The walking floor

TECHNOLOGY WALKING THE TALK

KEITH MANUFACTURING CO. FIRST CREATED ITS WALKING FLOOR TECHNOLOGY NEARLY FIVE DECADES AGO. TODAY, THAT TECH HAS BEEN ENHANCED TO INCREASE WORKSITE PRODUCTIVITY AND EASE OF USE FOR OPERATORS.

When transporting asphalt, temperature is an important factor as this can change the characterisation of the product being laid once it arrives on-site.

The longer the material is transported, the greater the chance there is of the temperature cooling. For this reason, having a trailer capable of quickly and accurately dispensing the asphalt is key to ensure the mix is not compromised.

For the past 45 years, KEITH Manufacturing Co. has worked to adapt its proven WALKING FLOOR technology to operators’ needs, resulting in a safer, more efficient and versatile trailer.

The V-FLOOR slats are designed for higher impact and abrasion and are suitable for asphalt, demolition material, scrap metal, aggregates and specialty waste products such as fly ash.

Operators can make the most of a trailer by backhauling, which is reported to double the efficiency of a fleet. Recent improvements to the V-FLOOR design work to increase the versatility of the unloading system, which results in rapid material discharge.

The WALKING FLOOR system serves as the flooring of a trailer and is a selfunloading system. This ‘moving floor’ unloader is made of a series of floor slats, which are powered by a hydraulic drive. As the floor cycles through its phases, material is conveyed or unloaded without having to move the trailer.

During the final phase, all slats move in unison conveying the material. The friction of the load on the two sets of slats that remain in place keeps the load from moving while the single set of slats moves.

Zyggy Reinoga, Keith Walking Floor Australia Manager, says the rugged V-Floor slats are teamed with the Keith RFII_DX Drive, which is the next generation of the reliable Running Floor II drive technology.

The RFII_DX Drive is a hydraulic system that divides the moving forces between both ends of the drive frame in the trailer, minimising mechanical stresses and enabling faster unload times.

“The horizontal unloading action of a moving floor system means Keith Walking Floor trailers can safely unload on uneven ground, providing a precisely controlled material discharge, and are certainly not affected by windy conditions,” Mr. Reinoga says.

Other major advantages include an increase of the floor area that actually moves the load, resulting in a significant reduction in the weight of the slats. The new WALKING FLOOR design is up to six kilograms lighter per metre, compared to the original design.

WALKING FLOOR technology can enable operators to have a more efficient unloading process on an incline, better performance in freezing conditions and the ability to haul and unload a greater variety of materials.

Added bearing support on the WALKING FLOOR also helps to increase the life of both the bearing and the slat.

Designed to handle a variety of bulk products, KEITH WALKING FLOOR systems offer many benefits over conventional tipper trailers.

“All up, the flexibility to unload in situations that may not be practical or safe with tipping trailers provides operators using Keith Walking Floor equipped trailers with added versatility to their scope of operations,” Mr. Reinoga says. For more information on KEITH WALKING FLOOR systems, visit www. keithwalkingfloor.com You can also contact Zyggy Reinoga at 0404 041 833 to discuss your material handling needs.