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 are able to move loads between any areas within the boom's arc of rotation. Light duty units are used within factories and warehouses for loads weighing as much as 5 tons. The BestJibCranes.com web site showcases the major jib crane types as being either wall-mounted, mast mounted or free-standing.
Free Standing
The free-standing jib crane units do not need any support from the building structure and can stand by themselves. The horizontal boom in this case is connected to a pivoting vertical column which is solidly anchored to the floor of the building. This kind of jib crane requires a foundation made of either steel or concrete and could rotate a full 360 degrees.
Mast-Type
The mast-type jib cranes feature a vertical column which is supported by pivot points at the top and the bottom which are connected to the floor of the building and the overhead steel structure. These jib-cranes offer 360 degrees of rotation with the benefit 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 as opposed to 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 that is connected to the wall. The other variety supports the boom from below by using a cantilever brace that is attached to the wall as well.