Category: Elphinstone Underground Support Solutions

Gross Vehicle Mass

35,860 kg

Tare Weight 22,685 kg

Engine

Cat C7.1 ACERT

Tier 3 - Standard/Tier 4 Final - Optional

Gross Power Tier 3

168kW/228hp

Tier 4 Final 151kW/202hp

Maximum Payload

13,175 kg

8,275 kg Slide Function Payload

Elphinstone E15 Series goes full tilt

The new Elphinstone E15 Tilt Tray is the fourth model in the series, adding another application to the highly configurable E15 underground support fleet comprising an agitator (7m3), delivery with crane, flat deck and a fuel and lube truck with several other applications still in development.

“The E15 has been well-received within Australia and overseas. Our customers talk highly of the operator experience, safety features, single common platform, ground-level operation and accessibility for servicing.  Now we are introducing a new variant, the E15 Tilt Tray, which will allow our customers to replace on-road highway trucks with a purpose-built solution,” said Global Sales & Marketing Manager, Tim Mitchell.

With a maximum payload of 13,000 kilograms, the purpose-built E15 Tilt Tray is compliant with all relevant ISO and Australian standards, including AS5400 for Tow Trucks and offers a flexible and safe transport solution with tilt and sliding tray.

The 6785 mm long x 2500 mm wide tray has a 15° loading approach angle and features a class-leading 12.5-tonne planetary drive winch, a robust steel plate floor bordered by multiple tie-down points, four container locks (ISO 10’ pattern), lashing rail, and the provision for optional ratchet load binders.

Other features include storage compartments and a hand-wash dispenser.

Safe and effective load handling

Using a Wi-Fi remote control, the operator can operate the tilt tray at a safe distance from the machine and position the tray close to the load for safe and effective load handling.

“Clever inbuilt dampening on the tilt cylinders at closed and extended positions provides optimal control,” Mitchell says.

Emergency stops are located at ground level on both sides of the machine. The Wi-Fi remote control feature 2-speed functions for all tray and winch movement, including a Deadman switch and dropped remotes detection system.

Three-point contact access ladders and handrails, all coloured high-visibility green, are located at the front and rear, on both sides of the tray, to enable access to the tray when in the full forward or rearward positions.  Optional removable handrails can be optioned to enclose the tray fully.

Ride and handling

The front axle suspension, combined with the oscillating hitch and air-suspended seats, delivers a high level of machine comfort to the operator and passengers.

The oscillating hitch provides superior operator comfort, four-wheel ground contact and reduced wear on the hitch and steering components. The hitch features a heavy-duty 600mm (1ft 11in) deep frame section through the oscillating hitch area with +/- 42.5° steering articulation and +/- 10° oscillation.

“The E15’s oscillating platform prevents the transfer of rough conditions from the rear frame into the front frame. The benefit is a far superior ride by allowing the rear frame to oscillate and reduce stress on the hitch and frames,” Mitchell says.

An optional feature of the E15 is the front hydraulic jacks. The front jacks operate with a “park” function to enable the operator to safely exit the cabin with the engine operating.  Rear hydraulic stabiliser jacks provide the ability to level and stabilise the machine in position during the loading and unloading processes. All jacks can lift the machine off the ground for changing tyres.

Ground-level serviceability

All service points, such as tanks, filters, lubrication points and compartment drains, are conveniently located at ground level for servicing. Downtime during service and maintenance is reduced markedly on the E15 due to clever engineering and design features, incorporated with service personnel in mind.

Quick-change air filters and 500-hour oil service intervals reduce downtime and keep machines in operation longer for greater productivity. A centralised onboard service centre with fluid sample points for analysis, and optional features such as auto-lube, fast fill, and fast evac. Systems.

“Product support, parts and components are readily available through our authorised Caterpillar dealers.  The E15 has a high percentage of Caterpillar parts that are sourced from common construction-sized equipment,” says Tim.

Safety is a Priority

Safety is a critical aspect for any piece of machinery used in the mining industry.

E15 safety features include firewalls and heatshields, machine interlocks, centralised isolation points (engine disconnect switch, starter isolation switch, jump-start receptacle and fire system activation, if fitted).

Operator presence, onboard brake testing and advanced machine diagnostics ensure that the operator is in control of the machine and has the right information to diagnose any issue via the 12inch touch screen dashboard.

Emergency stops are fitted as standard, one inside the cabin, and two at ground level on both sides of the transmission. Optional features include a factory fit integrated fire suppression system and metallic fuel water separators made from a non-flammable material.

The E15 intelligent electronic speed control utilises a heavy-duty electromagnetic driveline retarder, engine speed and the correct transmission gear to safely control speed while descending into the mine, reducing wear and tear on the service breaks, including parts and components.

The E15 can detect neutral coasting and automatically apply the electromagnetic driveline retarder to slow the machine to an acceptable speed and apply the park brake.

