AKA Towing Trolley, Industrial Trailer, Trailer, Agricultural Trolleys, Turntable Trucks, Ackerman Steering Trolley.
Turn Table Trolleys what are they? and why would you use them?
Definition: A turn table trolley is a base that can be of any size, shape or description which, which is supported by wheels. The front wheels and axle are a separate piece which has a fitted to a plate, that plate is then joined to a plate fixed directly to the base/chassis of the trolley by a pivoting fixing, this can be a bolt or pin. Between the plates, can either be bearings or the plates can be greased to reduce the amount of friction when steering the unit. Attached to the front axle is a handle, when you turn the handle left or right the wheels then follow the direction in which the handle is directed therefore steering the trolley.
The turntable trolley historically was the main style of trolley used, until the castor came into existence, and then developed into what is now the most common type of steering mechanism on a handling trolley, the turn table trolley is still heavily used in industry today especially where the loads being moved are heavy.
So why when a turntable trolley is so much bulkier and more expensive that an standard flatbed trolley or platform truck would you want a turntable style over the basic trolley type.
Turntable trolleys can be fitted with many differing types of wheel. Solid wheels, a hard rubber bonded tyre, fitted onto either a plastic, steel or cast iron centre. Or a pneumatic tyre which is as you would find on your bike, a rubber tyre mounted again on either a plastic or steel centre, fitted with a valve so that air can inflate the tyre to enable a more cushioned ride. Or finally these trolleys are now being mounted on runflat tyres, some time call puncture proof tyres, green tyres, cellular foam tyres or polyurethane tyres. The turntable trolley is a very flexible unit and able to traverse over any rough terrain, which is one of the main advantages of a turntable trolley over the standard platform truck, or flatbed trolley.
What you do with the bed of the trolley is really decided by the application.
For large loads a standard bed should be used so that the load can over hang, please use caution when overhanging long loads on trolleys, a good rule on thumb is that the base should be at least one third of the overall length of the load. Also note that, that the overhang at the front of the trolley should not inhibit the trolley steering system. There are many ways that you can adapt the top of the trolleys, you can add trolley side panel kits, these can either slot in, or be hinged trolley sides, they can be ply wood panel, mesh side panel trolley, steel side panel trolleys, or even made from blown plastic to give you a plastic side panel trolley. You don't have to just put side on, I have seen gas rack mounted on turn table trolleys or even a barbeque / spit roasts mounted on a turntable trolleys for catering companies.
There are many varying capacities for these turntable trollies, they would usually start at 250kg and range through to 10 000 kg, they are not always trolleys towed by hand, and tow hitches can be added so that they can be towed behind fork lifts, tractors, tow tug and other industrial vehicles, but pleased remember these are not trailers for the backs of car, the is a huge legal and structural difference between the two type of chassis.
Frequently I’m asked "Do trolleys need to have load test certificates" or "Does a trolley need to have a CE mark or Certification" There isn't a stipulation on a trolley manufacturers or importers into the UK. The usually reason for this to be necessary, is on customer demand. But there is not a legal obligation from the health and safety executive. For bespoke made trolleys there isn't a way for these units to be CE marked. To get CE mark obtained for a piece of bespoke equipment, the equipment would need to manufactured, specified, tested to destruction, and then remanufacture to the original specification. This process in fairly intense and very expensive. But as the equipment is not a piece that physically lifts anything then there is no such obligation to hold a CE mark of Lift Test Certificate
I found a lovely antique sack truck and turntable trolley in out local builders reclaim yard at the weekend, now I know your going to think it a little sad, but sometime the old ways of manufacturing are better than the new. There has to be a reason these things used to last for years on end. If we can extract some of the good manufacturing techniques from these old pieces of equipment and make the new equipment we produce better than they currently are then we have done well. Historically we only ever learned from our ancestor, so I thought I would take a lesson from that book, and for £140.00 all in i thought i had done well.
What else can you do with a turntable trolley???? there is really no limit, whatever you want to garry and however you want to carry it...... By adding a cage on the top of the unit, and gas cylinder racks, the turn table trolley can become a mobile gas cylinder trolley or storage unit, add an a-frame, and it become a rough terrain window trolley or board carrying trolley for building sites. Add some sides or adjustable sides for carrying long lengths, or even just leave it as a flatbed trolley for flexibility.
There are also sort of crazy things happening in the trolley would, including powered trolleys, these are a great way of achieving better productivity, especially where long shifts are being worked, to reduce the fatigue that sets in after a 12 hour shift. Also as and aid to people with disabilities, these powered platform trucks can really assist in access to work situations. There is funding available from central and regional governments to help companies buy equipment to help the disabled back to work have a look at the link and see whether you would qualify for assistance with the funding. The access to work team a ridiculously helpful, and if there is a way to get the funding then they really will help.