Sliding Gates provide a unique, high-security solution under many circumstances and are quite common in larger commercial & industrial applications, for a variety of reasons as sliding gates can either be single-leaf or twin-leaf and they do not encroach into the driveway or yard area since they slide either side of the opening. Sliding gates are ideal where there are rising driveways, since they do not have to "rise up" the driveway.

Sliding Gates

Sliding Gates would normally run back and forth on grooved or circular wheels along a level horizontal beam fitted with a channel. The motor will drive the gate back and forth using a rack and pinion mechanism on the gate, powered by a cog at low level on the gate motor. This configuration however does require that the ground is relatively level and that a steel beam can be sunk into the ground the full length of the gate in both the open and closed positions. Any sliding gate in such circumstances requires to slide at least its own width either side of the opening.

Cantilever gate hardware equipment

Sliding Gate Systems are the most secure automatic gate systems around, as due to their operation and positioning, when closed they are almost impossible to open.

Cantilever System

An alternative method to sliding gates is the Cantilever System. Here there is no sunken steel beam the full length of the gate plus itself again. Instead the entire gate is suspended on a relatively short cantilever system involving wheels set in a channel (rather like the wheels of a train carriage). The "overhang" of the gate is usually around 1/3 of the nominal gate width and the entire gate pivots on the cantilever wheels. It then operates by running back and forth on these cantilever wheels. The gate motor principle is the same (i.e. toothed rack and pinion), with the motor being located in roughly the same position as with a standard sliding gate system.