The Smith-Cooper International 8103 series brass gate valve has a non-rising stem, and female National Pipe Taper (NPT) threads on both ends. It has a solid wedge gate, and its brass construction provides corrosion resistance, ductility at high temperatures, and low magnetic permeability. Brass can be connected to copper, brass, plastic, aluminum, and welded steel. The non-rising stem stays fixed in place when the gate is raised or lowered, making it suitable for low clearance or underground use. This gate valve is full port for reduced friction; its inner diameter is the same as the inner diameter of the pipe it connects to enable maximum operating efficiency. This valve has a maximum pressure rating of 200 pounds per square inch (gauge) (psig) for water, oil, and gas (WOG). This valve has female NPT threads on both ends for connecting to male pipes with tighter seals than straight threads. Mounted on top of the valve, a manually operated hand wheel activates the inside screw mechanism, which lifts and lowers the gate to start and stop the flow between the connected pipes. This valve meets National Sanitation Foundation (NSF)/American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 61-8 standards for quality assurance.

Gate valves control flow in a piping system by lifting a gate out of the path of steam, fluids, or gases. They are designed to block or permit flow, as the vibrations and force of flow repeatedly striking a partly lowered gate can damage the gate and seats. To accommodate different flows and pressure requirements, gates come in four types: solid wedge (appropriate for almost all liquid service), flexible wedge (appropriate for steam service), split wedge (appropriate for normal temperature, non-condensing gas and liquid service, including corrosive service), and parallel disc (appropriate for high and low pressure applications). Hand wheels or levers activate the screw mechanism in the valve’s bonnet, which comes in various designs, to open and close the gate. Union bonnets are preferable for building service piping, threaded-in (or screw-in) bonnets work well for lighter-duty usage, and bolted body-bonnet connections are used primarily in iron multi-turn valves. Most gate valves have either a rising stem, which moves up and down with the gate, or a non-rising stem, which remains fixed in place. When closed, the gate and its seats form tight planar sealing surfaces, ideal for linear liquid flow. Gate valves are used in air, gas, liquid, and steam applications.

Smith-Cooper manufactures a wide variety of pipe fittings and valves. The company is headquartered in Commerce, California, and meets relevant ANSI, ASTM, and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9002 standards.