The operator cabin is ROPS/FOPS certified to ISO and Australian standards.

The tilt and slide mechanisms can be isolated and locked in position for maintenance.

An optional transmission isolator can be fitted to disable the transmission selector in the cabin and leave the engine running for maintenance purposes.

“The majority of key safety items on the E15 are mandatory base machine options,” Mitchell says.

Tier 3 and Tier 4 Final engine arrangements

The C7.1 ACERT Tier 4 final engine arrangement is optional, offering 151 kilowatts of power and adhering to EU Stage V exhaust emission standards.

The C7.1 ACERT Tier 3 engine arrangement rated at 168 kilowatts (225 horsepower) is the standard option for less stringent emission regulations. Matched to the engine is a Cat five-speed (three-speed reverse) transmission fitted with a lock-up torque converter.

Optional partial flow DPF can be fitted in place of standard muffler and catalytic converter on Tier 3 models.

Operator Experience

At 2.4m high, the low-profile front-mounted operator cabin features 3-person seating, air conditioning, ergonomic central driving position with a clear 180-degree view, and a dial controller for the retarder, speed and implement controls.

Ergonomically designed machine controls are located for the operator to control the machine functions with minimal effort. The result is greater concentration on vehicle operation, with reduced operator fatigue.

Operator comfort and convenience are further enhanced with an air-cooled compartment for lunch box storage, cupholders and smartphone charging ports.

The driver’s seat is a high-back seat with air suspension, and the crew seats are a standard ‘T’ seat or an optional ‘T’ seat with air suspension. Ideal for training purposes, the 3-position seating arrangement allows a complete crew to travel collectively rather than deploying an additional light vehicle for personnel transport.

R1500: first fully designed and manufactured LHD loader

Built on a passion for mining and manufacturing, it’s no surprise Elphinstone has been leading the way in equipment innovation and design for half a century.

Following an economic downturn in the mid-1980s, mining companies wanted to reduce their tunnel sizes, which required smaller machines with equal capacity.

In 1986, Elphinstone accepted the challenge and, in just 7 months, they produced and sold their first fully designed and manufactured load haul dump loader (LHD), the R1500.

The following year, Elphinstone sold its first R1500 overseas to Henderson Mine in the US - now owned by Freeport McMoRan.

Dale recalls negotiating with the purchasing team at Henderson Mine: “The guy said to me quietly, you realise that your machine price is double your competition, and I said back to him quietly, I had no idea what the price of our competition was, because we sell the value of our product and what it will do for you”.

Elphinstone replaced 36 of the competition’s loaders at Henderson with just 10 Elphinstone R1500 LHD loaders.

Henderson Mine, Colorado

The Henderson mine is near the Urad mine, which produced molybdenum from 1914 to the 1960s, before exhausting its orebody. Owner Climax Molybdenum Co. recognised the potential for deeper orebodies in the area, and discovered the Henderson deposit in 1964. The mine was named after mining engineer Robert Henderson.

Production began in 1976; on Jan. 4, 2010, workers mined the billionth pound of molybdenum. In 2006, remaining ore reserves were estimated to be 500 million pounds of recoverable molybdenum.

The Henderson mine was considered by the National Science Foundation as one of the two final candidates for the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory, but lost to the Homestake Mine in South Dakota.

Tyre handler was safer and more efficient for operators

Manufactured in 1983 using a modified Caterpillar 920 wheel loader, the Elphinstone 923 Tyre Handler was a specialised piece of equipment designed to make changing tyres on underground equipment safer and more efficient for operators.

Elphinstone sold the 923 Tyre Handler to Renison Mine, located in Rosebery on the West Coast of Tasmania. Dale Elphinstone travelled to the mine to train the operators in person. The second owner was Dick Beckett, of Becketts, Exeter, Tasmania, where the machine presently resides.

The 923 Tyre Handler was one of 7 underground service units designed and manufactured by D.B. Elphinstone Pty Ltd in the 1980s. The range also included the 814 Underground Dozer, 980 Rock Bolter, 925 Scaling Unit, 925 Service Unit (with basket), 4000 Forklift Truck, and the AP20 Articulated Personnel Carrier.

Machine Record - 923 Tyre Handler

Machine history records show the following:

• Based on: Cat 920 Wheel Loader
• Machine serial #: 0507816
• Engine serial no: 48V58580
• Customer: Renison
• Elphinstone job#: 1344
• Delivery date: 31.10.1983

Renison Tin Operations

Tin was first discovered in the Renison Bell area in 1890 by George Renison Bell. In the 1930s, extensive exploration of the region led to a surge in mining activity.

In 1958, Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company Limited acquired the site, investing in considerable infrastructure to bring mining activities into line with modern production methods.

Expansion continued well into the 1990s with ownership changing hands several times, but each investing in the modernisation of mining operations.

In the early 2000s, Renison Tin Operations was born under the operation of Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture, a partnership between Metals X Limited and Yunnan Tin Group.