Safety and Speed can be Connected

Mine sites are complex, dangerous and often dirty environments.

The process of installing, removing and maintaining tyre and rim assemblies, that can weigh up to 9 ton, ranks amongst the most dangerous tasks undertaken on a daily basis on all mine sites worldwide.

Using standard fasteners (i.e Nuts) to secure, or remove, an assembly from a vehicle, personnel must to accept the risk of entering the “crush zone” that exists between an unsecured load and the equipment being used to install or remove the assembly.

In the absence of any viable alternative, that does not unduly impede existing processes or procedures, the acceptance of this risk is unfortunately commonplace.

Even in the best case scenario, with access to a purpose built tyre handler on a concrete floored workshop, personnel are exposed to mechanical or hydraulic failures that could result in potentially fatal crush injuries by entering the crush zone for extended periods. A multitude of additional risks exist when maintenance needs to be undertaken outside of a workshop (breakdown situations, in-pit or underground) and in situations where there is no access to specialised tyre handling equipment.

Using the patent protected Rim-Lock® retainers, it is now possible to instantly and securely lock, or unlock an assembly in place without the need for any manual interaction from personnel. At no time during the installation, or removal of the tyre and rim assembly will any personnel be required to place themselves between an unsecured load and the tyre-handler. By removing the human element from a “crush zone”, the risk of fatality can be eliminated, saving lives and avoiding serious injury.

At its core the Rim-Lock® is a reinvention of the nut, a product that has existed for over 400 years and used ubiquitously across most industries. The Rim-Lock® delivers the same functionality as a standard nut (i.e provide a threaded connection) without any manual interaction nor rotation, and, in a fraction of the time.

In any situation, where there is a need to quickly and safely secure a load mechanically, such as the changing of a tyre and rim assembly weighing up to 9t, our system can be used. 

When a tyre and rim assembly needs to be removed from the vehicle, the Rim-UnLock™ will allow the tyre handling team to remotely initiate the unlocking of our retainers. Existing process requires a person to enter the “crush zone” for extended periods of time to undo the remaining fasteners (nuts) from the rim.

The Rim-Lock® and Rim-UnLock™ systems are a unique innovation with life saving potential. The improved productivity and easy of integration into existing processes and procedures, is an additional benefit.

This innovation was born out of an unwillingness to accept the need for people to place themselves in a crush zone.

The use of the systems can revolutionise the dangerous and time consuming process of installing and removing tyre and rim assemblies, on any mine site worldwide. Safety and speed can successfully be connected.