What’s a Chain Hoist?

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A chain hoist is a mechanical device used to lift heavy loads of objects and equipment. It is made with a pulley, which is held together by a closed chain. The closed chain forms a loop, making it easy to pull by hand.
There are several large and small pulleys located throughout a chain hoist. There is a large and a small pulley located on the same axis, as well as a movable pulley that holds the load in place.

To lift the load with the chain hoist, the chain must be pulled closed. When pulled, the large pulley pulls in more chain than the smaller side releases. This is where the lifting process begins.

While the history of pulleys is unclear, primitive methods are known to have been employed to move heavy objects. One of the first attempts at a pulley system was the single fixed pulley, which failed because friction kept the wheel from turning. Rope pulleys, which were commonly used to extract water from wells and are still in use today, are thought to have been invented later.

Archimedes, an early 3rd century BC Greek inventor, has been credited with inventing a pulley designed to pull ships out of the sea. This was accomplished with a special block and tackle system that is still used today. Such early inventions of pulleys led to the development of the chain hoist.

There are three types of chain hoists: pneumatic, manual and electric. Manual and pneumatic are designed with reducers, hook and swivel pins. Suspended from a top hook, or push or gear trolley, these devices move objects slowly and carefully during height adjustments. The attached load is securely fastened so that it can be left stationary without requiring much supervision.

The electric chain hoist, on the other hand, is generally used for lifting heavy industrial loads. Allows the user to pull both sideways and vertically.

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