Vertical and horizontal plate clamps are designed for
lifting sheets, profiles or structures in either a vertical and/or horizontal
direction. Plate lifting clamps have a built-in safety mechanism which consists
of a locking device, a tension spring and a lever. Once the lever has been
operated, the safety mechanism provides constant pre-tensioning of the cam on
the steel-plate to ensure that the clamp doesn’t slip when the lifting force is
applied. When the load is lifted, the clamping force on the cam is increased by
the weight of the load.
With their ease of use and locking functionality, they
provide a safe and ergonomic way to lift many types of materials.
There are lifting clamps designed for particular
applications as well as specific materials. For an overview, these are some of
the available plate clamps on the market today:
Vertical Lifting
Plate Clamps – For vertical lifting, transporting and turning of steel
plates and structures.
- Flexible Lift/Extended Reach – Has 3-way articulating link for flexible vertical lifting of steel plates and structures.
- Thin Sheet – Vertical lifting and transporting of thin sheet metal.
- Wide Jaw Opening – Designed for lifting, handling and transporting shipbuilding structures, steel plates and structures.
- Holland Profile (Hp) – Designed specifically for the Hp profile to lift, handle and transport shipbuilding structures from all positions.
- Stainless Steel – For lifting, transporting and turning of stainless steel plates and structures.
- Non-Marking (Marring) – Clamps designed with two clamping jaws with a special plastic layer. These can be used with various materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, wood, glass, plastic and stone. Not to be used with concrete.
- Automatic Lock – Clamps have a safety lock that automatically clicks onto the material as soon as the clamp is placed on the plate.
- Drum Lifting – Designed to vertically lift, move and transfer gallon drums with steel tops.
- Concrete Pipe – These clamps are designed to vertically lift and transfer concrete pipe sections and wells.
- Small-Grip – For the vertical lift and transfer of angle iron and other loads that have a small gripping area (h-beams, angles, etc.).
Horizontal Lifting
Plate Clamps – Clamps that provide horizontal lifting and
transfer of sheets and bundles.
- Sagging/Non Sagging – Clamps that can be used for horizontal lifting and transfer of sagging and non-sagging material. Can also be used to handle material used in shears, bending and rolling machines or other fabrication equipment.
- Non-Sagging – These clamps only work with non-sagging sheets.
- Bundles – Designed to lift and transfer bundles of non-sagging steel plates in the horizontal position.
- Shipbuilding – Used for lifting, transferring and placing bulb profiles onto ship’s hulls perpendicularly. Clamps are fitted with a locking device for both the open and closed positions.
- Shipsection – Designed to lift, transfer and place complete shipsections. Fitted with a locking device for both open and closed positions.
Universal Plate
Clamps – Can be used for horizontal and vertical lifting, transporting
and turning of steel plates and structures. These shackles place the center of
gravity of the beam to be lifted directly beneath the lifting shackle.
- Offset Lift – Used for lifting, transferring and stacking of level lifts of i-beams, fabrications and ship sections. Can be used for horizontal and vertical moving, transferring and stacking.
- H-Beam – Used to lift, transfer and stack h-beams. These clamps can be used in vertical and horizontal moving, transfer and stacking of different types of structures.
- Steel Beam – Clamps are used for horizontal lift and transfer of steel beams. They designed to be used in vertical and horizontal moving, transfer and stacking of i-beams, h-beams, angles, etc.
Note that if you are using plate clamps outside, wind
velocity, precipitation, fog, extreme temperatures and lighting can adversely
affect the lifting device’s operation.
As with any below-the-hook lifting device, make sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure to establish an inspection,
testing and maintenance program in accordance with ASME B30.20.
For questions on the best plate clamp for your material
handling application, please call our office at 800-242-3477 or email smartlift@wiscolift.com.
