International Materials Handling Equipment Exhibition
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By David Lowe, MInstTA
A NUMBER of interesting items at the fourth International Materials Handling Equipment Exhibition at Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, includes some from exhibitors making their first appearances at such an exhibition. These include Overland Contracts (Sales) From Birmingham with specialist-type trailers and semi-trailers; Anglo Swedish Equipment Ltd, sole distributor in the UK for BMVolvo loaders and dumpers; and the National Materials Handling Centre.
Overland Contracts are showing an xample of their 'Contractor' detachable ;ooseneck trailers. The model shown is C400 20-ton capacity unit, one of a range vhich extends from 7 to 50 tons capacity nodels. For loading and unloading the >latform of the trailer is detached from its gooseneck and lowered by battery-operatediydraulic bed-lowering equipment inde)endent of the tractive unit. Detachable amps can be attached at the front end or it either side for side loading.
Scottish debut
Anglo Swedish Equipment Ltd which las previously restricted its exhibition Jatronage to the Public Works Show, de.-ided to take a stand at Glasgow to test he trade's reception and to introduce the BM-Volvo units to Scotland where the ompany is to open a large depot. The nodels shown include a range of wheeledfactor loaders but the most interesting xhibit is the DR 860 six-wheel dumper. [his unit. is powered by a Volvo D5OB urbocharged six-cylinder diesel developing [50 hp and has four-wheel-drive to the ractor wheels and to the leading trailer vheels through a torque converter.
High flotation tyres are standard, giving he outfit an ability to work under the most Lrduous conditions. A 15 cu yd body, allowng 18to 20-ton payload, is fitted which ips to 70 degrees and a lock is incorporated o secure the body in the tipped position.
Steering on the DR 860 is by a pivot irrangement, and a bearing through the )ivot allows the trailer to oscillate independntly of the tractor. In fact, it is claimed hat the body could turn over without pulling he tractor with it. The trailer suspension ; of simple yet ingenious design, there being io direct spring suspension between the rame and the axles. Two pivoting bars are ised to equalize the weight distribution on he two axles. The bars are extended from le axles to the centre of the frame to which ley are attached by ball-joints. Cross-rods eep the axles in their correct positions nder the frame. The cab, as with all Volvo roducts, is built and impact tested to withLand crushing at twice the weight of the iachine. Over 40 of these machines have een sold in the UK.
The range of tyred loaders on display complemented by a few of the 70-odd ttacliments available for these machines ) enable them to carry out a multitude of 3ecial handling tasks. Changeover of the luipment can be completed in minutes. The National Materials Handling Centre as a small stand and is, according to the 'entre's director Mr J. M. Williams, testing !action to its information services. The Centre's new International Handling Review, newsletters and other items of research information are available on the stand.
Hydraulic lorry-loaders
Hydraulic lorry-loaders have become very popular in materials handling recently and one of the most prominent names in this field is Atlas Hydraulic Loaders Ltd. This company has a large display of models from the 3006, the lightest in the range, to the 5000, a very heavy-duty unit imported from Germany. The rest of the range is built at the company's Blackwood plant, Lanarkshire, where changes in layout are being made to allow more space for producing the 3006, a fairly new all-purpose lorrymounted crane. This model is on display for the first time; it is an extremely compact unit when closed, taking up very little of the vehicle's load space and weighing only one ton. In standard form the jib extends to 16ft 9in. at which it has a lifting capacity of a little more than one ton while the maximum lift at 5ft 7in. jib length is 7150Ib. Telescopic extensions to give a reach of 29ft 6in. can be fitted and a lift of a half-ton is possible at this length.
A brick loader attachment shown by Atlas can pick up an unbanded block of bricks from a stock pile, and by setting the adjustments the device will lift the same number of bricks each time. A pressure control allows for adjustment for less strong objects such as tiles.
Among the bevy of fork-lift truck displays which include all the well-known manufacturers, is a number of Toyota models on Liftrucs Ltd stand. This firm is sole concessionaire in the UK for Toyota trucks and reports that, despite the fact that the models on display have only been in the country two weeks, a large number of orders has been received based on specification and price only. Prices, the firm claims, are as much as 30 per cent below those of competitive machines. Standard prices include such items as overhead load guard, towing hitch lights, etc, which are frequently offered only as optional extras on other makes. Four models are on display with capacities of 20001b, 30001b, 40001b and 60001b, and two other models of 5000lb and 80001b capacity are currently available in the UK. The two smaller models are LPG-powered, the large ones diesel-powered. A range of electrically powered models is to be imported at the end of the year.
Fork-lift trucks and powered pallet trucks to work in hazardous conditions in petroleum and chemical plants are in increasing demand. Rolatruc Ltd launched a range of fire-protected powered-pallet trucks at the show on Tuesday. These trucks are equipped with flame arresters and when tested by the Fire Research Station, after six months' operation in gas-laden atmospheres, were proved to be acceptable against fire risk. The arresters consist of stainless steel strips packed tightly to form a mesh, allowing the passage of vapours in and out of the enclosed electrical parts. The form of the crimping of the strips is such that gases ignited within the enclosure are extinguished on being expelled.
A Copperloy 36ft mobile loading ramp is exhibited by Caledonian Mechanical Handling Co Ltd. These units are designed for loading containers by fork-truck when the container cannot be removed from the vehicle. They are also suitable for loading any vehicle by fork-truck.
A new lightweight portable hydraulic body handling unit is shown by W. E. and F. Dobson Ltd suitable for use at weights up to 5 tons. A new demountable body system also for use at this weight is shown, too. The principal difference between this unit and the remainder of the Dobson range is that flow dividers—used to ensure equal lifting of the body by the hydraulic rams—are not thought necessary at these light weights and the system is devised so that each ram feeds another. The slightly uneven lift achieved is not an important factor at these weights but the saving of £200 in cost over the other type of unit is. The body can be demounted in three minutes and is thought by the company to be of particular value to furniture carriers and the like.
A small but interesting piece of equipment, on Tangyes Ltd stand, is a one-ton Hyjack screw trolley-type jack suitable for lifting light vans. The jack lifts to 17fin. and when folded, packs away in a plastics case together with the folding handle. This piece of equipment gained a Design Centre award and at a retail price of £11 represents a considerable saving over hydraulic trolley jacks of a similar capacity.
Unfortunately, the first few contestants in the Scottish Fork-Lift Truck Driver competition displayed little of the skill expected, and chalked up penalty points in the four-figure bracket!
The Exhibition closes tomorrow (Saturday).