Construction Essentials: 5 Things You Need to Know About Lift Chains

If you’re in the construction industry, you’ve likely heard of lift chains. But what are the different lifting chain hook types? And why do we need them?

In a career as a civil engineer, you’re going to learn a lot of construction essentials. For instance, you might find out that it takes 14 pints of blood to lift a pound –but people don’t usually eat that much pizza all at once! You might also learn the difference between inch-pounds and foot-pounds.

But there’s one essential you won’t be able to do without Lift Chain suppliers. These chains are critical components in the crane industry, and they come in different sizes. Here are five things you should know about lifting chains:

1) What Are They?

Lift chains, also known as hoist chains, are used in a variety of construction equipment and tools. These cables or chains are typically made from steel or iron. They can range from half an inch to six feet wide and six to fifteen millimeters thick.

Lift chains have been used for centuries as their simplicity is quite effective. Some scholars have found illustrations on Egyptian tombs dating back more than 3,500 years ago. These drawings depict men using ropes to pull large stones along ramps with the use of animals, such as oxen.

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2) Where Are They?

You can find lift chains all over the construction site, but they’re used most often on equipment like hoists and gantries. They may also be known as hoist chains, lift cables or load-lifting chains.

3) How Many Types of Chains Are There?

There are two major categories of lift chains: The first is an open link chain which has a hook at each end. You can place this type of chain around any object to lift it directly towards your crane, which will pull the load up as soon as it’s secure enough.

You’ll also find a closed chain available for purchase which is easier to use than the open-link one because you only need one hook at each end. These work well for making things like manlifts and bridges since you don’t need a crane to help you lift the material.

4) How Do They Work?

Lift chains work by providing a continuous motion from one end of the chain to another. You can think of them as long, sturdy ropes with loops at each end for hooking onto your crane and objects.

5) What Sort of Loads Can They Lift?

They can lift anything from small beams to large concrete slabs. It’s good practice to use different kinds of chains depending on what you’re lifting since they’re all rated differently according to their weight limits. To be safe, you should always check this out before purchasing a new set of lifting chain slings!

Want to Learn More About Lift Chains?

If you’re in the construction industry and don’t know what a lift chain is, this post will teach you everything you need to know. Lift chains are an essential tool for any company that needs to safely transport heavy equipment or materials while maintaining control of them at all times. We have more information about these tools on our blog so be sure to check it out!