Many transport vehicles spend more time being loaded or unloaded
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than actually running from A to B. In some cases they must negotiate extremely bad surfaces before reaching their loading point. The puncture rate on a scrap collection vehicle based at the Morriston (Swansea) depot of George Cohen 600 Group Ltd. has been cut from a former average of two per week to only two in seven months. This reduction, with its attendant savings in vehicle downtime, inconvenience, labour costs and repair materials is the result of fitting Moplant tyre protectors--:fitting a cord-reinforced rubber inteday between the pneumatic tyre cover and the tube on the vehicle's road wheels.
The device, developed by Moplant (Industrial) Ltd., of Cardiff, was fitted to a George Cohen vehicle on a trial basis. The gruelling conditions under which this vehicle has been operating have provided a particularly good test.
The vehicle—a Commer TS3 6/7-ton diesel—travels up to 600 miles each week collecting scrap of all kinds from all over South Wales. A good proportion of its working time is spent in scrap yards and industrial sites, running over roads and ground littered with pieces of metal, glass and other scrap likely to cause punctures.
The protector can be switched from one tyre to another, and normally lasts the life of the vehicle to which it is fitted. And its use can result in savings apart from reduction in downtime.
Further details from: Moplant (Industrial) Ltd., St. David's House, Wood Street, Cardiff.