Duramin's New Pallet Handling Systems
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Boxvan and Tipper Bodies for Earls Court
PikA NUMBER of semi-trailers with integrally constructed boxvan bodies built by The Duramin Engineering Co.. Ltd., will he seen at the Commercial Motor Show. Duramin will bc showing a Cold-Freighter, which is the refrigerated version of the van semi-trailer they build with various makes of running gear—the Show model will incorporate a Dyson Aeroride tandem-axle bogie; Taskcrs of Andover (1932), Ltd.. will be introducing the Cargovan—a 12-ton single-axle unit, and R. A. Dyson. Ltd., will have two versions of their Aerovan.
Other Duramin exhibits will be a 7-cu-yd. light-alloy tipping body on a Dodge chassis and a number of road/rail containers to new designs. The tipper body is an example of a new range which is designed to be competitive with steel bodies. In addition there will be a Ducamin-built platform body on the E.R.F. stand and a Duramin cab on the Hilmalloy (London), Ltd., stand.
Duramin will also he featuring two recently developed pallet handling systems. Both will be fitted in a box body on a Foden chassis. The two systems are called the Palletaire and the Aerola and both have the same object—the easy transfer of pallets or stillages from the tailboard into the body.
The Palletaire system uses a special wheeled trolley which is of such a size that it can be run under a standard pallet between the side feet. The trolley incorporates a built-in air-operated lifting mechanism and a compressed air reservoir which is charged automatically through an automatic coupling on the tailboard or at the end of the body floor. This locates in a connection on the trolley when it is flushed against the coupling. Two or three lifting operations can be made without recharging.
Trolley on Rails The trolley runs on flat guide rails running the full length of the body floor. To load the vehicle, the pallet is placed over the trolley, the platform raised to lift the pallet and the load run into position inside the body and lowered into place by exhausting the air. Pallets weighing up to I ton can be handled by the trolley.
With the Aerola system, pairs of roller tracks resting on air bags are housed in channels recessed longitudinally into the body floor. Strong bridge pieces are located at intervals across the channel to take the weight of the pallet or stillage. when the rollers are lowered. For loading purposes, the pallets are placed over the channels, the rollers elevated above the floor level by compressed air and the pallets pushed into position. The air is then exhausted to lower the load. The system can lift a full load of singlestacked pallets, each weighing about I ton, at an air pressure of 35 to 45 p.s.i.. though the system is said to be perfectly safe at up to 100 p.s.i. if heavier loads are to be handled.
Both systems will be fitted in the body shown —they will be located side by side.