Heavy, hard to hold, hard to maneuver

Background

There are two interrelated issues: (1) moving and (2) pouring. Both can be time consuming and create heavy loads on back, shoulders, and hands.

Fortunately, a wide variety of equipment options are available on the market, provided by a multitude of vendors. Many are designed to both move and pour, but there are additional options that provide only one function.

Ideas and Options

Moving/pouring combined

Specialized lifter-transporters

A versatile approach is to use a lifter-transporter with an end-effector that is designed for drum handling. Movement across the floor is manual push, but the lifting and pouring mechanisms are powered. Depending on the unit, you can pour either forward or sideways.

Vendors include: www.vestilmfg.com, www.ergotechinc.com, and www.alumalift.com.

“Walkie” drum handler

“Walkie” units are completely powered, including movement across the floor. Pouring direction can be either forward or sideways depending on the unit.

Manual mover/pourers

There are a large number of manual devices available on the market that both move and pour. They are less expensive than the powered versions, but can sometimes take some effort to use, plus they only allow pouring at floor level.

Forklift adapters, manual

A wide variety of manual adapters are available for forklift trucks, including booms, hooks, and slings.

Forklift adapters, powered

Powered adapters can also be used on forklift trucks. Drivers manipulate the drums from controls inside the cab.

Moving

Drum transporters

A number of vendors provide devices that are specially designed for transporting drums. Vendors include www.drum-handling.com, www.morsemfgco.com, and others linked on this page.

Drum hand trucks

Variants of manual hand trucks are designed especially for handling drums.

Slide

In some cases, slides can be used.

Pouring

Tipping stand

A low-cost option is to fabricate a stand (above left) to serve as a fulcrum or support for manual pouring. Similarly, the tipping hook mechanism (above right) from a chuckwagon coffee pot can be adapted for some industrial settings.

Drum cradle

A variety of cradles are available to reposition drums from upright to horizontal to enable pouring. These devices are similar to the hand trucks and manual mover/pourers described above, put are designed primarily for repositioning for pouring, rather than transport.

Dumpers

Manipulator arms

Spouts

Hand pumps

Power pumps