A recent innovation called CLIPLOCK, from GP Truck Products, is helping operators to ensure their truck and trailer couplings are properly and safely connected.
General Pneumatics was founded in Melbourne over 30 years ago, to develop products for the road transport industry.
GP Truck Products was created as a division of General Pneumatics back in 2011, to support the truck and trailer industry.
And last year, the Melbourne-based supplier and manufacturer released its latest breakthrough in the form of the CLIPCLOCK – a unique innovation for the truck and trailer coupling market.
GP Truck Products has made a name for itself providing air brake fittings and truck and trailer components that range from Suzi coils to trailer couplings, air brake filtration systems and associated products.
“We’ve always been an innovative company,” said General Pneumatics managing director Joe Borg.
“We design products and are very selective as to what we take on to make sure that they are fit for purpose.”
The CLIPCLOCK is among GP Truck Products’ newest releases. It is specifically designed to ensure positive and secure connections of trailer airline couplings while simultaneously preventing unintentional decoupling.
The CLIPCLOCK features a unique two-stage locking mechanism in the form of an optional stainless steel locking clip and locking groove, as well as a unique bright yellow cable which acts as a visual lock indicator.
Connected to the locking clip, the visual lock indicator makes it easy for operators to quickly notice potential connection issues or if it isn’t engaged, ensuring incomplete connections of the truck and trailer airline couplings can’t occur.
When it comes to the added layer of locking protection, an additional visual confirmation shows if the yellow cord and locking clip are dangling, meaning the coupling may not be securely connected and mobilising operators to act and remain safe with their loads. On top of this, if the locking clip can’t be inserted into the locking groove of the coupling, it means the male and female couplings haven’t been connected properly.
If the female coupling isn’t fully connected to the male coupling, the coupling collar will partially cover the CLIPLOCK locking clip groove, preventing access to the locking clip.
It may seem like a simple tool, but Joe says it handles the important job of safety and adds an extra layer of protection for fleets.
“We’ve machined a special groove into the coupling to accommodate the innovative locking clip that stops the locking collar from coming back and releasing,” he explained.
“This ultimately puts the minds of end users at ease. We’re bringing this product to the market because of unintentional coupling disconnections.”
It also ensures a positive and secure connection of truck and trailer airline couplings, with the engineering breakthrough adding value and safety to traditional couplings that may have been in use for more than 50 years.
Much like the rest of GP Truck Products’ range, the CLIPCLOCK uses the best quality products available for the Australian truck and trailer manufacturer market, as well as for the aftermarket distributors of truck and trailer parts.
Australian made parts are manufactured by Precision Components Manufacturer Redline Engineering and are made to the highest standards using only the best materials, while CLIPCLOCK pending locking clips can be purchased separately and retro-fitted to couplings with certain CLIPLOCK grooves.
Since the CLIPLOCK product hit the market, several organisations are already enquiring and testing the device to ensure it can be made a standard feature across their fleets.
For more information, visit gptruckproducts.com.au or call 03 9580 1811.