Types of Jib Cranes
Jib cranes are made up of a trolley hoist on a horizontal load-bearing boom. This boom is attached to a pivoting vertical member and up to 20 feet long. Jib cranes are able to transport loads between any areas within the boom's arc of rotation. Light duty models are used within warehouses and factories for loads weighing as much as 5 tons. The BestJibCranes.com website showcases the major types of jib cranes as being either wall-mounted, mast mounted or free-standing.
Free Standing
The free-standing jib crane models do not require any support from the building structure and can stand by themselves. The horizontal boom in this case is attached to a pivoting vertical column which is anchored solidly to the floor of the building. This type of jib crane could rotate a full 360 degrees and needs a foundation made of either concrete or steel.
Mast-Type
The mast-type jib cranes feature a vertical column that is supported by pivot points at the bottom and the top which are attached to the building floor and the overhead steel structure. These jib-cranes offer 360 degrees of rotation with the advantage of not needing the massive foundation needed for free-standing units.
Wall Mounted
The wall-mounted jib cranes offer a horizontal boom which is attached to the wall of a building rather than the normal vertical column. These equipments offer up to 200 degrees of rotation and are ideal in places where the full 360 degree rotation is not needed.
Depending on how the boom is supported, there are two model varieties. One kind uses a tie rod from above the boom which is attached to the wall. The other kind supports the boom from below by using a cantilever brace that is also attached to the wall.