An air hoist lifts vehicles for maintenance using air pressure from a compressor. It has a manual locking pin for safety, but the risk of sudden drops means electric screw hoists are preferred. Regular maintenance and safety lockout use are important.
An air hoist is a device used to lift vehicles to allow them to be worked from below. An air compressor supplies air through an air line connected to an air chamber inside the master cylinder of the hoist. Using a switch located in the air line, an operator can add air pressure to raise the hoist or release air pressure to lower the hoist. While in the raised position, the air hoist has a manual locking pin which ensures that the hoist cannot fall unexpectedly. The operator simply pulls the pin out of the locked position when the air hoist is ready to be lowered.
Many of the vehicles produced around the world today require bottom-up service and maintenance. This requires service stations to be able to lift vehicles to access critical areas. Hydraulic hoist designs are much slower than the pneumatic hoist and require a dedicated hydraulic system solely for the purpose of operating the hoist. The air hoist is capable of using air from a compressor, which is typically already in use for several other functions within the garage area.
The danger with an air hoist is that the locking pin safety feature is often not used by the hoist operator. This can allow the lift to drop unexpectedly and without warning. Serious injury and death can result from this action. Loss of air pressure, an undetected leak in the air chamber, or a number of other events may cause the hoist to drop suddenly.
Due to the drop characteristics of the pneumatic hoist, most new garage constructions incorporate the mechanical screw hoist into the design. This type of hoist uses a threaded rod and an electric motor to raise and lower the hoist. This eliminates the potential for sudden drops. The electric hoist is slower than the pneumatic version; however, many think it is safer.
Taking precautions, such as always engaging the safety lockout and performing regular maintenance on the hoist, allows the hoist operator to feel safe when working with the hoist. Although there are different versions of the hoist in use around the world, the most common and widely used model is the single cylinder type. This hoist uses a single ram located in the center of the vehicle, with arms extending outward and contacting the vehicle frame at the appropriate lifting points.
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