Roof tile clamp speeds off-loading
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• Redland Tiles Ltd is equipping its fleet of Volvos and AEC Marshals with an entirely new mechanical off-loading service for roof tiles. By the end of this year a fleet of 34 specially equipped lorries will be operated by Redland, making the service available to customers throughout Britain. It is expected that up to 100 Redland Tile vehicles will be similarly equipped by December 1973.
This was stated at a recent press demonstration on a large housing contract being undertaken for the Northampton Development Corporation. The breakthrough, which reflects a major change of attitude by the building industry towards those who deliver its products, has been made possible by the Universal Tile Clamp designed and developed by Redland. Operated by the lorry driver, the crane and clamp can complete the off-loading of the tiles in around 40 minutes, saving much time not only for the vehicle operator but also for the site staff who have previously often had to be taken off productive work to unload the tiles. No specialist unloading gangs need now be employed on sites, nor is the question of timed deliveries anything like so critical.
The mechanical off-loading system greatly reduces breakages. Neat tile stacks can be put down wherever needed on a building site. Off-loading is possible in restricted conditions, over hedges, or other obstructions.
With either a fixed centre or expanding centre jaw the clamp is made in three sizes, 4ft, 5ft and 6ft in length and, in its present form, can handle tiles varying in width from 13in. to 15in. The 6ft clamp can handle one ton of tiles at a time. Redland hopes soon to be able to handle a wider range of tile sizes and also shrunk-wrapped packs of tiles. Shrink wrapping of plain and ornamental tiles in packs of 20 and the use of shrink-wrapping for the sets of roof and gutter fixings made by Redland will also ease transport and handling problems.
Redland has specified Atlas 3006 and Hiab Speedloader vehicle cranes for the first batch of vehicles to be equipped.
Ultimately, the packs of tiles could be delivered to scaffolding conveniently placed for roof work. At present the general standard of scaffolding in the building trade will not permit this.