Steel Hoppers
Stackable Self-Dumping Hoppers
The HOP series is the core of the S&L hopper range: eighteen published models across three duty classes. The duty class is set by the steel gauge, 12…
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Material Handling · Steel Hoppers
Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers From A Quarter Cubic Yard
A low profile hopper is the one that fits under a machine bed, a press bolster or a conveyor discharge. The smallest in this range stands 18-1/4 inches high and holds a quarter cubic yard, and every size tips its load by releasing a latch from the fork truck seat.
Product Overview
What This Product Is and Where It Fits
Height is the whole point of the low profile range. Where a standard hopper will not pass under a machine, a 18-1/4 inch hopper will, so swarf leaves the cell in the hopper rather than in a bucket.
The published table separates volume from capacity, and they are not the same decision. A 1/4 cubic yard hopper is offered at 2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 lb because dense material fills the weight rating long before it fills the volume. Cast iron swarf reaches 4,000 lb in a very small hopper.
Fork pocket centres step from 11-1/2 inches on the small sizes to 21-3/4 inches on the 1 and 1-1/2 cubic yard sizes. Check this against your fork spread before ordering, because a hopper whose pockets do not match the truck is scrap.
Net weights run from 219 lb to 540 lb across the range, which matters for the truck's rated capacity at the load centre involved.
Key Benefits
Three Reasons Buyers Specify This Line
Fits where a standard hopper will not
From 18-1/4 inches high, so it goes under machine beds and conveyor discharges.
Three weight ratings at every volume
2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 lb, so dense material can be matched on weight rather than on volume.
Tipped from the truck seat
The self-dumping latch releases from the driving position, so the operator does not dismount to empty a load.
Application Scenarios
- Swarf and chip collection under machine tools
- Press and stamping scrap at the die
- Conveyor discharge points with limited headroom
- Foundry and forge offcut collection
Who It Is For
- Machine shops moving swarf out of a cell without a bucket
- Plants with headroom limits under machine beds
- Scrap handlers dealing with dense material
- Distributors supplying hoppers into manufacturing
Problems It Solves
- Standard hoppers too tall to pass under a machine
- Scrap handled by hand because nothing fits the space
- Hoppers chosen on volume then overloaded by dense material
- Fork pockets that do not match the fork spread on site
Technical Features
What Is Actually Published For This Line
18-1/4 inch minimum height
The 1/4 cubic yard sizes stand 18-1/4 inches high overall.
Volume from 1/4 to 1-1/2 cubic yards
Four volume steps across the low profile range.
2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 lb ratings
Each volume offered across three weight classes.
Fork pocket centres 11-1/2 and 21-3/4 inches
Two pocket spacings across the range.
Specifications
Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers Specification Table
Every figure below is transcribed from the specification sheets S&L published for this line. Where a figure is not published, it is marked rather than estimated.
| Volume cu yd | Capacity lbs | Overall W x D x H in | Fork Pocket Centers in | Net Weight lbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 | 2,000 | 25" x 46" x 18-1/4" | 11-1/2" | 219 |
| 1/2 | 2,000 | 25" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 11-3/4" | 256 |
| 1 | 2,000 | 49" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 21-3/4" | 347 |
| 1-1/2 | 2,000 | 49" x 51-3/4" x 41" | 21-3/4" | 486 |
| 1/4 | 4,000 | 25" x 46" x 18-1/4" | 11-1/2" | 219 |
| 1/2 | 4,000 | 25" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 11-3/4" | 256 |
| 1 | 4,000 | 49" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 21-3/4" | 395 |
| 1-1/2 | 4,000 | 49" x 51-1/4" x 41" | 21-3/4" | 463 |
| 1/4 | 6,000 | 25" x 46" x 18-1/4" | 11-1/2" | 219 |
| 1/2 | 6,000 | 25" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 11-3/4" | 282 |
| 1 | 6,000 | 49" x 51-1/4" x 28" | 21-3/4" | 462 |
| 1-1/2 | 6,000 | 49" x 51-1/4" x 41" | 21-3/4" | 540 |
Source: Low profile self-dumping hopper sheet published by S&L Dock Equipment.
Product Photography
Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers As Supplied
Every photograph below is from the S&L product records for this line. Nothing is a stock image or a rendering.
Materials
Materials and Finish
Welded steel body on a steel base frame with fork pockets. Paint colour is selected from the standard hopper colour range at quotation.
ManufacturingHow It Is Made
Body panels are cut and formed, the base frame and fork pockets welded up, the tipping pivot and latch fitted, then the hopper is cleaned and painted.
Quality Control
What Is Checked Before Packing
Volume, overall dimensions, fork pocket centres and net weight are checked against the size sheet. The tipping and latching action is function tested before packing.
CertificationsCertification Status
No third-party certification is published for Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers in S&L's own documentation, so this page marks it TBC at quotation rather than implying one. For hoppers the figures buyers verify are the steel gauge and the rated capacity, both of which are published per model. Batch material certificates can be discussed at quotation.
Customisation
Options Within The Published Range
- Volume and weight rating selected independently
- Paint colour from the eight standard hopper colours
- Fork pocket centres matched to the truck on site
Comparison
How It Compares With The Alternatives
| Option | When To Choose It |
|---|---|
| Low profile hopper | Lowest overall height. Choose when headroom under a machine or conveyor decides the size. |
| Stackable hopper | Nests and stacks for storage and shipping, with a published steel gauge per duty class. |
| Heavy duty hopper | Largest volumes and the widest bodies, with published fork opening and pocket centre dimensions. |
Use Guide
Getting It Right On Site
- Measure the lowest headroom the hopper must pass under before choosing a size
- Choose the weight rating from the density of the material, not from the volume
- Check the fork pocket centres against the fork spread on the truck that will lift it
- Keep the latch mechanism clear of swarf so the tipping action stays reliable
Questions
Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers Questions
How low does the range go?
The 1/4 cubic yard sizes are 18-1/4 inches in overall height.
Why is the same volume offered at three capacities?
Because density varies. Cast iron swarf reaches 4,000 lb in a small hopper while light offcuts will not reach 2,000 lb in a large one. Choose on whichever limit you hit first.
What fork pocket centres are used?
11-1/2 inches on the 1/4 cubic yard sizes, 11-3/4 inches on the 1/2 cubic yard sizes and 21-3/4 inches on the 1 and 1-1/2 cubic yard sizes.
How heavy is an empty hopper?
From 219 lb for a 1/4 cubic yard hopper to 540 lb for a 1-1/2 cubic yard unit at 6,000 lb rating.
Does the operator have to dismount to empty it?
No. The self-dumping latch is released from the fork truck seat.
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Further Reading
Quote Low Profile Self-Dumping Hoppers By Model Code
Give the duty class, the volume and the fork pocket centres on your trucks, and the quotation will come back against the right model codes first time.