03.09.2019

New Elebia rail lifting clamp

Spanish lifting gear company Elebia has launched the two tonne automatic rail clamp for lifting sections of rail track.

Dubbed the eTrack remote controlled rail lifting clamp, it has been designed primarily as a hook suspended device for use with gantry type cranes.
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Elebia's new eTrack rail clamp

The eTrack clamp is lowered onto the top profile of a track, a spring loaded finger helps locate and position the clamp onto the rail, and retracts once the open throat of the clamp makes full contact with the rail. Two clamp arms then automatically pivot out from the clamp and lock onto the underside of the top profile, allowing the rail to be lifted. The design of the arms makes it mechanically impossible to release when under load.

When properly clamped a four colour LED indicator changes from green for ‘open’ to blue for ‘safely locked’. It is also used to indicate battery status. A ‘smart nap’ battery saving mode extends operations between recharges. Elebia says a three hour charge allows for over 5,000 cycles, or more than two months operation in standby mode. The video below shows exactly how the clamp works.

Chief executive Oscar Fillol said: “We were approached by a European company that was searching for a solution to the safety and security issues associated with alternative rail handling methods. Currently, it is common for personnel to walk on and or in between rail stacks that can be a metre high to manually engage lifting clamps, which is inherently dangerous. It becomes more hazardous still in inclement weather.”

“There are other remote products on the market but not with the remote engage and release like ours. With the eTrack, the whole operation of approaching the rails, orienting the clamps and their engagement can be handled remotely, as well as its release. The eTrack rail lifting clamp can be paired to the Elebia eMAX, the eMINI or the eINST remote controls.”