'Safe tacho' system for danger loads wins OK
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A CERTIFICATE has been granted to Lucas Kienzle Instruments Ltd, in conjunction with Measurement Technology Ltd, of Luton, for a safe tachograph system for those vehicles carrying dangerous goods which are required to be fitted with a battery master switch.
The certificate—believed to be the first ever granted for a commercial vehicle application —signifies that the system complies with the safety specification laid down by the British Approvals Service for Electrical Equipment in Flam mable Atmospheres (13ASEEFA).
The approved system incorporates a barrier device to limit the current by-passing the battery master switch; a revised electronics circuit within the -tachograph, so that the com• pacitors for electronic clock operation do not feed power back into the vehicle wiring circuit; and a minor modification the CAV 444 battery master switch. Lucas Kienzle tachographs and CAV 444 switches are now being produced to the new standards.
• Although the barrier device (which weighs 76gm and costs £7.11 plus VAT) could physically be fitted in conjunction with an existing tachograph this would not meet the safety requirement. For use on vehicles carrying dangerous goods, the version of the tachograph with the revised electronic circuit is necessary.
The special treatment of tachographs used on dangerous goods vehicles is necessary because the battery master switch used on vehicles operated under the 1875 Explo AN owner-driver livestock haulier, Mr William Robinson, has invested in 280 horsepower to haul 400 sheep at a time. Mr Robinson, of Allerton Bywater, West Yorks, has bought a 38ton Leyland Marathon articulated outfit from Lex Tillotson, Bradford. It has a 281.5bhp turbo-charged engine which is normally provided for dealing sives Act and the 1928 Petroleum (Consolidation) Act would have the effect, when operated to minimise danger in a hazardous area, of stopping the electrically driven clock in the tachograph. There would be an incomplete record on the tacho chart and the clock would need to be re-set each time the battery switch was used.
with gross train loads of 38 tons in countries where this is allowed.
But for the Robinson business—which is mainly carrying sheep and cattle to Yorkshire markets—the extra power is useful when running against the wind with a 4.42m (144ft) high body which has many side openings. The modifications now approved by BASEEFA will enable the dock to continue functioning when the master switch is off but will ensure that the power source is insufficient to ignite an air-gas mixture.
The Lucas Kienzle barrier device is available for both 12V and 24V systems.
The body is a 13.4m (42ft) long timber and aluminium' container secured by twistlocks to a platform trailer. With all three decks in use it can take 400 sheep.