mproved ail-lift tesigns by tatcliff
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The recent take-over by a new mpany. John Ratcliff (Tail Lifts) Ltd, of ivious Ratcliff companies and a rival Aucer of tail-lifts, Burtonwood MeehanI Handling Ltd, has borne fruit in the m of significant design improvements. At same time the whole range of tail-lifts ; been rationalized.
In the latest design there are no )jections beyond the sides of the body or so that side-scrape damage is almost an aossibility. An improved design of the iners which roll up and down the umns of the lift-assembly reduces friction I wear to almost negligible proportions. At the same time the strength of the runners has been almost doubled with little increase in weight.
An automatic safety trip--soon to be standard equipment—has also been developed. This ensures that in the event of a cable failure the safety trip will immediately arrest the lift and keep it raised.
At a Press demonstration at Ratcliff's Welwyn factory recently writes John Darker, it was evident that standardization of design has not affected the company's ability to meet special customer requirements or to innovate. The development of quickly demountable tail-lifts for Cory Distribution Service Ltd, used in conjunction with Bonallack Loadspeeder demountable bodies, typifies Ratcliff's flexible response to changing distribution techniques.
Nearly 250 people are employed in the Ratcliff group which is now believed to be Europe's biggest manufacturer of tail-lifts. Turnover this year is expected to reach some .£1-fm. Output is to be boosted by a new factory in Yorkshire with production starting in the summer.