During public events, trash from food containers, drinks, and other paper all the way up to larger items from bigger events including chairs, ice chests, etc are often left everywhere on the events grounds, becoming a clean-up nightmare for workers.
Unlike trash that is properly stored in provided containers, hauling scattered waste and debris is an unsanitary job.
Thankfully, there are trucks that can ease the job of getting rid of bulky trash known as grapple trucks.
When a grapple truck is used, workers simply need to gather all scattered trash in one place, and the truck will load and transport it into a proper disposal facility; this significantly decreases the workers need to perform such a clean-up.
This unique vehicle can also be used to remove tree cuttings and aggregates as well as clean stagnated bodies of water like streams and ponds.
Description The grapple can load, transport, and unload material with a great deal of ease.
It is basically a flat-bed vehicle with high side walls and a steel articulated boom that is mounted on the chassis behind the cab, although it can be mounted at the rear of the bed as well.
The boom can move and operate within a 360 degrees horizontal axis which means it can operate from any direction to allow for great job site placement flexibility.
The boom itself has three articulation points or joints that allow for folding which provides for better boom control and higher lifting capacity.
All the joints are powered by a hydraulic ram or telescopic cylinders that can extend or retract based on the fluid pressure within the cylinder.
Pressure is generated by a hydraulic pump linked to the engine.
Fluid direction and the pressure is controlled via an on-board control or remote control.
The tip of the boom has attached to it a vise like hand called the grapple that is hydraulically powered so it can be opened or closed as desired.
The attachment is used for grasping a load from the ground to place in the truck bed and vice versa and is interchangeable for different purposes.
Some versions have a claw like design to grasp circular objects like logs, while other have a closed scoop for loose materials like aggregates.
Like a dump truck, grapples have a high-walled dump bed for holding material while it is being transported.
The dump bed is also hydraulically powered to incline or tip during unloading.
The tail gate is hinged at the top so that when the dump bed inclines, it simultaneously opens with the aid of gravity.
The chassis is also equipped with four retractable steel legs called outriggers that help provide stability during operation.
Benefits While a grapple truck may resemble a dump truck, it actually offers many additional benefits.
It reduces the number of workers and vehicles that are needed to perform the same work; without a grapple, such work would require a dump truck with a separate loader like a crane or a front fork loader to load or unload any material and transport it to a designated spot.
This is impractical as many work locations don't have such equipment available.
Having a grapple truck is like having a loader and a transporter in one package, cutting down the number of workers needed, operation cost, and time needed to do the job.
Grapple trucks are ingenious vehicles to use for various hauling jobs such as bulky waste that makes the job easier and faster.
It is great for timber hauling and transporting loose material.
Hopefully this article has provided helpful information about the functions of the grapple truck, its features, and its benefits!