Aggregates Expo Manufacturer News Universal Engineering authorized Gulf Atlantic to sell its line of equipment and parts for the aggregate, mining and recycling industries.

Lovejoy formed partnerships with Flexon GMBH and RO-QUIP to distribute its line of couplings in Germany and South East Asia, respectively.

Fully bolted jaw designed for mobile or track mountingTerex companies Jaques and Cedarapids collaborated on the design of a new 42 x 30 single-toggle jaw crusher called World Jaw Crusher. The mainframe consists of four pieces fully bolted together with no welds. Bolt-on brackets provide flexible mounting options and the crusher’s weight allows its use on mobile or tracked plants. Hydraulic wedge adjustment without shims allows infinitely variable closed side setting adjustment. Fixed jaw locking retention on the side of the unit allows an improved grizzly chute bypass design, according to the manufacturer. The corrugated jaws are fully reversible. InfoDirect 717

Hydraulic kit eases apron adjustmentStedman introduced hydraulic shim kits that help maintain gap settings on its impactors and eliminate wrench turning to raise or lower the apron assembly. Kits include lift bridge weldments and hydraulic cylinders for the front and rear apron assemblies, a three-spool control valve, and all necessary hydraulic hoses and fittings. Hydraulically raising the apron allows insertion of shims. InfoDirect 718

Conveyor built in sectionsSuperior Industries developed a Land-Link conveyor system with head and tail sections shipped fully assembled. Intermediate sections can range from 20 to 60 ft. long. Truss frame sections assemble with a pin and wedge bolt design and the channel frame has bolt-together sections. The Land-Link conveyor system can use several types of take-ups, including vertical gravity and scissors, tower, and hydraulic. InfoDirect 719

SSD point determined automaticallyGilson’s AG-1 Saturated Surface Drier automatically determines the SSD point for both rounded and angular fine aggregates, the company says. Hot air is forced through a specially designed rotating mesh drum inside the rotary drying unit while sensors continuously monitor temperature and relative humidity in the drying chamber. InfoDirect 720

Skid steer offers high liftCaterpillar’s 287 Multi Terrain Loader combines the upper portion of a Cat 262 skid steer loader with a rubber track undercarriage. It has an operating capacity of 2,450 lb. with a ground pressure of 3.8 psi. The loader offers high lift, long reach and a near-vertical lift path, Cat says. Additional links allow the loader arms to move forward during the lift cycle. InfoDirect 721

Seismograph specs on-lineInstantel developed a new web site (www.instantel.com) containing product

specification sheets and a brief overview of applications for each of its seismographs. The site also provides location and contact information for Instantel’s dealers and authorized calibration sites as well as technical tips and industry-related case studies. InfoDirect 722

Traditional off-road tire management goes to pieces

The Two Piece Assembly can be shipped and stored as two smaller components, decreasing inventory space and shipping costs.

After almost two years of field testing in metal, coal, and limestone mines, Goodyear brought to market in late July what it calls a “revolution” in off-road tire design, the Two Piece Assembly. The product introduction occurred at the world’s largest man-made excavation — Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine near Salt Lake City.But don’t let the giant mine setting for the unveiling lead you to think this technology is intended only for 240-ton haul trucks. Although initially offered only in a 45R57 size, the company plans to begin rolling out smaller sizes for smaller haul trucks and wheel loaders in the second quarter of 2004.Goodyear’s Two Piece Assembly features a separate treadbelt wrapped around an inflatable casing. Grooves on the inside of the treadbelt interlock with corresponding grooves on the casing. Once assembled, the two pieces are held together by the air pressure in the inflated casing assembly.The two pieces will not separate or slip at normal operating pressures, even if the casings are slightly underinflated, according to Goodyear. Nor does rock become wedged in the seam between the treadbelt and the casing, the company says. Recommended pressure for the casing assembly is similar to that of regular off-road tires of the same size.The Two Piece Assembly allows Goodyear to compound the casing and the treadbelt separately to optimize the properties of each component. The casing features improved bead area durability and reduced sidewall deflection, the company says. The treadbelt design, incorporating high-strength steel cables and specially constructed restrictor belts, better resists penetration, keeps the tread’s centerline flatter, and prevents outside diameter (OD) growth. Reduced OD growth creates a more uniform footprint pressure and shape, the company says. Reduced footprint pressure improves floatation and a larger footprint area increases traction and improves handling, according to Goodyear.The treadbelt protrudes beyond the sidewall more than on a traditional tire, which

provides added protection for the casing, the company says. Increased tread width also improves lateral stability and improves the wear rate. Wear is more consistent across the tread, Goodyear says.Because the treadbelt and casing are separate components, damage to one does not affect the other. Rock cuts cannot migrate from the treadbelt to the casing. Also, less heat is transferred between the treadbelt and the casing, Goodyear says, allowing machine operation at higher temperatures and faster speeds.If a component is damaged beyond repair or when the treadbelt wears out, only that component is replaced. This not only reduces tire costs but also significantly reduces downtime to change tires. Changing a traditional-type tire can take up to eight hours, according to Danny Blomme, operations manager for Rinker Materials’ FEC Quarry near Miami, which field tested the Two Piece Assembly. “If all we’re changing is the belt, you can do that in about three (hours),” he says.To change a treadbelt, a vacuum is pulled on the casing to partially collapse it and separate it from the treadbelt. Using specially designed attachments, a tire-handling crane is used to lift the old treadbelt off the casing and position the new treadbelt so the grooves interlock. The casing is then reinflated to operating pressure.To change the treadbelt on the inner assembly of rear dual wheels, the outer treadbelt is removed first and then the inner treadbelt is removed over the outer deflated casing. The ability to change treadbelts without removing the entire tire and rim eliminates the need to remove and then torque and re-torque lugnuts.Operations will probably be able to wear through two or possibly more treadbelts before needing to replace the casing, according to Goodyear. This can save on the costs of new tires, of maintenance and downtime, and of tire disposal. “If you’re able to change two belts or three belts on [a] casing, then you’ve essentially bought two tires for the price of one,” says Rinker’s Blomme.Goodyear also suggests that eventually operators will be able to use several sets of treadbelts to change tread patterns to better suit conditions. For example, use one set of treadbelts for dry summer conditions and another set for wet and soft winter conditions. Switching from traditional tires to the Two Piece Assembly does not require any machine modifications. InfoDirect 723

A close-up view of the outside seam between the treadbelt and the casing (right) shows the tight fit and the tread overlap that Goodyear says protects the casing sidewall. The steel-reinforced treadbelt provides a wider tread width, more even wear, and a larger footprint area, which enhances traction, stability and flotation, the company says. .

Special attachments for a tire-handling crane are used to lift the treadbelt on to the casing (left) and position it (right) so grooves on the treadbelt interlock with corresponding grooves on the casing. The casing is placed under a vacuum while removing or installing the treadbelt and then inflated to hold the treadbelt in place.