Published in March 2005 Australian Longwall Magazine
According to ACT managing director Peter Howard, the re-design came about as a result of longwall faces getting longer, requiring greater towing strength of the cable handler and the need to continuously separate the cable from the hose.
A double steel spine down the middle of the tri-pull and two outer spines make it much stronger, and provide the barrier for the electric cable and hose in the totally enclosed system.
The patent-pending tri-pull design also offers ease of access for maintenance.
Designed, developed and manufactured in four months, the new injection moulded product has so far been sold to four underground mines, including two in Australia, one in the UK, and one in Russia.
The steel spines and injection moulded components of the Scorpion range of cable handlers are all made in the ACT purpose-built facility near Worksop, UK to improve delivery times and quality.
