With more than 3000 Whirligigs now in operationthroughout the World, the United States Patent andTrademark office recently approved registration ofthe "Whirligig" name and also granted a UnitedStates patent. (U.S. Pat. 6,109,120) This is good newsfor the Whirligig as there are numerous applicationsin many different industries calling for this cleverdevice . Sales are expected to grow exponentiallywhich is not only good for 4B but also for 4B's cus-tomers as greater demand means larger productionruns allowing economies of scale savings which arepassed on to the customer. "We are at the tip of theIceberg" says Johnny Wheat, Manager of ElectronicProduct Sales at 4B, "it's like a sales explosion, asmore and more companies begin to understand theunique value added benefits of the Whirligig".

From Grain and Milling operations to Mines andQuarries, and Equipment Manufactures to ElectricalContractors, Managers are realizing that using theWhirligig makes sense. It is a simpler, safer, andmore reliable alternative to designing/manufacturingand installing custom brackets, targets and guards.Since it is universal, and works with any 18mm,30mm barrel style sensor and most rectangular stylesensors, it can be used with just about any manufac-turer's inductive proximity sensor. Also, since the

target and sensor are now one assembly, machinevibration, shaft end float, and manual shaftadjustment/take-up has no adverse affect onthe performance of the system.

Future developments include the design of amuch smaller Whirligig, for accommodating 8mmand 12mm sensors. This "Mini- Whirligig" with its1/4" threaded SS shaft could be used on machineswhere monitored shafts are as small as 3/8"diameter.

The standard Whirligig incorporates a dual target,which produces two pulses for every shaft revolution.Where slower shaft speeds are to be monitored, upto two additional dual targets can be installedincreasing the output to six pulses for everyshaft revolution.

729 Sabrina DriveEast Peoria, Illinois 61611 USA

Telephone 309-698-5611Facsimile 309-698-5615Email 4B@go4B.com

US Patent for Whirligig!T A R G E T / B R A C K E T / G U A R D

Please call for in-depth product information, or visit our website at

729 Sabrina Drive East Peoria, Illinois 61611 USATelephone 309-698-5611 Facsimile 309-698-5615 Email 4B@go4B.com

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

US POSTAGE PAIDPEORIA, ILPERMIT 137

Whirligig™

THIS ISSUE OF “THE SCOOP” IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY…

U.S. Pat. 6, 109, 120

Combined Target,Bracket & GuardFits all standard sensors

It makes sense!

In stock. Same day shipping. www.go4b.com

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 WINTER 2001

“LOOK FOR

IN NEXT ISSUE OF SCOOP”

TRADE SHOWSCHEDULE FOR 2001

FEBRUARY 19-20ILLINOIS GRAIN & FEEDPEORIA, ILBOOTH #405

MARCH 3-6GEAPS INTERNATIONALPHOENIX, AZBOOTH #421C

MARCH 8-10AFIA EXPOGUADALAJARA, MEXICOBOOTH #529

MAY 1-3COAL PREP SHOWLEXINGTON, KYBOOTH #741

MAY 7-9AFIA EXPO U.S.INDIANAPOLIS, INBOOTH #819

MAY 8-10POWDER BULK SHOWROSEMONT, ILBOOTH #8526

MAY 19-23AOM SHOWLOUISVILLE, KYBOOTH #541

Cover

18/30mm Mount

Base Plate

ThreadedMountingHoles

DualTarget

SealedBearing

13383 4B Scoop Newsletter-LM 4/10/01 9:55 AM Page 1

GEAPSE X C H A N G E

2 0 0 1

Where will you be on March3rd through March 6th, 2001?We hope you will be inPhoenix, Arizona, for the 2001GEAPS International technicalconference and exposition. 4Bwill be present and exhibiting,along with many other grainindustry operations profession-als and suppliers.

GEAPS annual conference isthe grain industry's premiereducational and trade showexchange. The three day con-ference is packed with severalscheduled educational sessionstailored to topics related toissues affecting the grain han-dling industry. Whether you arein elevator operations or inmanufacturing equipment, youwill not want to miss the oppor-tunity to attend the educationalsessions and idea exchange.Everyone goes away learningsomething that they can take

back to their respective busi-ness and build upon.

What's better, is the network-ing opportunities available toall in attendance. Come and getre-acquainted with your indus-try peers, share some stories,(believe me, you will hear somegreat tales) relax a little andsimply have an enjoyable expe-rience while at GEAPS. Andwhat a better place to catchsome warmer climate, whichshould be around 74 degrees,and break the mid-west winterblues! Take the opportunity toattend the many scheduledsocial activities as well as yourown, you won't be sorry.

4B invites you to stop bytheir booth, number 421, in thePhoenix Civic Plaza south lobby#2. Rick and Mark will behappy to show you the latesttechnological advances in the4B product range. Nicholas

Braime, our company Presidentand James Mawson, 4B's ChiefTechnical Engineer, will alsobe there from our Leeds,U.K. division.

Phoenix Civic Plaza225 East Adams St.Phoenix, Az 85004-2333

The trade show floor scheduleis as follows:

Sunday, March 4th11:30 am - 4:30 pm

Monday, March 5th10:15am - 2:15 pm

Tuesday, March 6th10:15 am - 1:30 pm

We look forward to seeingyou there, and having a GREATGEAPS experience!

