Lifting the easy way: innovative approaches to backbreaking problems - casting trends

Concrete Producer, The, August, 2003 by Rick Yelton

Responding to the market demands for an ever-increasing range of block shapes and sizes, plant managers are finding more needs for safe and efficient hoist systems to move heavy and bulky units. Whether the challenge is to stack or palletize split-face units separated from the production line or to reposition large segmental retaining wall units, quick, easy-to-operate lifting devices can prevent the task from becoming a pain in the back for production employees.

Locating the right device that offers a semi-mechanical lifting aid to lift either single units or groupings of units has never been easier. Today's lifting devices are designed to be sturdy enough to handle the repetitive nature of plant production activities. And along with this, manufacturers have included flexibility and mobility in their designs, so producers can easily switch units from line to line.

Vacuuming up lifting problems

The VB Vacuum-Hoist Lifting System is a self-contained, mechanical hoisting device. With it a production worker can lift and reposition individual units weighing up to 2000 pounds.

The hoist doesn't require any special clamps or hooks. To move the unit, the worker simply places a rubber-faced suction pad on the unit's surface. Then the worker activates a switch to engage an air-suction pump. In a matter of seconds, the pump develops enough suction so that the pad forms a secure hold on the unit, and the employee can lift the unit, using the frame assembly's boom to reposition the unit.

According to the manufacturer, most producers order the frame assembly with an attachment that counterbalances the average weight of the unit that is to be moved. This helps ensure easy movement from the production table to a pallet.

Lifting and frame assemblies can be configured to handle a wide range of unit sizes from standard blocks to larger retaining wall elements. Each unit is equipped with its own suction pump (powered by a three-phase 230/480-volt source), lifting controls, and support frame. The manufacturer says that the VB Vacuum-Hoist Lifting System has a list price of about $6000.

For more information about the system, contact Anver Corp. at 800-654-3500 or visit www.anver.com.

Clamping on to productivity

For those plants that feature heavy or odd-shaped products, this versatile, ported lifting device may be the right tool for a difficult job. Recently introduced to the United State's market, the EZ-BLOK line of lifting clamps has its beginnings in a European tradition that features the construction process of handling heavy or bulky pieces of cut stone and large masonry units.

Each lifting clamp consists of a horizontal bar with an interior pull point. The operator positions the rubber-tipped clamp edge on the outside of the unit to be lifted. When the hoist is activated, a hydraulic cylinder retracts the interior pull point. This movement places a compressing force on the clamps that secure the unit. The cylinder features a turntable-like base, easing the operator's placement of the unit.

With the proper style of lifting clamp, production employees can hoist units shaped from 20 to 30 inches. The manufacturer provides a series of clamps that range in capacities from 110 to 2000 pounds

For more information about the EZBLOK, contact International Masonry Equipment LLC at 708-974-9977 or visit www.ezblok.com.