March’s Conexpo exhibition in Las Vegas, USA was an opportunity for Columbus McKinnon to show its latest hoists, grab hooks, links and shackles. One of these new products is a hand chain hoist with some unusual features.

The Hurricane, as it is called by CM, has a 360° handwheel cover chain guide, claimed to be a unique feature that allows operation of the hand chains from all directions so the operator can be away from underneath the load out of the danger zone, to the side of the load or even above it where a long lift from a relatively short hand chain is possible. Another feature claimed to be unique for a hoist in the mid-level class is a new patented brake design with fewer moving parts that is more efficient, quieter, longer-lasting and needs less maintenance. The single disc brake has no ratchet pawl springs or pawls to wear out or fail.

Intended applications are commercial, construction and industrial, and the 360° handwheel means it has potential for use in the entertainment industry. The Hurricane is described as a high quality, rugged hoist that is economically priced. Construction is pressed steel and the housing is designed to enclose the chain drive to protect internal components from dirt to reduce repair and maintenance costs. The hand chain guide has polymer inserts to prevent the chain from jumping and no special tools are needed for disassembly. Warranty is five years.

The Hurricane was designed by CM’s Yale subsidiary in Germany. It is now being sold around the world under CM-owned brands. Availability is in capacities from 500kg to 2t and standard lift heights are between 2.4m and 6m. The weight of these units range from 9.1kg up to 28.6kg for the 2t rated capacity hoist.

Also new is the series 653 manual lever operated hoist for close quarter hoisting, pulling and stretching operations. The lifting capacity ranges from 750kg to 3t and standard lifting heights are from 1.5m up to 10m.

The stamped steel frame gear case and cover is designed to to be durable and impact resistant and it has a corrosion resistant powder coated finish. A Weston type braking system helps load control and positioning.

New features on this lever hoist, CM says, are one-handed free chaining for fast load attachment, double pawl arraignment or more assured load control, and two chain guide rollers to engage the chain.

It is designed to both ASME B30.21 manual lever operated hoist standard for the North American market and also the European CE standard. As with the Hurricane, a five year warranty against defects is offered.

Other introductions from CM are new load rated long reach carbon steel shackles and alloy web sling shackles. The long reach carbon steel shackles come in two sizes: three-quarter inch body (?20mm) with seven-eighth inch pin, rated to a SWL of 10,000lb (4.5t); and a one inch body (?25mm) with a one inch pin, rated at 19,000lb (8.6t).

According to CM product manager David Johnson: “The open design, extra long reach and generous load bearing surfaces will accommodate many rigging hookups that a standard shackle cannot reach.” The web sling shackles, galvanised for longer life, can be used on web slings two to six inches wide (50mm to 150mm). These shackles are available in three body sizes with working load limits from 14,500lb (6.6t) to 22,500lb (10.2t).

CM also showed off its Clevlock grab hooks at Conexpo. These cradleless hooks are now offered forged in grade 80 alloy for use with the higher strength CM Herc-Alloy 800 chains which are primarily used as a sling component in overhead lifting.