New Patent Collector for Direct Working
Page 74
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ASPECIAL type of refuse collector which the Dennis and Taskers companies are building to the patent design of Liverpool Corporation and Mr. L. Haughton, assistant city engineer (mechanical), is intended for direct working between collection areas and the disposal point.
Extensive use is made in Liverpool of the bulk transfer system, large vehicles running over seven-mile leads between collection points and the tip, but it is expected that the high capacity of the new 8-ton vehicle (22 cu. yd. free or 30 cu yd. compressed) will make direct working at least as economic.
The motive unit will be a Dennis tractor, with engine in the cab, which will tow a box-form semi-trailer to which it will be permanently coupled. The design provides for a platform behind the cab with a circulating space 4 ft. deep on which the loaders will operate.
Work Under Cover When working on the platform, the operatives will he under cover and, through his rear window, the driver will have a full view of progress at the hopper. Behind the cab is a drop bench with seating for four or five, whilst there is room for a further two members of the crew inside the cab. The working platform is 2 ft. from the ground, going up two steps from the road, or one step from kerb level.
Bins will be tipped into a full-width hopper at the_ front of the semi-trailer. The shield forward of the hopper is bowed in form and the workers will be protected by a guard rail on the piatform. An orthodox power take-off is employed for the compressing barrier that transfers the load from the hopper into the main body of the vehicle.
From hopper to rear door the length is 19 ft. 9.1n. and inside the body the fall of the floor is 6° to the rear. Thus the ordinary vibration experienced while the vehicle is travelling will create an initial compacting action.
The body is rapidly discharged by tipping, twin triple rams with stabilizers 1140 being employed. To aid clearance, in addition to the floor being sloped, the sides are slightly tapered to the rear. When the rear doors arc opened for tipping, the aperture is completely free from obstruction. A rack for salvage paper is fitted above the hopper and beneath the body are trays to accommodate long and bulky material.
With large-capacity box bodywork, there is always the problem of possible overturning if exceptionally strong winds are experienced when tipping. In addition, the chance of a tip-face collapse must also be taken into
account. To counteract this possibility, the design provides for two pendulum switches to be incorporated; they • are gimbel mounted and interlocked with a switch that prevents the driver from setting the hydraulic tipping mechanism in .motion if the angle between tractor and semitrailer is anything in excess of P.
When there is dangerous side Asplacement of the vehicle, the pendulum switches act on the hydraulic system, automatically lowering the body. The action takes place in a few seconds and those who have experienced overturning say that it is sufficientlY swift for lowering to be complete before the point of balance has been reached.
Overall measurements of the unit are: length, 28 ft. 6 in.; width, 7 ft. 6 in.; and height, lift. 6 in. The tyres are 7.54-20 in. all round. The body frame is fabricated from steel with aluminium alloy superstructure. A special frame is being used for the semi-trailer but every effort has been made to incorporate proprietary parts.
As reported in The Commercial Motor on August 16, the prototype outfit will cost 15,383.