A manually operated counterweight hoist including a batten operable to support a load, an arbor operable to support one or more counterweights, a hand line operable to move the batten or the arbor, a brake operable to prevent movement of the arbor and the batten by constricting movement of the hand line, a brake actuator operable to activate the brake, a sensor that measures a speed of the arbor, and a controller including an electronic processor. The controller is operatively coupled to the sensor and the brake actuator. The controller is configured to receive a measurement signal from the sensor, determine whether the speed of the arbor exceeds a threshold based on the measurement signal, and activate the brake actuator when the speed of the arbor exceeds the threshold.

A hoisting assembly for lifting a load into an attic or lowering a load therefrom includes a hoist. The hoist comprises a housing, which has a drum or a lift wheel engaged thereto and positioned in an interior space defined thereby. A suspension module is engaged to and extends from an upper end of the housing. The suspension module can selectively engage a beam so that the housing is suspended from and removably engaged to the beam. A lifting medium is operationally engaged to the drum or the lift wheel and extends from a lower end of the housing. A connector is engaged to the lifting medium distal from the housing. The connector can selectively engage a load so that the load is removably engaged to the lifting medium. The hoist thus is configured to lift the load.

A method automatically for adjusting the hoist speed of a drill is disclosed. The method includes determining the mast angle of the drilling implement relative to a work surface, and changing the hoisting speed of the drill implement depending on the mast angle.

A brake/clutch device for a manual hoist provides an externally-viewable indicator showing the wear status of friction elements within the hoist. The brake/clutch device has a brake block, a brake ratchet, a reversing ratchet, a torsion spring block, a hand wheel and a fastener mounted onto a main shaft of the manual hoist. Friction elements on the brake ratchet provide braking against sudden drops of a load. Ball and spring devices mounted in the hand wheel contact detents and grooves that gradually increase in depth in the torsion spring block depending on the relative positions of the hand wheel and the torsion spring block. The hand wheel has an indicator mark that may align with indicator areas of the torsion spring block to indicate an extent of wear of the friction elements

A hoist system including an air balancer having an air supply and an air exhaust, a lifting device, and a hoist control pendant to control supply and exhaust of pressurized air to and from the air balancer, respectively, the hoist control pendant configured to control vertical movement of the lifting device. The air exhaust from the air balancer includes a first exhaust flow path through a first exhaust opening and a second exhaust flow path through a second exhaust opening, the first exhaust flow path having a first length and the second exhaust flow path having a second length, the second length being shorter than the first length.

A hoist system including an air balancer having an air supply and an air exhaust, a lifting device, and a hoist control pendant to control supply and exhaust of pressurized air to and from the air balancer, respectively, the hoist control pendant configured to control vertical movement of the lifting device. The air exhaust from the air balancer includes a first exhaust flow path through a first exhaust opening and a second exhaust flow path through a second exhaust opening, the first exhaust flow path having a first length and the second exhaust flow path having a second length, the second length being shorter than the first length.

A hoisting assembly for lifting a load into an attic or lowering a load therefrom includes a hoist. The hoist comprises a housing, which has a drum or a lift wheel engaged thereto and positioned in an interior space defined thereby. A suspension module is engaged to and extends from an upper end of the housing. The suspension module can selectively engage a beam so that the housing is suspended from and removably engaged to the beam. A lifting medium is operationally engaged to the drum or the lift wheel and extends from a lower end of the housing. A connector is engaged to the lifting medium distal from the housing. The connector can selectively engage a load so that the load is removably engaged to the lifting medium. The hoist thus is configured to lift the load.

A method includes: determining a mast angle of a drilling implement, calculating the optimized hoisting speed for a drilling implement based on the mast angle or calculating the optimized drill rotation speed based on the mast angle, and hoisting the drilling implement at the optimized hoisting speed if desired, or rotating the drill at the optimized drill rotation speed if desired.

An adjustable standoff for a platform hoist that can withstand hoisting objects along a track to a predetermined height weighing up to 500 pounds. The adjustable standoff for a platform hoist includes: (1) a frame having two side assemblies with hooks to attach the standoff to only the rungs and thereby avoid blocking the side rails that act as the track for the hoist; (2) two legs that are able to adjusted radially within the plane of the side assemblies so that the standoff can withstand the force exerted by loads weighing 500 pounds being hoisted up; and (3) an anchor section to securely fasten the hoist to the structure to avoid the hoist sliding down the ridge of the roof and allowing the heavy loads to crash to the ground with potentially catastrophic consequences for both the structure and the operators below.

An automatic lubricating arrangement for a chain hoist in which a lubricating body is inserted in a downwardly angled hole in a fixed structure enclosing a rotary drive member engaging the chain. The lower end of lubricating body rubs a surface on the rotary drive member to deposit lubricant thereon as the drive member is rotated, which lubricant body is pushed laterally along and onto adjacent chain links.