Patent ID: 7975983

Claim:
A split gate valve, comprising: a body having a fluid aperture extending therethrough along a fluid axis, and a valve axis perpendicular to the fluid axis; a pair of valve seats mounted in the body along the fluid axis and on opposite sides of the valve axis; a split gate movably mounted within the body along the valve axis between the valve seats, the split gate having a pair of gates, each with a hole, the split gate being movable between an open position wherein the holes register with the fluid aperture and the valve seats to permit fluid flow therethrough, and a closed position wherein the holes do not register with the fluid aperture and the valve seats to prevent fluid flow therethrough; and a gate guide located in the body and in contact with the split gate for moving the pair of gates with respect to the valve seats along the fluid axis as the pair of gates moves along the valve axis relative to the gate guide between the open position and the closed position, such that the gate guide forces the pair of gates apart along the fluid axis and into contact with the valve seats in both the open and closed positions, and the pair of gates have axial play along the fluid axis when the split gate is between the open and closed positions.