September_1971 — Page 48

contractors

plant

AIR CUSHION CAGE

An Australian company has de- veloped a revolutionary building main- tenance cage which clings to the sides of buildings. Using the principle of the

hovercraft in reverse, the unit clamps against the side of a building to enable cleaners and maintenance men to work in safety.

The manufacturer claims the suc- tion cage is a breakthrough in the building maintenance field and has applied for world patents to protect this Australian invention.

After exhaustive trials the first unit (illustrated) has been installed on the 400-feet-high Bank of New South Wales new head office in Martin Place, Sydney.

The cage eliminates the need for restraining structures, the use of mobile scaffolding and the installation of reversible windows. The suction cage is lowered down the side of a building by cables attached to a mo- bile gantry mounted on rails on the roof.

Two powerful electric fans at each end of the cage exhaust the air from the front face of the cage and atmosp- heric pressure pushes it against the building facade. Nylon bristles mount- ed in two circles on the front of the cage function like the hovercraft skirt,

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allowing the partial vacuum to be created. The vaccum is strong enough to hold the cage against the facade, but still allows it to move up, down or sideways according to maintenance needs.

For further information, please write to E.W. Cox Pty. Ltd., 2 McLa- chlan Avenue, Artarmon. NSW 2064.

BORER/ERECTOR

A range of pendulum borer/erec- tors for fast and efficient erection of poles for overhead cables is available from Proline Industries Pty. Ltd., 41, Boomerang Road, Croydon Park, South Australia 5008. They can also replace conventional pile driving equipment on sites adjoining occupied buildings because of their relatively low noise and vibration levels.

The borer/erectors are designed to bolt on to the chassis of a truck of 5 tons or above, and is built around a jib

crane with 32 to 7 ton capacity. The company also markets a 4-ton version for light-duty applications.

There are three models of the machine, all with hydraulically operat ed telescopic jib extensions. The 30- and 32-ft (9.14 m and 9.75 m) ma- chines have single extensions while the 40-ft (12.19 m) model has a double extension.

The pendulum borer is fully hy- draulic and jib-mounted to give a heavy down thrust on the boring au- ger. Normal depth is up to 11 ft (3.35 m); long boring bars are available to increase the capacity to 20 ft (6.07 m). Various augers with tungsten tip- ped cutters are available, from 9%1⁄2 in (22.987 cm) diameter to 36 in (91.44 cm). The range includes rock bits which will handle 98% of the rock en- countered.

In operation, the truck is position- ed close to where the pole is to be erected. The operator moves to the control chair at the back of the truck where he engages four hydraulically operated stabilising legs, bores the hole in the required position, stores the borer and erects the pole. All opera- tions are carried out from one posi- tion. If required, they can all be done from the cab of the truck with the aid of attachments.

19-INCH HEAD SCABBLER

A heavy-duty model, the U11, has been added to the range of Errut/ Macdonald scabblers being marketed by Errut Products Ltd., Townsend Lane, London NW9, U.K.

Designed for increased rates of out- put when large areas of concrete re-

quired to be treated, this latest aid to surface preparation is equipped with 11 air-operated hammers. Fitted with 2 in (57.15 mm) tungsten carbide bits of either cruciform or point type, these are arranged along the head in two lines, the front having 6 hammers, and the rear having 5, providing a single easily manoeuvered unit capable of treating an area 19 in (482.6 mm) wide at each pass.

When treating areas for complete

Far East BUILDER, September 1971