Technical


depending on the orientation of the machine on the slope, one or more of the three mower units may be lifted automatically to re-establish better stability”


“The audible warning becomes continuous and then,


Ransomes HR300 - the first out-front rotary to be fitted with tilt technology


the operator, safety systems and machine need to be communicating via some sort of digital controller. We recognised the importance of this issue some time ago and made our patented Tilt Sensor Technology system, (TST™) available in 2009 as an option when we launched the Highway 3 municipal triple cylinder mowers. This unique technology has now been rolled out on the new Ransomes Parkway 3 triple and the HR300 rotary mower. TST is, currently, the only proactive safety device of its kind on the market. For example, when fitted to the Ransomes Highway 3, with a safe working angle of 16°, the system operates as follows.


The screen showing that the 22°angle has been reached with icons that indicate the units are locked down and disengaged


All these machines have a dash mounted LCD screen, which, under normal operating conditions, displays fuel and temperature levels plus mower drive and park brake status. However, during operation, if the machine is driven on a slope of 16° the machine displays a warning - a 16° symbol appears on the screen, overriding all other information. This will continue to display the actual angle as it increases, in real time, until the machine angle drops below 14°, when it will revert to the standard screen display. However, if the slope reaches 18°, the


screen will display an 18° warning and a symbol indicating that the mower lift system has been inhibited. The cutting units will be prevented from lifting to aid stability, an audible warning sounds every four seconds and red LED lights flash in the screen. This continues until the machine is driven to an area of less than 14°. Finally, if the operator continues to


ignore the warnings and the slope reaches 22°, the screen will display a 22° warning symbol and the mowers will disengage. The audible warning becomes continuous and then, depending on the orientation of the machine on the slope,


116 PC APRIL/MAY 2012


one or more of the three mower units may be lifted automatically to re-establish better stability until the machine is driven out of danger. This provides a clear indication to the operator that he/she is in a dangerous area and, with the mowers disabled, there’s no advantage in attempting to continue working. On the Parkway 3, there are slight


differences due to the wider footprint of the machine as its safe working angle is increased to 18°.


The Ransomes HR300 is almost unique in that it is one of very few out- front rotary mowers with a fully digitalised control system. When the optional slope kit it fitted, which consists of wide wheels, counterbalance weights and the TST system, the HR300 reacts slightly differently than a cylinder mower. The start-up screen will show a safe working angle of 19° before any intervention from TST. At 16°, a visual warning appears in the screen. At 22°, an audible warning sounds and the deck lift is inhibited. At 26°, the audible warning continues, the lift is inhibited and the mower disengages. The machine should then safely be driven out of danger. Unlike the cylinder mowers, the system does not use the mower deck as a counterbalance. Ride-on rotary mowers represent the


largest market sector in Europe, if not the world. To introduce this technology into such a price sensitive market has stimulated much discussion, but has proven successful. Managers can now demonstrate that they have taken mitigating steps, as demanded by the HSE, to ‘as far as reasonably possible’ prevent roll-over of their machinery. Operators are clearly better protected,


and are being offered a safer working environment. In addition, the machine’s electronic controller records all the events and stores them in its memory. Our conclusion is that this type of


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