Winkle adds permanent tower

Winkle Industries has introduced an addition to its line of lifting magnets that, according to the company, will practically allow operators to combine a grapple and magnet on the fly. This new permanent tower is placed directly on top of a magnet. Winkle’s DSG, ELSA, LSA, DSA and EDSA magnets, as well as most other makes and models of scrap magnets, can be accommodated with either a welded or pinned-on Winkle tower.

Combining a grapple and magnet has traditionally been used for applications that require handling punchings, turnings, shred as well as other lower density materials. These types of scrap generally fall through the grapple tines, so the magnet is used to hold them in place. This combination is also often used to sweep up metal from the ground when the scrap pile is too shallow for the grapple to effectively lift scrap without picking up dirt and debris.

Standard scrap handling magnets come with a three legged magnet chain and are not designed to be bolted to the head plate inside the grapple. Some operators utilize a magnet grapple combination for this type of application. However, this configuration does have some limitations.
According to Winkle’s Director of Sales, Mark Volansky, “The tines need to be fully opened to use the magnet portion of the grapple for sweeping or sorting, and in this position, working like this in tight quarters is not practical.”
“With the tines closed around the tower,” continues Volansky, “the tower suspends the magnet below the grapple, allowing the operator clear view of the magnet for placement and ease of operation.”

The advantage now is that the tower can be grasped by the grapple tines while the operator is in the cab, instead of having to stop to chain the magnet on to the grapple attachment or completely switch attachments. Operators need only attach the electrical line for the generator, and if a worker on the ground is available to do it, the operator does not need to exit the cab.