Southworth APCU Series, Operating And Maintenance Manual

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28 APCU Owner’s Manual
Maintenance
All servicing should be done by qualified personnel.
Qualified personnel should be able to read and under
-
stand wiring and hydraulic diagrams. They should be
able to troubleshoot live electrical circuits safely and in
accordance with accepted practice.
For safety’s sake
,
if in doubt, please contact your dealer or Southworth
Products Corporation Customer Service Department
at (207) 878-0700.
Before servicing the unit, please read and understand
all of this section and the section entitled “Operating
Instructions.”
Hazards
There are several hazards you should be aware of as
you service the unit:
WARNING!
• As the unit moves up and down, “pinch
points” are created where moving parts
meet. Keep hands, feet, and loose clothing
away from these pinch points. If your hand
or arm or a part of your clothing is caught,
you may be hurt.
• Before performing any maintenance on
the unit, lower the tilt platform completely.
Failure to do so could result in severe
personal injury.
• The relief valve has been included for the
protection of all of the workers who use the
unit. Don’t change the relief setting! If the
relief valve does not open when it should,
the unit may fail. Someone may be hurt,
and the unit and load may be damaged.
• If the hydraulic fluid is released under
high pressure, it can cause personal injury.
Before you open any part of the hydraulic
system, be sure to release the hydraulic
pressure. You can do this by lowering the
tilt platform all the way down.
• The warning labels have been included
for the safety of the operator. If the labels
are worn or missing, or have been painted
over, replace them before releasing the
lift for operation. Fig. 1 shows the safety
markings on this unit.
Servicing the Unit Safely
It is important to immobilize parts of the tilt and dump
mechanisms before you service the unit. Please follow
all of these steps whenever you work on the unit:
• Lower the load enclosure completely to the loading
position. The cylinders and other parts can be removed
safely from either the tilt or dump mechanisms when the
load enclosure is completely lowered. Normally, you
should never need to work under the load enclosure.
Always stay clear of the space under this enclosure.
• Turn off the electrical power at the main disconnect
or circuit breaker. Follow standard lock-out, tag-out
procedures. Do not let anyone else use the controls
on the unit.
• When you are finished, operate the machine, with -
out a load, through at least one cycle. Be sure that it
is operating smoothly and properly before returning it
to regular operation.
Routine Periodic Maintenance
Every week:
•
On the tilt mechanism and dump mechanism, check all of the
hydraulic fittings and hoses, and repair as necessary. Sometimes
the fittings can be worked loose by the vibrations in the hydraulic
system.
WARNING!
If a hydraulic fitting becomes loose, or if a
hydraulic hose breaks, the hydraulic fluid may
escape from the system under pressure. If the
load enclosure is elevated when this happens,
this can cause it to drop. Someone may be
hurt, or the unit or load may be damaged. Be
sure all hydraulic fittings are free of leaks.
• Check the operation of the three photo eyes on
the entry side of the machine. With the load enclosure
in the fully lowered position, break the beam of each
photo
eye. Here are the test conditions for the photo
eyes:
Beam unbroken - LED on photoeye is lit.
Beam is broken - LED on photoeye is out.
When you break any beam, this should trigger a stop
condition which requires the controls on the machine
to be reset to return to “Ready” condition. The reflec -
tors for the photo eyes should be replaced if they are
cracked or otherwise damaged.
• Check and tighten all hardware.