MANUAL CHAIN HOIST
the small repair shop mentioned above, the lifts are infrequent, each one is different and the expense of automation, and even of a power hoist, would be money thrown away. Tractel, makers of both powered and manual hoists, put it this way: “Even as automation and powered lifting systems continue to expand, manual hoists will retain their place in the industry. Their independence from power sources, low maintenance and straightforward operation ensure they remain essential for fieldwork and temporary operations.” And they have a rule of thumb: “If the operator’s labour cost outweighs the purchase and running cost of an electric hoist, go electric. Otherwise, manual often wins.” Hence the wide market and demand for them. The global manual chain hoists market size was valued at $1.2bn in 2024 and is forecast to hit $1.85bn by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.9%.
A sport fisherman and a Harrington ratchet hoist.
have a similar product in the form of their Pulley Man PM300, but that uses wire rope rather than chain. An application they suggest is mounted on a davit on a light pick-up truck, to aid loading and unloading. If the idea seems labour-saving, remember that the drill’s battery still needs to be unplugged, taken to a socket and charger and recharged perhaps overnight – a small task, it is true, but still a tedious one at the end of a working day. And of course, a manual hoist has no running costs whatsoever. There are, naturally, places where power and
automation do have the edge. A production line is repetitive; lifting tasks there can be easily and cheaply powered and, if required, automated. In contrast, for
Ratcheting it up a notch There is a variant of the chain block called the lever hoist or ratchet hoist. It does what it says on the tin: instead of pulling on a chain, which is not very friendly to the hands and in confined spaces perhaps not convenient, you pull down on a lever. A pawl and ratchet system in the housing holds the load-chain in place while you raise the lever (without effort since it is not under load), and then pull it down again for the next increment in lift. It is important – vital indeed – that the ratchet system does not fail or the pawl slip out of engagement. In that event the load would descend uncontrolled. For that reason, proper maintenance is essential: generally though both chain hoists and lever hoists types are low maintenance compared to powered versions. Tiger Lifting are particularly proud of their patented four-pawl system, which guards still further against the possibility
The Yale Mini 360 and its ratchet-lever brother are genuinely transportable. 22 | May/June 2026 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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