Manual Operators

Manually operated valves are often put in place to ensure functionality even in the case of a catastrophic shut-down or failure of the rest of the system. They can also be selected for their simplicity, cost savings or versatility. Whatever your reason for selecting a manual valve, you will need a manual operator to facilitate operation. Valves with manual operators are generally used to stop and start flow in the fully open or closed position, though some designs can be used for basic throttling. Manual operators can be used on the majority of valve types, but the more common ones are ball, butterfly, gate and globe valves.

Manual operators come in various forms including a lever, which is a basic handle attached to the valve stem to provide the leverage required to open and close the valve.

These are available with extensions for either difficult to reach valve turns or where the media flow might affect the main handle (through temperature, for example). For valves requiring a higher level of torque, manual operators come in the form of hand wheels with a gearbox, and the size of the wheel and gearing set-up will influence the level of mechanical advantage provided.

BM Engineering stock a range of manual operators, both handles and geared wheels. Check out our range of manual operators below.