Hoists help in wheel construction

The air-operated hoists were located at a temporary chain fall platform suspended below the wheel central hub, and used their 280ft of cable fall to lift equipment from ground level. These lifts included 18 temporary radial struts, each 40t in weight, together with transfer trusses of similar weights and all the individual outer rim segments of the wheel, together with 112 cable locking assemblies initially assembled at 50% tension loads.

The temporary radial struts were installed to provide accurate spacing of the individual wheel rim segments from the central hub unit during initial build assembly. These were then replaced by the cable locking assemblies, which when fully tensioned provided the radial spokes of the completed wheel assembly.

The JDN hoists are from the compact Profi TI range. They operate from a 6 bar compressed air supply. Some 19 models in the range offer lift capacities from 0.25 to 100t. They incorporate a patented vane motor-brake system for low-maintenance operation.