Chain Hoist

A chain hoist, chain block or chain pulley is a machine used to hoist, lower and put a heavy load in the required position with precision and safety. It is in the form of a chain and pulley where the force exerted by the operator is multiplied so that heavy items can be moved easily. Chain hoists have become common in many sectors such as construction, manufacturing, warehousing, automotive repair, shipbuilding and metalworking industries where bulky or heavy equipment needs to be dealt with. Chain hoists are basically of two types – manual and electric. Manual chain hoists are powered by man and suitable to work in areas that have no source of power or in fields where occasional lifting is required. Electric chain lifts, however, are electric herself nobody and can be used in more regular, recurring lifting functions; thus, they are faster and more efficient.

The major parts of a chain hoist consist of the lifting chain, hand chain, load hook and housing. The lifting chain goes under the weight of the stuff, and the hand chain is pulled to make the lifting movement. The load hook is a device to support the object under lifting, and sometimes the hook has locking mechanisms to restrict inadvertent release of the object. The internal gears are contained in the hoist body or housing, which prevents the external factors from affecting it. Chain hoists have a number of benefits. They have a great mechanical advantage that allows one person to pick up very heavy objects. The size makes them conveniently compact and portable to enable them to be easily installed and relocated in terms of suitability of fixed and temporary workstations. Chain hoists are also used to have strict control over the load, which is necessary in work where it is necessary to carefully place the elements. Besides, the selection of chain hoists made of quality materials such as alloy steel chains and forged hooks provides the uniformly built chain hoists with an element of safety and durability.

Regarding safety, modern chain hoists often have such features as overload protection, brakes, and limit switches to avert over-lifting or some hurling down. Maintenance and inspection on a regular basis is important in order to sustain performance and to prevent accidents in a workplace. Finally, a chain hoist is a trusted and economical lifting device in transferring heavy loads vertically. It is both powerful and accurate regardless of whether it is a manual or electric type; therefore, it is a useful tool in the industrial and constructional sectors where lifting is a routine job.