by harsh environments of rapid and turbulent flow of fluids that often contain sharp particles or abrasive sludge and yet can withstand constantly or changing high-pressure and low-pressure usage; 
     can be produced, installed, maintained and replaced quickly at low cost; and 
     provides accurate and tight sealing contact of sealing members for sluice gates. 
     This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with a fixable-seal sluice gate having a valve vise that forces a valve plate uniformly and tightly in sealing-surface contact with a domed seal ring that is fixable conveniently and removably intermediate a sluice-valve plate and a sluice-gate wall of a sluice-gate flange that encompasses a valve end of a sluice-gate aperture. A plate locator on the valve vice sets the valve plate in predetermined sealing-contact position for select structure of the fixable-seal sluice gate. The domed seal ring is a plastic material such as Hypalon® having predetermined toughness to resist particle embedment in combination with having predetermined softness for select uses and objectives. A dome flange on one or both sides of a base of the domed seal ring is bracketed removably to either the sluice-gate wall or the sluice-gate plate for rigid, reliable, long-enduring and yet quick and convenient attachment and detachment of the domed seal ring. Sealing grooves and ridges on the sluice-gate wall or optionally on the sluice-gate plate are provided in relation to removable bracket attachment of the domed seal ring. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows: 
     FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a domed seal ring bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall of a gate flange of a bevel-hook fixable-seal sluice gate having a plate locator that is lateral with bevel hooks in an open mode with plate bevels of a sluice-gate plate disengaged from wall bevels on a sluice-gate wall; 
     FIG. 2 is the FIG. 1 illustration with the bevel hooks engaged in a closed mode; 
     FIG. 3 is the FIG. 2 illustration with the domed seal ring bracket-fastened to the sluice-gate plate; 
     FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway side view of a domed seal ring bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall of a gate flange of a fixable-seal sluice gate having a plate locator that is linear to an axis of a sluice-gate aperture; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view of the domed seal bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate plate of the FIG. 4 illustration; 
     FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of a domed seal ring bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate plate in open mode of a fixable-seal sluice gate having a plate locator that is pivotal to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture; 
     FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway side view of a domed seal ring bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall with the sluice-gate plate in closed mode of the FIG. 6 fixable-seal sluice gate; 
     FIG. 8 is the FIG. 7 illustration with a sluice-gate plate having a beveled groove in which the domed seal ring is positioned for enhanced sealing; 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall with an inside-flange ring and an outside flange ring that are separable from a sealing member such as the sluice-gate plate or the sluice-gate wall; 
     FIG. 10 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of the FIG. 9 domed seal ring removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate plate having a seating step with the inside-flange ring and the outside flange ring that are separable from other sealing members; 
     FIG. 11 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall with an inside-flange ring that is an extension of the sluice-gate wall as a sealing member and with an outside flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate wall and, in addition, shows the sluice-gate plate with a sealing ridge for enhanced sealing; 
     FIG. 12 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall with an outside flange ring that is an extension of the sluice-gate wall as a sealing member and with an inside-flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate plate which, in addition, has a sealing groove for enhanced sealing; 
     FIG. 13 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate plate with an inside-flange ring that is an extension of the sluice-gate plate as a sealing member and with an outside flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate plate; 
     FIG. 14 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a flat, un-stepped sluice-gate wall with an inside-flange ring and an outside flange ring that are separable from a sealing member such as the sluice-gate plate or the sluice-gate wall; 
     FIG. 15 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an outside flange that is removably bracket-fastened to a seal-stepped sluice-gate wall with an outside flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate wall; 
     FIG. 16 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an outside flange that is removably bracket-fastened to a seal-stepped sluice-gate plate with an outside flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate plate; 
     FIG. 17 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an outside flange that is removably bracket-fastened to a seal-stepped sluice-gate plate with an outside flange ring that is an extension of the sluice-gate plate; 
     FIG. 18 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having a dual-flange base that is removably bracket-fastened to a sluice-gate wall with an inside-flange washer ring and an outside-flange washer ring; 
     FIG. 19 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an outside flange that is removably bracket-fastened adjacent to an inside periphery of a sluice-gate aperture to a sluice-gate wall with an outside flange ring that is an extension of the sluice-gate wall; 
     FIG. 20 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an outside flange that is removably bracket-fastened to a flat, un-stepped sluice-gate plate with an outside flange ring that is separable from the sluice-gate plate; and 
     FIG. 21 is an enlarged partially cutaway side view in approximately actual size of a domed seal ring having an inside flange that is removably bracket-fastened to a double-stepped sluice-gate plate with an inside-flange washer ring. 
     FIG. 22 is a the FIG. 1 illustration with a seal-contact deflector to prevent sliding contact of a sluice-gate plate with the sealing dome; 
     FIG. 23 is the FIG. 22 illustration with the sluice-gate plate partly raised without contacting the sealing dome; 
     FIG. 24 is a partially cutaway front view of a rectangular sluice-gate wall having a domed seal ring that is rectangular with arcuate corners and is contained by an outside flange ring that is rectangular with arcuate corners; 
     FIG. 25 is a front view of a circular sluice-gate wall having a domed seal ring contained by an outside flange ring and an inside flange ring that are circular; and 
     FIG. 26 is a partially cutaway side view of a circular sluice-gate plate on a locator beam that is pivotal on a pivot axle to close a sluice-gate wall that is slanted. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and list numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 1. 
                 Sluice-gate wall 
               
