In planning customization and installation of your project,
you may consider:
I have been directly & exclusively involved
in the design and installation of automatic entry systems since 1984.
I use the best components and the best methods of construction & installation
available. I spend a lot of time evaluating new products that come
to market. I maintain excellent relationships with the manufacturers
whose components I choose to represent. We maintain a substantial
inventory of replacement parts so that when service is needed, downtime
is minimal.
I have never failed to complete a project, always met my budget, and always
considered the customer’s present & future needs concerning the project.
Properly designed entry gates can be built in a variety of
materials to suit any project, as long certain fundamentals are applied.
In over 16 years, we have built gates that swing, slide, lift overhead,
that are made of steel, aluminum, wood, copper, or any combination
of these. We
make no claim as to the virtue of one material over the other, because
at AutoGate Systems, we believe we can properly match the materials
used to
meet the customer’s design objectives.
In my view, there are essentially
two types of entry gates, custom made & prefabricated. Most of the work
we do at AutoGate Systems involves custom gates, made to order by us
for each project, and the way these gates are built, is what shall be outlined
now. Prefabricated gates do have some merit, for some projects, and
this
can be discussed later on.
If you were to take any of the custom gates in the company portfolio
and peel away the wood, the masonry columns, wood columns, and lead-coated
copper, you would find they are nearly all identical.
The varied
styles & sizes
are merely veneers, over an integrated structural framework whereas
all components are purposefully incorporated by design.
A steel post of square tube,
sized to meet the load of the gate panel. This is usually 4” x 4” up
to 6” x 6” heavy -wall tube. The post is fabricated in the
shop to proper length, placement of hinge pintels, adjustable closed
limit stops for the gates, the gate operator base plates or rear brackets,
this
determined by the gate operator chosen for the project. Usually,
this post is welded to a 14” square 3/4” thick base plate,
with holes to accommodate the footing anchors. These anchors (the threaded
rod cage)
are cast into the concrete footing that supports each gate and column.
The entire column is adjustable to correctly align the gates at the
center. If the finished gate columns are to be masonry, this post may be
sized
long enough and directly buried in the concrete footing. The top
pintel is then made adjustable to achieve the same result. The placing
of this
post or threaded rod cage is critical to the finished project, and
shall be within 1/8”.
Usually 2” square tubing, minimum 1/8” wall,
welded into a rectangular frame, the height and width of its members
to accommodate the finished gate panel. The purpose of the frame is
providing a rigid structure to build a facade upon. Steel tubing allows no
deflection
(whip) compared to flat bar stock, allows the welding of hinge receivers,
gate operator attachment points, etc. Steel tubing can also be formed
to take up the shape of the top of a curved gate. Even in ornamental
iron
gates, where bar shapes are used for pickets, horizontals, etc.,
we prefer
to use square tubing for the hinge-side upright and bottom horizontal
members.
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