A Guide to Jacking Castors
When you think of castors, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you answered easier horizontal manoeuvrability, you aren’t alone. When most individuals think about castors, they view these swivelling trolley wheels as devices that make moving furniture, machinery, hospital gurneys, and appliances easier.
When you think of castors, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you answered easier horizontal manoeuvrability, you aren’t alone. When most individuals think about castors, they view these swivelling trolley wheels as devices that make moving furniture, machinery, hospital gurneys, and appliances easier.
While this is what castors were originally intended for, a relatively recent invention known as jacking casters is now taking the industrial, commercial, and residential scene by storm. These caster wheels not only allow items to be moved more easily in a horizontal fashion, but in a vertical one as well.
What Are Jacking Casters?
Jacking caster wheels are heavy duty castors made with an extended bracket attached. This bracket can be used and secured with almost any piece of equipment or machinery using a internal jacking mechanism and a side plate. The jacking mechanism then allows the attached equipment to be raised or lowered manually.
There are three types of jacking caster wheels most commonly used today:
- Medium duty- These casters can lift up to 200 kilogrammes of weight
- Heavy duty- These castors can handle 600 kilogrammes each
- Heaviest duty- This type of castor can hold weights up to a tonne
Using the Jacking Caster
In order to operate the jacking caster, there are two different types of mechanisms you should be aware of.
- Ratchet- Jacking castor wheels that use rackets are most often fitted with a hexagon-shaped head, which is suitable for spanners and sockets. When the socket is moved using the ratchet, the castor is lowered or raised as needed.
- Integral Handle- This is often the more popular of the two mechanisms, as it is much easier for individuals with no previous experience to use the caster easily. To use the handle, an individual simply needs to wind it one way or the other, depending on whether they wish to raise or lower the equipment attached to the castor.
No matter what type of mechanism is used to operate the jacking castor, allowances must be made to provide access to the mechanism itself. When using a ratchet, access must be available to the head of the jacking castor, while using the handle version requires access to the side of the jacking assembly.
A Note About Jacking Castors
Jacking castors can be used with almost any type of equipment, furniture, appliance, or machine, but they are best used with objects that often require vertical movement, such as hospital gurneys, tables, and similar equipment.
Before attaching this type of castor to any piece of equipment, however, it is important to note that the type of wheel is essential to its use. Hard wheels, such as those made from polyurethane, nylon, and cast iron can be used with heavy objects. Rubber wheels are often much softer, and should be reserved for lighter weighted objects. Combinations of soft and hard materials, however, often result in extremely durable and strong castors.
Are you looking for the right castors for your home, business, or industrial setting? If you need a caster that can perform both horizontally and vertically, check out the jacking castor. This innovative and useful castor can take manoeuvrability to a whole new level.
