Developed from Keenan Omni feeder with hydraulically operated scissors type rear pushing door arm.

Manufactured at separate plant in Tullow, Co. Carlow.

3m long body.

Flywheel on 6 bolt flange.

1994
Keenan-Moore Orbital 12T.

4m long body.

Flywheel mounted on 70mm tapered shaft and boss.

Contra-rotating agitator – “spinner” – fitted to flywheel driven off ring-gear mounted to the front of the machine. This improved the machine performance when spreading strawy manure.

Pushing system pivot pins upgraded from 1 ¼” diameter to 1 ½”.

Ceased production of Orbital 9T.

1995
Input spline shaft sprocket upgraded from 15 teeth to 9 teeth.

Input rpm changed from 540 to 1000.

Flow valve updated.

1996
Production integrated with feeder manufacturing at Borris, Co. Carlow.

Chassis upgraded from channel-section to box-section.

A second hydraulic ram has been added to the rear door pushing system for increased power.

Introduced sprung tandem steering axle option.

Introduced sprung drawbar option.

1997
Revised spinner design incorporating flush fitting outer disk with 3 paddles, which break up static material in the center of the load. This has been designed not to gather twines or plastic. The bearings and seals have upgraded for longer life. The new design also allows easy access for maintenance.

Revised flywheel design incorporating easily replaceable / reversible bolt on wear plates and replaceable hammer plates.

Flywheel “Hammers” upgraded from chain mounted type to bolt-on triangular type.

Slurry door upgraded from vertical sliding type to overhead pivot type. This door is operated using two hydraulic rams, one at each side of the spreader. These are attached to two arms, which are bolted to the top of the slurry door and pivot from a point on the side of the machine. When in operation the door pivots upward over the main chamber allowing the material to pass underneath it. When the machine is emptied the door is lowered back into its original position.

German spec. machines developed for TUV approval.

Knife kit option for handling material with high straw content. Additional 12 serrated knives can be bolted onto the flywheel. These will fit into the area between the paddles. The 3 paddles on the spinner are replaced with 3 smaller serrated knives.

Simplified hydraulic control using sequence valve and manifold block to operate the side door, slurry door and pushing door. This requires only one spool valve and 2 couplings on the tractor for operation. The sequence – when the hydraulics are engaged to begin spreading, the side door will open and the slurry door will lift. When the slurry door has reached its full stroke the hydraulic pressure builds up in the line and opens one of the two valves in the sequence valve block allowing oil to flow to the pushing rams at the rear and therefore moving the pushing door forward. When the machine has been emptied and the tractor hydraulics are reversed, the pushing door will return to its original position at the back of the machine. The pressure again builds up in this circuit and opens the second valve in the sequence valve block, allowing oil to flow to the return side of the slurry door and side door rams. These will then close.

Revised side door design. The door now slides on bushes along a bar mounted close to the top loading edge above the outlet. A horizontally mounted hydraulic ram operates the door back and forth.

1998
Swivel hitch eye. Since mid 1998 all Orbitals have been fitted with a bolt on swivel hitch eye instead of the earlier weld on cranked eye.

Began development on 18T spreader.

1999
Webtec hydraulic flow valve provides finer spreading control. With 40 incremental settings.

Continued Orbital 18T development.

Oil bath introduced to 18T-drive system to increase chain life.

18T pushing system upgraded to use trunnion type ram for increased efficiency.

2000
Hydraulically operated deflector introduced above outlet to control spread height.

Upgraded 18T drive system. The early pivoting gearbox set up was replaced with a fixed housing with a separate chain adjuster mid-way between the drive sprockets. The input speed was changed from 1000 rpm to 540 rpm. The input shaft was upgraded to 60mm diameter with 1 ¾” splines with a 16 tooth ASA120 sprocket. The lower bearings were upgraded to X10, 50mm.

Temporarily suspended production of Orbital 12T and 18T to concentrate on Keenan Klassik development.

2002
Resumed production of Orbital 12T.

Heavy-duty 2000mm 8 stud axle introduced.. This now has 100mm x 100mm beam and increased braking efficiency.

2003
Oil bath gearbox design adapted and introduced to 12T.

Introduced 23.1 x 26-wheel/tyre option.

Introduced 600/55R - 26 wheel/tyre option.