Abstract: A crack resistant valve plate assembly is provided for use in a slide gate valve. The valve plate assembly includes a refractory valve plate having an orifice positioned along its longitudinal center line, and truncated corners for focusing a clamping force toward the center line in the vicinity of the orifice to prevent the formation and spreading of cracks. The angular orientation of each of the truncated corners varies with respect to the position of the orifice along the longitudinal center line. Specifically, each of the truncated corners are orthogonal to a line extending from a point tangent with the orifice, across the center line, and through an intersection lines drawn parallel to the converging lengthwise and widthwise plate edges that is spaced from the edges a distance equal to one-half of the maximum diameter of orifice that the plate can effectively operate with.

Abstract: A slide gate valve having a cementless joint between the valve and a metallurgical vessel containing molten metal is provided for facilitating the replacement of worn refractory components in the valve.

Abstract: A slide gate valve having a replaceable refractory valve plate assembly is provided for facilitating maintenance operations. The slide gate valve generally comprises a metallic frame mounted on a metallurgical vessel, at least one fixed refractory plate having one flow opening, at least one moveable refractory plate having a flow opening, a pouring nozzle firmly connected to the moveable plate, a pneumatic cylinder for controlling the displacement of the moveable plate with respect to the fixed plate in order to control the overlap of the flow openings of the two plates, and an interconnection structure for unitizing the fixed and moveable refractory plates and the pouring nozzle into a valve plate assembly that is installable in and removable from the metallic frame of the slide gate valve in a single operation.

Abstract: A slide gate valve having a cementless joint between the valve and a metallurgical vessel containing molten metal is provided for facilitating the replacement of worn refractory components in the valve.