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COMMUNITY : FORUMS : BURNING QUESTIONS


Ideas for powering a sliding gate?

Hi All,
For three years now I have been driving in and out of this gate, and each time I do I rack my brain to come up with a clever way to power it. It would be great to have it open without getting out of the car.
It's pretty heavy and I have to lean on it to get it moving, but then it rolls along its track nicely.
In my work I have access to water pumps, pressure tanks and plumbing fittings, so I have been leaning toward powering it hydraulically. I don't know if this would be possible using town water pressure - if at all.
If anyone has any clever ideas or suggestions I would love to hear them.
Cheers,
cammers.

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2
crapflinger says: Feb 1, 2012. 1:53 PM
you could do it with water. build a tall tower on the one side where the door slides towards and have a bucket hoisted to the top of the tower and connected to the gate with some rope. then when you drive up you could open a tap that would fill the bucket with water and that would pull the gate open. then underneath the bucket you could either put a wedge or some kind of lifter (actuated by your car on the other side of the fence) that would dump the bucket out once you've gone through the gate. then on the other side of the gate you'd have another tower with another bucket, but this one would have some predefined weight that is enough to pull the gate shut (which would mean the opening bucket would have to weigh enough to open the gate and lift the closer bucket).
29
cammers (author) says: Feb 1, 2012. 3:22 PM
Thanks. I can picture it now. It would certainly be a marvellous machine. A great way to store and use energy.
I was actually thinking more along the lines of storing the energy in pressure tanks and using hydraulic rams to power the gate, but I really like the tower idea. Now how to convince the local council?
2
crapflinger says: Feb 2, 2012. 5:17 AM
this is one of those situations where there are already a multitude of devices designed and engineered EXACTLY for this purpose, that would do the job REALLY well. which makes it PERFECT for something that is exactly the opposite of that.
95
rimar2000 says: Feb 1, 2012. 5:00 AM
As I said in my last instructable, "The garage door automation is an exception to the rule that says that comfort is contrary to safety".

Buy an automatic motor, they are cheap, dependable and easy to install.
29
cammers (author) says: Feb 1, 2012. 1:15 PM
Thanks Rimar. I like your instructable. That's what inspired me to get going with my gate.
132
caitlinsdad says: Jan 31, 2012. 6:26 PM
Essentially a powered garage door opener on its side. Counterweight the door with springs or pulley weights. Remote control and safety mechanisms are the same.
29
cammers (author) says: Jan 31, 2012. 7:20 PM
Thanks Caitlinsdad. I set my scavenging radar to find some of those bit.
By the way; I love your work.
132
caitlinsdad says: Jan 31, 2012. 9:41 PM
Thanks. I wouldn't call it work.. maybe therapy. http://www.gatekeeperltd.com/SKC500DC_User_Manual.pdf might give you some ideas on what a commercial unit does.
14
steveastrouk says: Feb 1, 2012. 2:00 AM
That's the one we fitted to the gates here at work that Ideanator worked on !

Steve
132
caitlinsdad says: Feb 1, 2012. 5:12 AM
the one with the warranty on parts and labour? Ask for a refund on the labour.
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