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