Rope lifts

The principle of a rope hoist works similarly to that of a pulley hoist: the drive wheel is usually moved upwards by an electric motor and a counterweight, which has several traction cables, usually a steel cable.

In the trades, for example, scaffolders, roofers, bricklayers, and carpenters often use cable winches in the form of cable hoists to transport heavy loads to upper floors. This is a particularly simple – the cable hoist is quick to set up – and cost-effective method. One advantage over rack and pinion hoists is their ease of installation. A distinction is made between guided and unguided cable hoists.

With unguided rope lifts, a distinction is made between top and bottom hanging rope winches.

The overhead cable hoist is attached to the top of the building or scaffolding. It is often mounted in combination with a freely movable swivel arm. The typical working height of cable hoists is around 50 meters, although in a few cases, up to 75 meters can be achieved.

If the overhead cable hoist is mounted on the scaffold, it can be deployed particularly quickly. No hoist technician is required for installation. Even a trained scaffolder can install a cable winch.

The drive of the suspended cable hoist is attached to the bottom of the scaffolding, making it even easier and faster to set up. To move loads as flexibly as possible, a swivel arm can also be attached to the top, depending on the desired height on the scaffolding or building.