NEW CARGO SLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1922, Page 7

NEW CARGO SLING.

A SIMPLE CONTRIVANCE. KEEPS GOODS CLEAN. A new type of cargo sling, which, it is claimed, will greatly reduce the amount of handling and lessen the possibilities of cargo gathering dirt from the wharves, has been on trial at New Plymouth during the past few days in connection with the leading of the C. and IX liner Port Denison. The sling is the invention of Captain A. St. Clair-Whyte, of Auckland, and is really a simple contrivance. The base of the sling is a nine feet by four tray of wood firmly bolted together and mounted on iball bearing rollers, so that, in the first place, the sling is also its own cargo truck. In addition to permitting the placing of cargo on the sling in the sheds and then running the load out to the ship’s side, so obviating the use of trucks and consequent double handling, the rollers enable the tray to be moved to any part of the ship’s hold once it is inside the vessel, provided, of course, that there is sufficient space for movement and that a firm floor is available. Such cargo as necessitates the use of slingfl is stacked on the tray, from the ends of which the long running side pieces project a few inches. Over these projections fit rings in the ends of four ropes which, meeting together at the crane rope, form the sling itself. Fitted to the ropes are two canvasses which fit over the side of the load when the ropes are attached to the tray, which also has collapsible canvas ends. • that when it is lifted it presents he aspect of a box. Thus far protecEon has been given from dirt and weather to the bottom and the sides, anti the whole is completed by the division of a canopy which can be placed over the top of the load in wet or sunny weather. While loading the Port Denison’ 40 cases of butter were placed on the tray at each time and the measure of security, and lack of possibility of crushing it gave, compared more than favorably with the nets in use along-

side. The tray is capable of lifting the maximum load allowed by the watersiders’ award and can take 35 sheep or 60 lamb cases, 18 crates of cheese or 40 cases of fruit. Four trays and one sling comprise a set, as against five nets to a sling under the older methods.