Hercules

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Picked this up off FB Marketplace yesterday.

 

Its a "Hercules" 1/2 ton, spur-gear style chain hoist. Made by "Chisholm - Moore" out of Tonawanda NY.

 

Looks like it is all there and functions well, I do need to get a couple new screws for the chain guide, as some are missing. It also looks like the guide is slightly off center, so I'll have to look at that.

 

Can't find much info on this hoist. Not like the Yale units that seem to be more common.

 

Think I did pretty well. He was asking $60, and he accepted the $40 offer I made him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by 71_Bronco

[Skwerl58 631]

Nice find. I remember my 1969 Chevelle SS 396 had valve covers with a Chevy label that read Tonawanda. That looks like a very good hoist. Those things are heavy, feel like they weigh a ton.

[8ntruck 6,358]

Might want to dye check the hooks to make sure no cracks are growing in them.

[ebinmaine 62,898]

Well done. 

 

Gonna use it as a hoist or decoration?

 

[71_Bronco 1,072]

Well, I was going to use it as another set of hands when working on the horses. I was going to put up some some channels or an I beam in my new shed, and reinforce the walls, but I dont know if it will be worth it.

[ebinmaine 62,898]

It certainly would be worth it. 

I have a chain fall in the workshop and it's invaluable. 

[71_Bronco 1,072]

I was originally looking at a 1/4 ton Yale for $20, as nothing on our horses weight 500+ lbs. I passed on that one though as I noticed some physical damage to the hoist. I then went with this one. Probably way overkill, but at least I'll never be close to the weight limit.

[bc.gold 3,399]

2 hours ago, 71_Bronco said:

I was going to put up some some channels or an I beam in my new shed, and reinforce the walls, but I dont know if it will be worth it.

 

Made from heavy angle, welded in the short angle iron then used a drywall lift to place the beam then welded on the hangers.

 

The most I've lifted was my Petter PJ2 coupled to a 15 kw Stamford head, about 1500 pounds..

 

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by bcgold

[ebinmaine 62,898]

8 hours ago, 71_Bronco said:

Probably way overkill, but at least I'll never be close to the weight limit

Overkill is in the eye of the beholder. 

 

Better to be to heavy on the rating than the load for sure. 

 

I built a traveling rail like @bcgold but mine's much lighter duty. 

I used unistrut channel as the support which also ties all my rafters to each other spreading the weight. 

There are special rollers made specifically for unistrut. 

 

At some point I'm going to install a second parallel channel and a cross piece. Then the hoist will be able to travel anywhere in the rectangle as it hangs. 

 

[953 nut 51,411]

14 hours ago, 71_Bronco said:

Made by "Chisholm - Moore" out of Tonawanda NY.

That was made during the golden age of industrial manufacturing in the United States. With the Niagara Falls Power Station near-by there was a cluster of factories turning out tools and implements of all sorts.         Went through Tonawanda last year and it didn't seem that many were in operation any longer.   

[squonk 38,815]

[squonk 38,815]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

That was made during the golden age of industrial manufacturing in the United States. With the Niagara Falls Power Station near-by there was a cluster of factories turning out tools and implements of all sorts.         Went through Tonawanda last year and it didn't seem that many were in operation any longer.   

Richard, My son lives in Buffalo and we travel through the old industrial corridor quite a bit. They were tearing down the old Rich Foods plant a couple of years ago. I couldn't believe the size of the refrigeration equipment laying in the rubble.

[71_Bronco 1,072]

I was out in the garage messing with this last night briefly, and noticed an issue with it.

 

When I pull the right chain, to raise the hook, it all moves freely and the ratchet paw clicks positively into place. There is a definitive click as it snaps into the next tooth on the ratchet gear.

 

However, when I pull the left chain, the hoist does nothing. I can pull and pull, but the hook does not lower. May need to disassemble it and see what's going on.

 

As to the "track" system for it, I was thinking about putting a cross-beam as shown below on every roof rafter (16" OC). Then, attach a track or "I" beam to each of the cross-pieces to spread the load out across the whole thing. Would something like this work? Any advice?

 

[ebinmaine 62,898]

I'm no structural engineer...

But I'd install a vertical brace as well perhaps from one side of the cross tie (which should be at least a 2 x 6) to the center of the plywood at the top of the roof. 

That will be a HUGE increase in load bearing capability and safety.