Latest Quad Pawl chain hoist for greater safety and performance onshore  

William Hackett, a world-leader and pioneer of offshore lifting hoists and chains, has launched the WH C4 QP, which incorporates the company’s patented quad pawl (QP) mechanism.

Ben Burgess, director at William Hackett says, “Innovation based on a detailed understanding of lifting applications is at the heart of what we do, and this latest addition of the QP in the WH C4 range of hoists increases the level of operational safety and performance levels provided by chain blocks.

“The QP offset load bearing mechanism is the best in the market, and it offers enhanced operating performance compared to first-generation twin-pawl products,” says Burgess. “With double the number of offset pawls in a chain hoist, from two to four, the load is spread securely against the ratchet gear to provide increased redundancy and resilience for the user.”

Safe and continual performance of lifting equipment crucially depends on minimising risk through improved resilience to failure. Lift operations are often fast-moving, challenging and hazardous  environments. Improvements in efficiency, ease of use, and safety can yield large returns for operators across any industry – from construction, engineering and shipping, through to energy and transport.

The QP works by allowing all four pawls to engage with the ratchet gear in an offset configuration that allows for finer adjustment, and tensioning capability, while maintaining pawl and ratchet gear engagement. The pawl springs are enclosed in the product’s brake chamber to minimise contamination, and the patented pawl design ensures that in the unlikely event of both pawl springs failing, the quad pawls maintain full function with the ratchet gear, making the hoist operation much safer to use. The patented QP mechanism synchronises to minimise the time and distance travelled to the next point of engagement further improving hoist times and providing smooth lift operations.

“It overcomes jamming and unintended malfunctions that can be experienced when using other simpler first-generation products,” says Burgess. “This helps to minimise project downtime or costly delays to work scopes, providing reassurance and peace of mind for operators and contractors.”

The QP innovation is the result of William Hackett’s long term investment strategy to innovate and develop lifting solutions that help to mitigate potential areas of risks and failure. It is preparing to launch a subsea version of the WH C4 QP that comes with high corrosion-protection for offshore operations.

Burgess highlights, “We continue to work hard to create a technically-superior chain hoist that save operators money, and consistently performs on safety for those valuable payloads. While we recognise there are economic challenges for industry, and increased operating pressures as a result of a global health pandemic, we believe the approach to innovation with the WH C4 QP will better support industry at this critical time. Safe just became safer by design.”