Series 900 Stainless Steel Gates offer high performance and long life in designs which accommodate a wide range of mounting arrangements and flow conditions. Rugged, reinforced stainless steel construction is combined with tough, flexible ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) seat/seals, to provide a heavy-duty assembly.  Flush bottom closure is provided by a resilient bottom seal.  In addition to the wide range of standard gates, Whipps Inc. can quickly and economically produce standard gates or gates customized for unusual applications.

Advantages (vs. Cast Iron Gates)

  • Superior Performance: Whipps Inc. guarantees lower leakage than that listed in AWWA C-501 – Cast Iron Sluice Gates or the latest revision, AWWA C-560-Cast Iron Slide Gates.  Whipps, Inc. will guarantee leakage of no more than 0.05 gpm/ft of seal perimeter in seating head and unseating head conditions including high head service.
  • Cost: Fabricated stainless steel gates almost always cost less than cast iron gates.  As the size of the gate increases, the price difference increases.  This is due to the manufacturing process (e.g. casting of parts and subsequent machining) required to product cast iron gates.
  • Strength: The ultimate strength of stainless steel is in excess of twice the ultimate strength of cast iron and stainless steel has approximately twice the modulus of elasticity of cast iron.
  • Durability:  Stainless Steel resists corrosion better than cast iron.  The UV-Stabilized UHMW seat/seals that are utilized on our stainless steel gates are field proven to maintain shape and integrity in demanding applications.  Whipps, Inc. tested the UHMW seat/seals to confirm the ability to withstand continuous operation in an abrasive environment.  The testing consisted of 25,000 gate open/close cycles in an abrasive media while experiencing only negligible wear.  (Test results available upon request)
  • Reliability:  Unlike traditional cast iron gates, the slide will not “freeze” to the frame after long periods of inactivity.  Whipps, Inc. stainless steel gates incorporate UHMW seat/seals to prevent any metal-to-metal contact between the slide and the frame.
  • Delivery: The fabrication process required to turn raw materials into a stainless steel gate is quicker than the casting and machining process required to turn raw materials into a cast iron gate.
  • Self-Adjusting Seals: The Series 900 stainless steel gates have a self-adjusting seal system that completely eliminates the need for field adjustment.  This seal system was developed with the understanding that many gates are installed in locations where field adjustment of wedges is not practical or possible.  Another drawback to a wedged system is that wedge adjustment is an inexact science.  Wedge adjustment when attempted by inexperienced personnel can lead to additional leakage, difficult gate operation and increased localized gate stresses.  The self-adjusting seal system is a combination of durable UHMW seat/seals and a resilient static spring/seal.  The UHMW seat/seals are shaped to form a low friction, yet tight, seal with the slide.  The spring/seal serves two main purposes:  First: it acts as a bulb seal between the frame and the UHMW seat/seals, and secondly; it acts as a “spring” to ensure continuous contact between the UHMW seat/seals and the slide.  The spring/seal is stationary, similar to an O-ring seal, and it is protected from wear of damage from the movable slide by the UHMW seat/seals. (Wedges can be provided on our Series 900, but they are not recommended since the do not improve the performance of our gate.)
  • Low Maintenance: Stainless steel gates do not require periodic painting, and require less operator attention compared to cast iron gates.
  • Ease of Repair: In the unusual event that the seat/seals are damaged, they can be replaced in the field with common tools.  The gate does not have to be removed from the wall.  If the seating surface on a cast iron gates is damage, the gate will have to be removed from the wall and shipped back to the manufacture for re-manufacture.
  • Range of Sizes:  The process to design and manufacture fabricated gates allows for a nearly unlimited range of sizes.  This is not the case with cast iron gates since new patterns or modifications to existing patterns are required to accommodate unusual sizes.
  • Mounting Configurations:  Gate frames may be embedded in the channel walls, mounted to a wall with anchor bolts, mounted to a pipe flange, or wall thimble.  Wall thimble mounting is possible although it is usually only necessary for applications with high unseating heads.  Gates can also be designed to mount to existing wall thimbles or existing pip flanges.  Flanged frames or flat frames are available for gates to cover square, rectangular or round openings in concrete structures.

Optional Features

Gate size and service conditions determine the gate configuration required for each application.  Overall gate widths, side frame sections an invert sections shown in this literature illustrate only a few of the many configurations available.

  • Downward Opening:  Most gate models can be specified for downward opening service by adding a “D” to the model number.  Such gates are used where there is insufficient clearance to open an upward opening gate or where the gate is to be used as an overflow weir.  Downward opening gates maybe furnished with our without a top seal.
  • Interconnected Actuators: All models may be specified with two interconnected actuators y adding “I” to the model number.  This arrangement is generally recommended for gates 72” or wider and having a width greater than twice the height.
  • Non-Rising Stems:  All models may be specified with non-rising stems by adding “N” to the model number.  This operating stem arrangement is normally selected for installations with low headroom.
  • Wall Thimbles:  All models with top seals can be specified for wall thimble mounting.  Thimbles ae typically only necessary for applications that experience high unseating heads.

For additional information, please contact our sales department.