The Classic Machinery Network

chenab wrote:With the cable loaders from the 1950s there is a lever with a weight (or disk) on the end on the drivers left side of the cab. What does that lever do?

The weight on the lever was an adjustable counterweight to hold the winch brake on when not in hoist or freefall.
Fred

Fred did the driver simply release the brake to drop and how was the drum engaged?

essexpete wrote:Fred did the driver simply release the brake to drop and how was the drum engaged?

Hi Pete,
I don't know much about them realy but they did winch up and gravity down.
They were chain driven from the belt pulley drive on the side of the tractor.
If I remember rightly up and down was on one long lever and I think the brake was somehow self ennergising when the winch drive was dissengaged??
My cousins had one at a small quarry they used to work, but I was pretty young then,
Fred

Hi Fred these might jog your memory
John

Hi John where did those come from! Brillaint photos and late example based on a new Major. I suppose the hydraulic Chaseside did not really emerge till '54 or '55 wouild that be right? Did the driver lift and lower with just one lever on the right?

Thanks Peter

These were never made in Blackburn but at the old plant.

Did the Switch to Blackburn follow the introduction of the Super Loadmaster range or was the Loadmaster range transferred from Herts to Blackburn?

Is there a reason for the rear tyres being fitted backwards from new?

Hair bear.
Well spotted.
Norm.

hair bear wrote:Is there a reason for the rear tyres being fitted backwards from new?

Yes,
These loaders charged the heap and filled the bucket by virtue of their own momentum rather than traction.
The tractive effort was required to reverse out of the heap from a standing start with a fully loadad front axle.
Fred