Irrigation slide gate valve and system

Claim 1

An improved irrigation slide gate valve system comprising: a. a water distribution conduit; b. a capped riser communicating the conduit to a desired water distribution location; and c. a slide gate valve for discharging water from the riser including: i. a mounting base on the riser having a water passage with an inlet in communication with the interior of the riser and an outlet opening at an exterior the riser surface of the mounting base; ii. a slide having a spout with a bore therethrough opening exteriorly of the slide and at an inner surface thereof, the inner surface being of sufficient area to mask the water passage; iii. means attaching the slide to the mounting base with the inner surface of the slide facing the exterior surface of the mounting base for sliding movement in response to an external force on the slide to selectively communicate the water passage in the mounting base with the hole in the slide and to otherwise mask the water passage with the inner surface of the slide; and iv. seal means circumscribing the water passage outlet for preventing water leakage along the interface between the slide and the mounting base and urging against the slide to cooperate with the attaching means to maintain a preselected position of the slide with respect to the water passage, the seal means including an O-ring disposed in an annular channel in the mounting base and urging against the inner surface of the slide; whereby, the slide may be moved into a preselected position with the water passage in the mounting base and the hole in the slide communicated a selected amount for metered flow through the hole in the slide.