The Cart Tipper Round-Up: Cart Lifters and Tippers for All Applications

Add wheels to a bin and you have a cart—and virtually every workplace uses one or both of these containers.

• Food processors use bins and carts to store bulk ingredients and then pour them into hoppers or mixing vats.
• Farmers collect produce in harvest bins, transport them to packing houses, and dump them onto conveyors for cleaning and packaging.
• Hardware manufacturers keep small parts in carts — then empty them onto production lines or into hoppers that dispense them as needed.

Even if none of these apply to your operation, the most common use of bins and carts almost certainly does: Waste handling. From schools to offices to restaurants, bins are the core of any waste handling system — and emptying those bins into dumpsters is often a daily task.

In all these cases, the purpose of bins and carts is two-fold. First, the container stores materials. Second, it allows users to empty those materials. But that emptying operation isn’t easy. It’s fraught with ergonomic risks: lifting heavy loads, twisting the body, awkward postures. Dedicated material handling equipment can remove these hazards, while also significantly improving efficiency during bin-handling tasks.

The machines that serve this purpose are variously known as Bin Dumpers, cart lifters, and cart tippers, and there are many specialized models to choose from. Here’s an introduction to this essential material handling equipment, along with some guidance on choosing the model that’s right for you.

Read more: Cart Tippers - What They Are and Why Every Business Needs One

Cart Tippers: Exploring the Options

Cart tippers perform two operations in a sequence: They lift bins (which is why they’re sometimes called “cart lifters”; see sidebar below for details), and they tip them to empty the contents.

Within this “lift-and-tip” operational framework, however, there’s a lot of mechanical variation. Options for cart tippers include:

• Manual vs. hydraulic power. Most cart tippers use hydraulic systems to lift carts along a track that tilts them forward. However, winch-operated models — and even fully manual tippers — are also available. Generally, powered lift provides the most benefits; but for light-duty applications, winch-operated cart tippers improve safety and efficiency benefits that provide a quick return on investment.
• Tipping height. If you’re emptying trash cans from a dock into ground-level dumpsters, you need a low clearance on your cart tipper. If you’re going from the floor into a high hopper, you need more lift. Choose equipment that matches the height requirements of your particular job.
• Lifting capacity. Some cart tippers are relatively light duty. Others are designed for full loads of metal and other heavy materials. Carrying capacities typically range from 140 pounds (65 kilograms) to 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms) and up. Know your typical load weights before choosing bin lifting equipment.
• Manual vs. stationary units. Some bin tippers bolt onto walls, trucks, or hoppers themselves. Others are free-standing, with casters or even fork pockets for full mobility. Still more can be secured into place, which can be helpful for dedicated material handling on a production line, or as part of a fixed material handling system. The right choice depends on your particular application.
• Bin weight distribution. Look for cart tippers that, as much as possible, keep load weight centered over the frame (especially on free-standing units). Many designs extend bins outside the frame; if the load goes at all outside of spec, that can easily knock over the unit, creating a serious safety risk in the worst case and a huge mess in the best.

Other factors to consider include maintenance requirements; operating speed; control systems; and, of course, cost. If you need help choosing a cart tipper that’s ideal for your operation, help is available: Call Solus Group at 314-696-0200 to find the ideal material handling solution. Or keep reading for an overview of cart tipping equipment from Solus Group.

Cart Tippers from Solus Group

Solus Group offers a full range of bin-handling equipment, including cart tippers to match any application. Here’s a quick run-down of some of our top choices.

Tilt Cart Dumper

A tilt cart or tilt truck is a container that’s specially designed for easy emptying, especially from higher to lower levels (usually from dock to dumpster). And Tilt Cart Dumpers from Solus Group make this operation as safe and efficient as possible. Rear-loading doors keep workers safely away from the dock’s edge, while a 90-degree tilting angle empties contents completely, every time. With a weight capacity of 750 pounds, Tilt Cart Dumpers are ideal for heavy-duty waste-handling applications, as at manufacturing and other industrial facilities.

