HITCH DEVICE MODERNIZATION FOR TRANSLOADING OF BALE CARGO

Abstract

The operation of unloading bales from a covered railway wagon is one of the most labor-intensive and dangerous operations when transporting bale cargo. The article proposes a modernized outside-mounted load-handling device for a universal light-sized forklift. The device is a mechanical equipment for transloading of bale cargo. The device includes a push-pull attachment (a purchased part) on which a frame, a lever clamp and a hydraulic cylinder are mounted. Тtrolleys are installed on the forks of the loader. The trolley is equipped with a roller in the front part and a frame in the back part for longitudinal movement on the forks. The trolley also has a support for the movable pusher plate and a grip for lifting the front edge of the bale. The trolleys are connected to the stationary pusher plate by a lever-type limiter. Before the start of gripping, the forklift is tilted forward at an angle from 3 to 5°, the trolleys are in the most forward position and are supported by a pusher. In this case, the rollers are in the position where they have moved off the forks. By moving the forklift forward, the trolley grips are inserted under the bale. The pusher is brought into the folded state. The loader moves forward, the noses of the forks abut against the roller and it rolls onto the forks, lifting the front edge of the bale. The forks are fully inserted under the bale. The clamp comes into operation, holding the load on the forks. This allows the bales to be removed from the stack and transported. The trolley was designed using CAD KOMPAS-3D. The proposed device is capable of picking up bales stacked without gaps and can be used inside a covered railway wagon. Commonly used side-clamp devices are not capable of this. The mathematical relation of the required traction force of the loader on the geometric parameters of the trolley is derived. It has been established that the required traction force is 60 to 70 % of the maximum traction force achieved by light-sized forklifts with a lifting capacity of 1000 kg.