Jib Crane Types
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 can move loads between any areas within the boom's arc of rotation. Light duty models are utilized in factories and warehouses for loads weighing up to 5 tons. The website BestJibCranes.com features the major jib crane models as being either mast mounted, free-standing or wall-mounted.
Free Standing
The free-standing jib crane models do not need any support from the building structure and can stand by themselves. The horizontal boom in this particular case is connected to a pivoting vertical column which is firmly anchored to the building floor. This kind of jib crane needs a foundation made of either steel or concrete and is able to rotate a full 360 degrees.
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 attached to the building floor and the overhead steel structure. These jib-cranes provide 360 degrees of rotation with the benefit of not requiring 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 as opposed to the regular vertical column. These equipments are great in places where the full 360 degree rotation is not needed and offer up to 200 degrees of rotation.
Depending on how the boom is supported, there are two model varieties. One type uses a tie rod from above the boom which is connected to the wall. The other variety supports the boom from below by utilizing a cantilever brace that is also attached to the wall.