Buy Tilt Cart Dumpers here.

Ezi-MT Manual Bin Dumper

The Ezi-MT Manual Bin Dumper is a mainstay of lighter-duty waste handling in manufacturer Simpro’s native New Zealand — and Solus Group is Simpro’s only North American distributor. This cart tipper makes it safer and more efficient to empty waste bins, particularly for small businesses, schools, and offices.

This winch-activated Bin Dumper saves costs by omitting hydraulics systems, and easily handles loads of up to 140 pounds (65 kilograms) with a standard tipping height of 59 inches (1,500 millimeters).

Buy Ezi-MT Manual Bin Dumpers here.

Multi-Tip Hydraulic Bin Dumper

The Multi-Tip Hydraulic Bin Dumper is a fully powered cart tilter that’s ideal for general waste-handling. A single-mast design provides full visibility of the unique lift-and-tilt motion, which keeps the weight of the load centered over the frame for greater safety during use.

Designed primarily for two-wheel carts, the Multi-Tip can also be outfitted with custom cradles to match virtually any type of container. With a tipping cycle of just 15 seconds and a capacity of 330 pounds (150 kilograms), the Multi-Tip provides an ergonomic alternative to manually emptying trash cans in most commercial and industrial applications.

Buy Multi-Tip Hydraulic Bin Dumpers here.

DumpMaster Hydraulic Bin Dumper

Many industrial operations handle heavy materials. They need a cart tipper with a bit more power. That’s where the DumpMaster can help. This hydraulic Bin Dumper shares the weight-centering design of the Ezi-MT and the Multi-Tip — but with a dual-track lifting path and full guarding around the zone of travel. Standard models fit most 32- to 96-gallon (120-360 liter) wheeled bins, and custom cradles handle drums and other specialized containers.

The DumpMaster was built for industrial use, with a lifting capacity of 550 pounds (250 kilograms). Choose tipping heights between 59 inches (1,500 millimeters) and 106 inches (2,700 millimeters) to fit this bin tilter into any material handling system, for waste or otherwise.

Buy DumpMaster Hydraulic Bin Dumpers here.

Megadumper Hydraulic Bin Dumper

Roll-out carts aren’t the only bins that need tipping. To handle plastic dumpsters and carts up to 450 gallons (1,703 liters) — as well as other heavy-duty containers — choose the MegaDumper from Simpro.

A lifting capacity of 1,320 pounds (600 kg) and a standard cradle designed for high-capacity Mobile Garbage Bins make the MegaDumper an essential part of bulk material-handling processes. Custom cradles integrate this solution into any system. And operator guarding on the frame creates an additional layer of protection for users.

Buy MegaDumper Hydraulic Bin Dumpers here.

Dockmaster Hydraulic Bin Dumper

With a low tipping height of just 27.5 inches (700 millimeters), the DockMaster enhances safety when emptying everything from wheelie bins to drums from loading docks to ground-level receptacles. A galvanized steel frame, zinc-plated cradle, and weather-proof control panel make this unit ideal for outdoor use.

The DockMaster uses the same Simpro lift-and-tip track, renowned for keeping weight centered within the frame footprint even as the load shifts during operation. A lifting capacity of 550 pounds (250 kilograms) handles most industrial bin loads.

Buy Dockmaster Hydraulic Bin Dumpers here.

Forward Bin Dumper

Industries from agriculture to manufacturing rely on high-capacity pallet bins to move product. In these scenarios, a forklift attachment is more helpful than a standard cart tipper. The Forward Bin Dumper secures onto lift truck forks to handle bulk pallet bins, loaded or unloaded, up to a total capacity of 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms). Operators can move the bins via forklift, then empty them by activating the forward-tip action of this attachment — without leaving the seat of the truck.

Buy Forward Bin Dumpers here.

Each of these cart tippers is available with a wide range of special features, and sometimes even custom modifications. Contact Solus Group at 314-696-0200 to discuss the options, or to learn more about material handling solutions that get results for your business.