The US construction industry has an enviable reputation for being able to have separate pieces of equipment, each dedicated to a specific task, rather than one machine that is expected to be adaptable for several different jobs, as is often the case in Europe. There are signs of change however, as increasing financial pressures demand higher returns from every item of plant. The increased versatility of one machine that can do several different jobs is also particularly useful for smaller contractors.

A US manufacturer of attachments for construction equipment, Paul Wever Construction Equipment Company (PWCE), offers crane attachments that fit on the dip arm of a standard rubber tyred tractor loader backhoe. Applications include lifting and placing roof trusses, wall panels, forms and pipes. Two models are available, the largest of which, for 17,000lb to 25,000lb (7.7t to 11.3t) machines, lifts 1,000lb (454kg) through 360° to a radius of more than 35ft (10.7m). The smaller model, which sells for $6,000, fits 13,000lb to 17,000lb (5.9t to 7.7t) machines.

Installation takes 30 minutes, according to PWCE regional sales manager Paul Imm. First, the backhoe bucket and linkage are removed before aligning the end of the backhoe stick between the crane connecting ears. New linkage arms are then connected to the stick and then to the bucket cylinder and the boom tension bar. The attachment, weighing 1,000lb, can be transported on a trailer underneath the tractor or on a pickup truck.

For safety, hose break valves and pressure relief cartridges are standard fitment to protect against overload and hydraulic hose failure. A specific load chart is drawn up for each crane attachment fitted.

At the front

Another crane attachment for a tractor loader, this time for the front end, has been patented by Michael Cullen, a general building contractor who has a construction company in New Mexico, USA. The idea came to Cullen out of necessity following a road accident in which he sustained a back injury that would otherwise have threatened his livelihood.

Cullen’s construction projects often involve fabricating entire house walls horizontally on the ground which then need to be tilted up to the vertical. His first lifting attachment for the front bucket worked but the available lifting height needed to be increased from 12ft to 20ft (3.7m to 6.1m). A lifting height of 20ft means that less scaffolding is needed. It also reduces assembly at height, thereby reducing risks faced by employees.

The result is Cullen’s patented crane attachment for the front loader which does not require removal of the front bucket and can be set up in about 10 minutes, he says. Both the front loader and backhoe functions can be used with the crane attachment in place. An adjustable cable or chain is used to precisely set the angle of the lifting arms for different applications.

Operation is controlled by a winch which can be mounted in front of the cab, on the roof or on either the primary or secondary loader arms. It operates via a pulley arrangement.

As well as tilt up construction the attachment can be used to install power poles, load and unload trucks and place items such as beams, pipes, septic tanks and sheds.

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