Chain Slings

By Author: Gareth Hoyle
Total Articles: 692
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Chain slings make life easy

There are so many types of lifting equipment, and one of these is the humble chain sling. Chain slings offer great versatility in lifting. They are used on construction sites from tower cranes to small telescopic cranes and can also be used on overhead gantry systems.

What is a chain sling?

It is a versatile set of chains that can have different lifting devices attached to it, e.g. a hook or grab that will allow for the lifting of an item in accordance with the predetermined capacity of the chains. The chain will have a breaking strain and this must not be exceeded. The sling can have one, two, three of four slings or indeed can be an endless chain sling. A good example of how a chain sling works is if one looks at a tower crane on a construction site and you will see that hanging from the jib arm will be a chain. On the end of the chain will be a hook that will hold a swing bucket containing cement. This can be dropped to wherever the cement is needed and then the workers will tip the concrete onto the floor and the empty swing bucket can then be lowered and refilled.

Chain ...
... slings can also be used in a four-chain fashion in the lifting of 20' and 40' containers. A hook to the corner of the container can attach each chain and then it can be lifted.

Gantries

Chain slings are often attached to a block that can be moved by remote control along an overhead gantry. The block will settle over the top of the item to be lifted, the block will lower the chain sling and the item can be attached and then lifted. In factories or garages these are very useful. `If an engine needs removal from a commercial vehicle a block and chain will almost certainly be used.

Chain slings are strictly controlled by Health and Safety rules and any breach will be severely fined. These chain slings can be dangerous if left swinging and thus they should be stowed carefully.

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