CEEJAY’S CORNER

Until this pointin time, the 4BGroup was com-prised of BraimePressingsCompany in theUK, BraimeElevator Components in the UK,Setem Components in France and4B Components in the USA.

A few years ago it was decidedthat the growth taking place inthe South American market war-ranted the formation of a "local"

company. This would allow the4B group to far better serve theneeds of customers in LatinAmerica and Mercosur (SouthAmerican Free Trade Association).November 2000 marked the startof various component manufac-turing by 4B Sudamerica S.A. inBuenos Aires, Argentina. Due toits location, on the South Eastcoast adjacent the Rio Platte(River Plate), Buenos Aires is cen-tral to our prime industries andwill also provide easy access tothe Brazilian market.

The Grand Opening of 4BSudamerica will be held inBuenos Aires during early May

of this year. If you would likefurther information regarding thisplease contact us.

Welcome to our new employ-ees of 4BSA! ( Sean bienvenidosnuestros empleados de 4BSA!)

SPARKY’S SHOCKERS

Question: BothOSHA andNFPA 61 allowup to a 20%slowdown fromthe rated speedon bucketelevatorsbefore analarm or auto-matic shut-

down is required. This seemsexcessive to me, as it allows anunlimited time running at some-thing less than a 20% slowdown,i.e., forever at 17% reductionfrom normal speed.Answer: First, let me clarify apoint on OSHA and NFPA 61 reg-ulations. Both state that theremust be a shutdown at no morethan 20% slip. In addition theNFPA 61 regulation also requiresan alarm activation at no morethan 20% slip.

In my experience, as a beltslips on the head pulley of abucket elevator, the laggingbegins to lose its friction andeventually the belt comes to astandstill (100% slip). When thebelt is at a standstill and thehead pulley is rotating at normalRPM, it only takes a few secondsto "burn through" sufficient beltand weaken it to the point whereit breaks. (In addition to the beltbreak scenario, there is a realdanger of explosion due to theconfined dust atmosphere andthe heat generated by the fric-tion between the head pulleyand the belt.)

So, I would eventually expectto see a greater than 20% under-speed during a normal belt slipsituation. And, although therecould be some amount of beltdamage/wear prior to reachingthe 20% shutdown point the reg-

ulations help keep this to a lowlevel by stipulating a 20% shut-down and not any greater. (30%,40%, etc).

However, I would recommendthat for bucket elevators in addi-tion to the automatic 20% under-speed shutdown, there shouldalso be a 10% underspeed alarm.This would provide a warningprior to shutdown, and as suchwould provide alarm indicationduring the 17% slip conditionyou made reference to in yourquestion.

As a supplier of bucket eleva-tor speed monitoring equipment,we offer two systems designedspecifically for bucket elevators:1. M800 Speedswitch. With 10%underspeed alarm and 20%underspeed shutdown.2. Watchdog "elite" with useradjustable underspeed set-points.A 1% to 20% underspeed alarmand a 1% to 20% underspeedshutdown.

The Watchdog will also pro-vide a shutdown if there is analarm condition for a user defin-able length of time. (adjustableform 0 to 3 minutes).

The Watchdog will also moni-tor elevator leg acceleration dur-ing start-up. This prevents beltdamage during the time fromstart to full running speed.

As we can see, the M800 ful-fills the OSHA and NFPA require-ments for speed monitoring, andthe Watchdog System not onlyfulfills the requirements but alsogoes a lot further in protectingplant and personnel against dan-gerous underspeed conditions.

Send your questions through ourwebsite www.go4b.com or emailJohnny at jwheat@go4b.com.Although we can't print them all,we will reply to all questions.

Johnny WheatManager ElectronicProducts

Employee ProfileHello, my name is Mark, and I recently graduat-ed from Western Illinois University where I wasa member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. UnfortunatelyI had to grow up, but I still find myself missingthe good old days where work meant gettingup out of bed. In my spare time I like to gofishing and boating in the Illinois River andeven try to play the game called golf, but forsome reason the ball seems magically attractedto water and sand traps. I guess I will never have the opportu-nity to play with Tiger, but hey, that's what dreams are for.

4B Elevator Components Ltd. has changed their name to 4BComponents Ltd., to reflect their markets served. 4B is a subsidiaryof Braime Ltd. est. 1888, which is located in Leeds, England, and isone of the largest suppliers of material handling components in theworld. 4B was founded in the USA in 1984 and has endeavored tooffer its clients a single source of quality material handling andelectronic components. According to Chris Robinson, Senior VicePresident of 4B, "The new name reflects more accurately the natureof our current business." 4B's philosophy is one of anticipating theneeds of our clients, while offering them material handling andelectronic components of the highest quality, value, andlatest technology.

New Division:4B Sudamerica S.A.4B sets up newoperation inSouth America

Chris J. RobinsonSenior Vice President4B Components Ltd.Vice Presidente4BSA

A New Name for an Old Face!

GEAPS 2001 INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL EXCHANGE - PHOENIX(Grain Elevator and Processing Society)

Mark MiddletonMarketing Manager

“Tango street scene from Buenos Aires, Argentina”

!

13383 4B Scoop Newsletter-LM 4/10/01 9:55 AM Page 3