Maxial Track Hoist Available for Rental through Lifting Gear Hire

Lifting Gear Hire (LGH) Corp., headquartered in Bridgeview, Ill., recently announced the latest arrival to its rental fleet: The Maxial Track Hoist by Betamax. Designed to erect scaffolding, the unit can be quickly assembled in two hours by two people. The hoist holds a 450-pound pay load and works much like an aluminum ladder attached to a scaffold, but with a carriage and basket traveling up and down, powered by a motor installed at the bottom.

Sections of the aluminum track are available in 3'3”, 6'6”, and 9'9” lengths that clamp together with kwik-bolts, explains Tony Fiscelli, general manager of LGH. The track is attached to the scaffold at every 6'6" or less with scaffold clamps. A sliding top section with a sheave block is connected to the top of the track, and a Maxial Motor is placed at the bottom. A cable feeds up to the sliding top section, then back down to the bottom where it attaches to a moving platform. A standard control pendant moves the platform up and down.

“This is an extremely versatile piece of equipment because it can be used in interior or exterior applications and on frame or systems scaffold,” Fiscelli says. “Although the standard track pieces measure 23.5 inches wide and will accommodate most boiler applications, narrow track sections can be manufactured to order for using the hoist in confined spaces. The Maxial Track Hoist also features built-in safety elements, including upper and lower limit switches and a universal carriage locking device in case of cable breakage.”

The purpose of the hoist is to lift materials. The equipment is not designed to transport people or non-material objects. R.J. Griffin, a southern/southeastern general contractor specializing in hospital projects, rented a Maxial Track Hoist from LGH to lift materials from the second floor to the sixth floor of one of their hospital jobs. The materials lifted ranged from metal framing studs, drywall, and piping to ductwork.

“R.J. Griffin was pleased with the abilities of the hoist and was also impressed by the fact that the units are relatively maintenance free other than the daily and weekly checklists that they had to perform,” said LGH Regional Sales Manager Chris Hyatte. “Renting the hoist allowed them to efficiently and safely transport their materials between laborers on the job. Not only were they able to save money by renting the hoist as opposed to buying it, but they also saved time on the job due to the hoist's efficiency and mobile capabilities.”