Products & Equipment Cranes Technology
New Caldwell Overhang Lifting Beam

Rockford, Ill. – The Caldwell Group launched a custom lifting beam for applications where a crane cannot be positioned over a load due to limited travel or obstructions.

Caldwell was initially approached by an automotive manufacturer that had a requirement to lift a load during periodic maintenance that couldn’t be reached by its overhead crane. Subsequent inquiries indicated that there was a wider necessity for the concept, which was reinforced by feedback from a digital Associated Wire Rope Fabricators (AWRF) audience earlier this year.

“Originally we were unsure as to the extent to which such a product would be required but there are actually a multitude of applications, such as lifting components during equipment maintenance; placing a load, say, onto the third floor of a building in a construction environment; or lifting a partial width roll of material where a monorail crane is centred for full rolls. We anticipate finding other uses for the beam once word spreads,” Dan Mongan, senior sales engineer at Caldwell said.

Integral to the overhang lifting beam is a counterweight system that can move or be held in a fixed position; movement is powered or manual. A powered trolley should be specified if several lifts per day are made, the lifter cannot be rested on the floor during adjustment, or the adjustment must be made quickly. The manual trolley is a cost-effective option if the lifter can rest on the floor, there is adequate time to make the adjustment, and lifts are occasional.

Each system is manufactured for a specific application; the largest to date has been 10,000 lbs. capacity. Customers can request the popular auto-leveller feature, taken from Caldwell’s Posi-Turner, which is designed to rotate bulky and hard to handle objects during manufacture or assembly processes.