               
                   
                 2. 
                 Sluice-gate aperture 
               
               
                   
                 3. 
                 Sluice-gate plate 
               
               
                   
                 4. 
                 Domed seal ring 
               
               
                   
                 5. 
                 Inside flange 
               
               
                   
                 6. 
                 Outside flange 
               
               
                   
                 7. 
                 Annular neck 
               
               
                   
                 8. 
                 Sealing dome 
               
               
                   
                 9. 
                 Inside flange ring 
               
               
                   
                 10. 
                 Outside flange ring 
               
               
                   
                 11. 
                 Inside extension-flange ring 
               
               
                   
                 12. 
                 Outside extension-flange ring 
               
               
                   
                 13. 
                 Washer ring 
               
               
                   
                 14. 
                 Backup ridge 
               
               
                   
                 15. 
                 Annular seal groove 
               
               
                   
                 16. 
                 Linear slide 
               
               
                   
                 17. 
                 Linear-force rod 
               
               
                   
                 18. 
                 Wall bevel 
               
               
                   
                 19. 
                 Plate bevel 
               
               
                   
                 20. 
                 Wall-bevel edges 
               
               
                   
                 21. 
                 Plate-bevel edges 
               
               
                   
                 22. 
                 Slide support 
               
               
                   
                 23. 
                 Locator base 
               
               
                   
                 24. 
                 Base support 
               
               
                   
                 25. 
                 Locator gearing 
               
               
                   
                 26. 
                 Locator stem 
               
               
                   
                 27. 
                 Hand wheel 
               
               
                   
                 28. 
                 Locator beam 
               
               
                   
                 29. 
                 Pivot axle 
               
               
                   
                 30. 
                 Ball-and-socket joint 
               
               
                   
                 31. 
                 Pivot gearing 
               
               
                   
                 32. 
                 Pivot forcer 
               
               
                   
                 33. 
                 Seal-contact deflector 
               
               
                   
                 34. 
                 Plate deflectee 
               
               
                   
                 35. 
                 Arcuate seal corners 
               
               
                   
                 36. 
                 Arcuate flange corners 
               
               
                   
