Five Great Uses for a Wire Rope Hoist

There are many variations on the basic design, and this type of lifting hoist is often called a “tirfor” (the original brand name) or referred to as a “grip hoist” because of the reversible jaw mechanism in the hoist that grips and pulls a potentially unlimited length of cable. Portable and powerful, these hoists allow a single operator to lift, pull, or precisely position large loads, applying force at any vertical, horizontal, or diagonal angle. This combination of features makes wire rope hoists ideal for a range of applications.

1. Materials Handling

Not surprisingly, the most frequent wire rope hoist use is also the most straightforward: lifting heavy things. In countless warehouses, construction sites, and manufacturing facilities around the world, wire rope lifting hoists are often the preferred manual lifting equipment to handle loads of all types and sizes. The unlimited length of wire rope they can pull allows them to lift and lower tools, bundles of building materials, mechanical units, and even platforms over vast heights, making them especially useful on projects such as moving heavy equipment, bridge or building construction, or at sites such as wind turbines. And since wire rope hoists are compact, easy to operate, and capable of applying force at odd angles, one or more of them used together can make positioning awkwardly shaped heavy objects in tight spaces (large pipes in-between floors or in underground tunnels, for example) easier and safer.

2. Tensioning

The ability to pull with power and precision makes a wire rope hoist well-suited for tensioning applications. Applying sustained tension to cables and platform sections is essential to suspension bridge construction and maintenance. Wire rope hoists can also be used to tension the cables used on utility poles and in elevators. Other tensioning applications include fencing, rigging, and guy wires that stabilize towers and large antennas.

3. Demolition

In addition to all the ways in which they help with the construction and erecting of structures, lever-operated rope hoists can be very effective in bringing buildings down. The hoist’s unlimited wire rope length and horizontal pulling power make it possible to pull and break apart load-bearing structures within a building for a precisely controlled demolition while maintaining a safe distance. This reach and power also make the hoist a useful mining tool, pulling down vein reinforcement structures at a distance. During cleanup, the same hoists can serve as the manual lifting equipment that helps with shifting and removing heavy chunks of debris.

4. Rescue applications

Manually operated hoists can be literal lifesavers. For fire and rescue crews, the portability of the hoist means that it can be carried to any part of an accident or fire scene and be put to use before heavy equipment can even arrive. A lifting hoist that is certified for manriding can be used to raise or lower rescuers or victims in deep shafts or on high buildings. Even a single worker can use the strength of a hoist to move a rolled-over or below-grade vehicle on an accident site or to reposition a derailed mining wagon, and firefighters can get a hoist up a ladder or into an obstructed hall to help vent a roof or to pull down doors and walls and reach trapped victims.

5. Tree work

Arborists, landscapers, and even homeowners can use a wire rope hoist to assist with tree removal and related tasks. Felling a tree trunk at a precisely controlled angle is easier with a hoist applying pull from the appropriate direction. Branches damaged by disease or severe weather can be pulled down with the power a hoist, and a fallen limb which is resting on a vehicle or other fragile object can be carefully lifted. Manual wire rope hoists can also be used for removing tree stumps and roots, or to haul logs into position for carting away.

The right hoist for the job

A range of lever-operated wire rope hoist models are available. They are primarily distinguished by the nominal capacity or weight they are certified to lift. The use of sheaves and pulleys can dramatically increase the effective power of a lifting hoist, and some hoist models are available with hydraulics to increase their capacity. These powered hoists can be arranged in coordinated batteries or groups, combining their power to lift thousands of tons. Certain hoists are specially engineered and tested for manriding use, meaning that they can safely raise or lower people. You should always rely on expert advice when selecting a hoist for any application.

Talk to the wire rope hoist experts

For decades of experience manufacturing and applying manual lifting equipment, talk to Tractel®. As the creators of the original tirfor®/Griphoist lever-operated hoist, Tractel is the authority you can trust for superior products, service, and global support.

Contact a Tractel specialist today for information about wire rope hoists and our complete range of material handling and lifting solutions.

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