Design Challenge - ALT 2011

POPE DESIGN

The counterweight system for my rough-terrain forklift is very similar to a ballast system on a submarine but it’s a closed loop. It consists of five separate cored-out cast tanks with baffl es installed (via the open face of the cast tank, which is then sealed with a mechanically fastened watertight removable plate). There is one tank mounted on each side of the machine, right in front of the rear axle. The rear cast bumper consists of three separate tanks: one in the middle and one on either side.

All five tanks are connected to each other by five separate largediameter pipes, each fi tted with a high-speed electric ballast pump. Under normal unladen conditions, all five tanks are half-fi lled with water. When a load is picked up, load sensors constantly calculate the centre of gravity and where it should be to keep the machine stable. Water is pumped from tank to tank as necessary to keep the centre of gravity low and the machine sure-footed.

This system also works during travel to keep the forklift upright on uneven ground – which is particularly desirous for RT forklifts. It also helps while carrying a load that is unevenly balanced. The baffles inside the tanks help keep the water ‘balanced’ instead of it sloshing around, which could make the forklift unstable.

I chose water rather than sand or hydraulic oil because water could be added or drained on the fly to optimise the counterweight effects quickly and easily on the jobsite. No more transporting, lifting or changing heavy spare counterweights; all you need is a source of water and a garden hose. Sand would also be far more abrasive than water so it would require the components to be replaced more often. The advantage over using heavy oils is that if there is a leak with the system using water, there would be no HazMat situation on the worksite or during transit or storage. When operating below freezing temperatures, environmentally safe antifreeze can be added to the water system.

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BIOGRAPHY

I would have to say just about 100% of my Matchbox and Tonka toys were trucks and construction equipment. Basically I have been fascinated with heavy equipment for as long as I can remember.  I received a B.S. for Industrial design at University of Bridgeport and I have been an industrial designer for 15 years. The last 12 of those years have been specializing in heavy equipment. I have worked on projects for several different OEM’s while I was employed at Teague and later as a design consultant. I’ve had the pleasure to work on projects from a 400 ton dump truck to a powered wheelchair. I also have a bad habit of designing conceptual construction equipment in my spare time.

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