                 37. 
                 Concrete 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Reference is made first to FIGS. 1-8. A sluice-gate wall  1  such as a gate flange that encompasses a sluice-gate aperture  2 , has an aperture axis to which the sluice-gate wall  1  is orthogonal. A sluice-gate plate  3  having a closure surface that is sized, shaped and structured to be juxtaposed to an arcuate sealing surface of a domed seal ring  4  which by being attached to either the sluice-gate wall  1  or to the sluice-gate plate  3 , is fixable removably intermediate the sluice-gate wall  1  and the sluice-gate plate  3 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 9-21, the domed seal ring  4  has at least one dome flange such as an inside flange  5  and an outside flange  6  that are orthogonal to an annular neck  7  intermediate a sealing dome  8  and an annular base. As shown in FIGS. 9-14 and  21 , the annular base can be a dual-flange base having both an inside flange  5  and an outside flange  6 . Optionally as shown in FIGS. 15-17 and in FIGS. 19-20 the annular base can be a single-flange base having an outside flange  6 , or as shown in FIG. 21, can be a single-flange base with an inside flange  5 . 
     Overlaying the inside flange  5  and/or the outside flange  6  for attachment of the domed seal ring  4 , at least one dome-flange bracket has optionally an inside flange ring  9  that is fastened to a sluice-gate member, an outside flange ring  10  that is fastened to the sluice-gate member, an inside extension-flange ring  11  that is an extension of the sluice-gate member, or an outside extension-flange ring  12  that is an extension of the sluice-gate member. The sluice-gate member is optionally the sluice-gate wall  1  or the sluice-gate plate  3 . 
     The inside flange ring  9  and the outside flange ring  10  can be stepped as shown in FIGS. 9-16 and  20  or can be washer rings  13  that are flat as depicted in FIGS. 18 and 21. The sluice-gate wall  1  and the sluice-gate plate  3  can be flat-surfaced or stepped for receiving the inside flange  5 , the outside flange  6 , the inside flange ring  9 , the outside flange ring  10  and/or the washer ring  13  as shown. 
     Referring further to FIG. 11, a backup ridge  14  can be provided to encounter an outside of the sealing dome  8  that is attached to an oppositely disposed sluice-gate member. A first sealing member to which the domed seal ring  8  is bracket-fastened is either a sluice-gate wall  1  or a sluice-gate plate  3  that is disposed oppositely from a second sealing member on which the backup ridge  14  is provided. Although depicted in working relationship to a sealing dome  8  having both an inside flange  5  and an outside flange  6  on a sluice-gate wall  1 , the seal ridge  14  is particularly advantageous for use with sealing domes  8  having only an inside flange  5  or an outside flange  6 . 
     Referring further to FIG. 12, an annular seal groove  15  with tapered walls can be provided for tangentially sealing contact with circumferential surfaces of the sealing dome  8  that is attached to an oppositely disposed sluice-gate member. The first sealing member to which the domed seal ring  8  is bracket-fastened is either a sluice-gate wall  1  or a sluice-gate plate  3  that is disposed oppositely from a second sealing member on which the annular seal groove  15  is provided. 
     Referring to all FIGS., the domed seal ring is preferably a plastic material having predetermined toughness to resist particle embedment and abrasion in combination with having predetermined softness for select sealing uses and objectives. A preferred candidate material for relatively severe use conditions is Hypalon®. For less sever use conditions, a soft, pliable and resilient sealing material can be employed. The inside extension-flange ring  11  and the outside extension-flange ring  12  require either a sufficiently resilient material to be stretched or a ring gap to be spread for positioning over bracket walls. 
     Referring further to FIGS. 1-3, a plate locator includes a linear slide  16  in which a sluice-gate plate  3  is slid laterally or orthogonally to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture  2  to set the sluice-gate plate  3  in predetermined sealing-contact position. A valve vice for this embodiment having a predetermined slide-gate structure of the fixable-seal sluice gate includes a lateral forcer with a linear-force rod  17  that actuates a plurality of bevel hooks having wall bevels  18  on the sluice-gate wall  1  in slidably wedging contact with plate bevels  19  on the sluice-gate plate  3 . The wall bevels  18  are beveled in a direction away from the sluice-gate plate  3  and downward from wall-bevel edges  20  on the sluice-gate wall  1 . Correspondingly opposite, the plate bevels  19  are beveled in a direction away from the sluice-gate wall  1  and upward from plate-bevel edges  21  on the sluice-gate plate  3 . 
