Parking Units For Tong Heads

Parking Units

Home Products Remote Handling Tong Heads Parking Units

Parking units

For each tong head or extension option, a change station will be needed and for each alpha adaptor a parking release and parking unit will be needed. These units are used to detach the attachment and store it, enabling change.

Change Station

Part No 44-31501

The change station acts on the locking bar of all tong heads. The bar is released from the lock position and the tong head released from the barrel or alpha adaptor. Re-attachment is achieved by locating the end of the barrel into the head and pushing against it, releasing it from the change station.

Swivel Base

Part No 44-31495

The swivel base allows the cell layout to be designed with the parking bays in more convenient positions. Through the angular positioning of the change station the tong heads can still be parked in places where a flat mounted station would not allow head removal and attachment.

With the careful positioning of the change station and swivel base complete, the swivel base grub screw can be used to lock the tilt position of the assembly. The small hole in the base of the change station can be tapped and another grub screw inserted to lock the swivel, or the hole used as a pilot hole for the top of the swivel base, and locking achieved through the use of a coiled pin. It should be noted that the locking method should not interfere with the tong head change operation.

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Release and Parking Unit

Part No 44-29200

The release unit is simple in design to aid practicality and minimise the potential for malfunction. The unit must be mounted firmly as during parking and release; the operator of the tong will need to both push against the block and apply a torque to the unit while disengaging and connecting the bayonet barrel to the Alpha adaptor.
The unit must be concentric to the tong barrel in the desired park location and must only be mounted with the pawl uppermost as shown, due to its operation being gravity dependant.

Parking the Alpha Adaptor

The Adaptor is inserted into the unit and is automatically locked in by the ‘pawl’. Flats present on the adaptor mean that the adaptor is unable to twist and that the bayonet barrel can be separated from the Alpha adaptor.
This process is used when changing gaiters and is very important. The unit must be mounted so that the adaptor can be directly inserted. The adaptor and parking unit must therefore be positioned at a certain angle, elevation and distance away to allow the correct alignment.

Releasing the Alpha Adaptor

The Alpha Adaptor is easily released from the unit through the operation of the trigger. This simply moves the pawl from the locking position and allows the adaptor to be removed.

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