Rammer in-Series models, which range in weight between 152 and 453 pounds, and deliver between 1,800 and 2,100 bpm, require hydraulic flows ranging from 8 to 18 gpm and operating pressures from 2,030 to 2,175 psi. List prices range from $4,950 to $8,750.
You don't often hear a manufacturer tell a potential buyer that a product is "unbreakable." Yet that's exactly what Allied Construction Products promises about the breaking tool in the new Rammer in-Series range of hydraulic impact hammers. Tools break because operators get them stuck, then attempt to pry material apart to free them, says Allied's Al Springer, national sales manager. But the tools in the new Rammer series resist sticking, he says, by virtue of their trapezoidal shape and side-relief contours — and with 5-inch diameters, the tools are massive for these relatively small hammers.
But an unbreakable tool is not all the in-Series models offer, says Allied. The four models that make up the new series (in8, in11, in15 and in22, with energy class ratings of 200, 250, 350 and 500 foot pounds, respectively) also never need to be greased. That feature results from a sealed design that incorporates a single tool bushing made of composite material. In addition, says Allied, these new hammers reflect an efficient design that uses no vertical tie rods or side bolts to hold components together, and uses nitrogen only within a small accumulator to serve as a shock absorber between the hammer and the carrier.
So, are these the perfect hammers for mini-excavators, skid-steer loaders (both mini and full-size) and backhoe-loaders? Allied, of course, answers in the affirmative, but does caution buyers that in-Series models can't be used underwater and are not as quiet as Rammer models designed for sound-sensitive environments.
Also new in Allied's hydraulic-hammer range is the Rammer m-Series, which offers two models, the m14 and m18, having energy class ratings of 4,000 and 7,000 foot pounds, respectively. The m-Series models, says Allied's Springer, reflect an innovative modular design (housing module, impact module and tool module) that allows these three major components to be overhauled separately.
These new hammers also have a high power-to-weight ratio, says Springer, the result of using heavier pistons than typically would be employed. This design, he says, allows the tools to deliver an impact force that normally would be available only from a hammer of the next-larger size.
In addition, an "application selector" allows the hammers, in their "auto-shut-off" mode, to cease operation when the preload between the material and tool diminishes. In their "easy start" mode, the hammers will operate with no preload, such as when working in a difficult horizontal position. This feature is coupled with the capability to adjust impact energy to match working conditions — a feature, says Allied, that assists in achieving optimal performance.
Like the in-Series models, the new m-Series models do not use tie rods or side bolts. And like their smaller counterparts, says Allied, these larger hammers feature simpler maintenance, using a "RamLube" system that automatically greases the bushings. If the grease cartridge is empty, the hammer will not operate. Also featured on the m-Series is the RamData device, which is a blow counter that signals via color-coded lights when specific maintenance is required. The m-Series is ideal for the demolition of concrete structures, foundations, pavement and trench rock.
