In this post I will go over the wide array of clamps and grabs that are available from block grabs that can lift concrete blocks with ease by attaching onto cranes, telehandlers or forklifts and plate clamps for lifting sheet metal, we also have clamps for lifting and moving rails or beams.
OUR RANGE OF CLAMPS INCLUDE:
- Round stock grabs for lifting and transporting round piping and large tubing.
- Plate clamps used to carry sheets of metal.
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Drum lifter clamps to carry and lift drums.
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Girder clamps for transporting and moving metal girders.
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Rails clamps that can lift single rails or our larger rail clamps to carry up to 12 rails at a time for large industrial applications.
If you are considering purchasing clamps, we have a great range in stock, as there are many different uses for clamps, in this post I will go through what makes these clamp products a good choice, when it comes to lifting on a worksite, and having the right equipment for the job is crucial to safe and efficient operations. In this post I hope to share some valuable information about these products that you may not know and to help you when deciding which products to buy and why they can benefit you and your work-site.
BLOCK GRABS
The block grab also known as a mechanical scissor grabs are designed for safe transportation of large palliated brick loads. They are suitable for handling all types of concrete products like slabs, block kerbs stones, steel strapped bricks and even paving blocks. The load capacity of these block grabs should not be exceeded and the shape of the grab load is only intended for rectangular loads. The range of block grabs available come in a load lifting capacities of 200 kg up to 1000 kg. This range of block grabs are designed to transport material with parallel surfaces which can withstand clamping pressure twice as high as the load being lifted.
They can come with rubber lined jaws or jaws with teeth for extra grip. When purchasing you must consider the material being lifted, if it can easily be marked then jaws with teeth should not be used. There is great flexibility with these jaw clamps as the jaw opening can go up to 1100mm on some variants. When your using models that are fitted with rubber pads, its important that the surface of the object being lifted is dry, clean and free of oil and grease, so as the load doesn't come loose in any way. Block grabs have been around a long time and as a product for lifting loads of concrete and other blocks they are a perfect tool for the job.
ROUND STOCK GRABS
The Camlok Round Stock Grab, ranging from 100 kg up to 4000 kg. The stock grabs are designed to pick up pipes, tubes, roles or similar round material that has a diameter of up to 600mm, giving good range of lifting capacities. They are very easy and simple to use and make for safe lifting. It is important to note that when using the protective lining, the surfaces of the load being carried should be dry, clean and free of oil and grease.
PLATE CLAMPS
Plate clamps come in a variety of forms from vertical plate clamps to horizontal, wide jaw, twin jaw and also non-marking plate clamps, a variety of forms to suit your specific needs. These plate clamps are primarily used for transporting sheet metal and steel plates of varying sizes, some clamps are used for transporting only thin sheets of metal while other clamps can be adjusted to carry larger thicker sheets. These clamps can lift and rotate the sheets of metal through 180 degrees offering great manoeuvrability when lifting. We have Camlok's plate clamps for sale which have a great reputation and are service friendly and parts can be easily got for these tools making them an excellent reliable product.
CLAMP OPERATION
Camlok's plate clamps operate by using a self actuating spring which engages when the clamp attaches to the plate to be lifted. It is important to keep in mind that when using some of Camlok's plate clamps the load being lifted should be close to the clamps working load limit (WLL) and should weigh no less than 20 percent of the clamps WLL.
REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF PLATE CLAMPS
Like any piece of machinery that is used to lift and pull, they require frequent, regular maintenance and inspections.
Lifting clamps are just like any other piece of machinery and therefore require fairly frequent inspection and maintenance. Clamps should be inspected every one to four weeks, depending on frequency of use. Plate clamps should be degreased and cleaned regularly and should be lubricated as needed to ensure smooth operation. When inspecting clamps it is important to check the teeth, handle, shell plates and other components like bolts, nuts and chain.
DRUM LIFTING CLAMPS
We have over 7 different types of drum lifters to choose from they each have there own features and abilities which make them a great product for the job. For this section of clamps I will focus on fully automatic drum lifter tongs, as this product is very versatile in its range of lifting and comes with some excellent features which I will discuss now.
Drums are lifted via a forklift truck or even slung beneath an overhead crane hook, the drums can be picked up from an overhead position lifting vertically. If lifting from the side is not possible on your work-site then this product is a good choice as it overs easy vertical lifting. What makes this a really great drum lifter is that it is fully automatic meaning that the all of the drum lifting operation can be achieved without the forklift driver even having to leave the forklift cab.
Having this feature on a drum lifter will no doubt make the work faster and be more efficient whilst reducing downtime. The capacity of these lifters comes in either 500 kg or 1000 kg and are suitable for carrying both steel and plastic drums which have a 210 liter capacity to them. These drum lifters are made from a mild steel construction and are painted in yellow for added high visibility.
GIRDER CLAMPS
Girder Turning Clamps
Some of the girder clamps are designed for horizontal and vertical stacking of girders, and to transport girders in the ‘I’ configuration. They are used a lot within steel stockholders, when used for small metal girders one clamp can be used, but when lifting or transporting larger girders then two girder clamps should be used in conjunction with a spreader beam. The main purpose of using girder turning clamps is to transport and turn steel girders through 90 degrees. These are a fantastic product for moving girders, as they are light weight and simple to operate making for easy lifting of loads.
RAIL CLAMPS
SINGLE RAIL CLAMPS
Clamp Operation
The CR Single rail clamp comes in capacities of 1000 kg and 2000 kg and is designed for lifting rails securely and safely, fitting most types of rail section currently being used in industry. These clamps have a narrow profile which enables attachment to a single rail when the rails are side by side. The CR Rail grab has a safety lock for added safety locking onto the rail head via a lever operated by a spring mechanism. These are perfect clamps for small operations and also industrial applications.
FIXED MULTI RAIL GRABS
The MR Multi-rail grabs are a perfectly designed for lifting rails grabs 3 to 12 at a time depending on the variant, allowing for fast bulk handling of a specific rail section. The rails are locked on to the clamp by swiveling toes which are located under the rail head and to the top clamp body which rotates, pressing a hard rubber lined beam on to the top of the rail head to hold it in position. With the rubber lining on the clamp, this prevents damage or marking to the rail head and all rails which are being lifted should be of the same size.
INTERCHANGEABLE MULTI RAIL CLAMPS
These multi rail grabs are designed to lift and transport rails by bulk handling 4 to 8 rails at a time. The difference between the fixed and interchangeable multi rail grabs is that they have the benefit of having interchangeable, modular comb sections. Then various comb sections can be combined to suit specific rails with the same scissor mechanism to lift and move these rails. Additional comb sections can be purchased separately. There are 4 different available options to choose from on the website, they are Top manual latch, Comb manual latch, Top auto latch and Comb auto latch. These rail grabs are for heavy duty industries that require strong lifting capabilities and lifting many rails at a time.
SUMMARY
Clamps come in various shapes and forms offering many lifting capabilities and features. When it comes to lifting drums or rails clamps we have a great range of products available for you to check out. Lifting metal rails, drums or sheets of metal requires having the right products for the job. This is important and ensures efficiency and safety when lifting these loads. Having tools that can perform lifting as easy and as well as these will improve productivity and efficiency to your work-site. While safe working load limits should be respected and only trained operators should lift using these tools. The range of Camlok lifting products are second to none and all these products come with safety certificates and have been tested to ensure safety requirements are met. Please feel free to have a look at our store to find a product that will suit your needs.