     The linear-force rod  17  of the lateral forcer is anchored with a slide support  22  that is lateral-force anchorage common to anchorage of the sluice-gate wall  1 , lateral-force anchorage of the lateral forcer being orthogonal to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture  2 . The linear-force rod  17  is assumed to have whatever manual and/or motorized pressure and/or gearing that is appropriate and available for predetermined use conditions and related requirements. Not shown but foreseeable as a candidate lateral forcer is a hand wheel with which a machine-threaded linear-force rod  17  is rotated in a machine-threaded base for raising and lowering the sluice-gate plate  3 . 
     The plurality of bevel hooks can be three with one at a top and one on each side at 120 degrees apart circumferentially to provide coplanar staggering if preferred instead of parallel-plane staggering as shown for bottom hooks to miss top hooks in vertical travel of the sluice-gate plate  3 . 
     Referring further to FIGS. 4-5, the plate locator can be linear with a locator base  23  on at least one base support  24  extended colinearly to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture  2  for a predetermined distance from a gate-plate side of the sluice-gate wall  1  to which the base support  24  is affixed. The valve vice is a linear forcer with the locator base  23  having orthogonally locator gearing  25  with which a locator stem  26  having machine threading is actuated linearly through an operator rod having a predetermined power input such as a hand wheel  27  and/or motorized rotation. The sluice-gate plate  3  is attached orthogonally to a gate-wall end of the locator stem  26 . The linear forcer and the sluice-gate wall  1  have common anchorage through the base support  24 . 
     Referring further to FIGS. 6-8, the plate locator can be pivotal to the aperture axis with a locator beam  28  that is pivotal on a pivot axle  29  having a pivot axis that is orthogonal to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture  2  and positioned on a pivot housing that is proximate an outside periphery of the sluice-gate wall  1 . The sluice-gate plate  3  is pivotal limitedly on ball-and-socket joint  30  on the locator beam  28  for allowing coplanar positioning of the sluice-gate plate  3  and the domed seal ring  4  on the sluice-gate wall  1  from a pivotal position. The valve vice has pivot gearing  31  with which the locator beam  28  is pivoted selectively intermediate open-mode linearity and closed-mode orthogonality to the axis of the sluice-gate aperture  2  with manual and/or motorized force applied at a pivot forcer  32  to the pivot gearing  31 . The locator beam  28  and the sluice-gate wall  1  have common anchorage through housing of the pivot forcer  32 . 
     Shown also in FIG. 8 is the annular seal groove  15  described in relation to FIG.  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and  22 - 23 , the sluice-gate plate  3  can be prevented from having sliding contact with the sealing dome  8  of the domed seal ring  4  with a seal-contact deflector  33  positioned on the slide support  22  for contact with a plate deflectee  34  on the sluice-gate plate  3  when the sluice-gate plate  3  is being raised or lowered as depicted in FIGS. 22-23. A gap between the sealing dome  8  and the sluice-gate plate  3  can be narrow for small sluice gates and wide for large sluice gates, or whatever is required for preventing sliding contact for a particular size and type of sliding sluice-gate plate  3 . Although shown as a matching-bevel members, leading-contact portions of either the seal-contact deflector  33  or the plate deflectee  34  can have rollers or other guide members positioned for a similar deflective action. 
     Referring to FIGS. 9-21 and  24 , a sluice-gate  1  that is rectangular preferably has a domed seal ring  4  that is rectangular with arcuate seal corners  35  and is contained by the outside flange ring  10  and/or the inside flange ring  9  that are rectangular with arcuate flange corners  36 . The sluice gate  1  is seated in concrete  37 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and  25 , the sluice-gate  1  can be circular and have a domed seal ring  4  that is circular and contained by the outside flange ring  10  and/or the inside flange ring  9  that are circular. 
     Referring to FIG. 26, a sluice-gate plate  1  on one or more pivot members such as the locator beam  28  can be pivotal on an axis such as the pivot axle  29  for a sluice gate that is slanted as depicted in FIG. 26 or otherwise oriented. 
     This fixable-seal sluice gate is intended for sluice-gate apertures  2  with cross sections ranging from inches to tens-of-feet and having sluice-gate plates  3  that are positioned in sealing contact with sluice-gate walls  1  laterally, pivotally or linearly. 
     A new and useful fixable-seal sluice gate having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.