Lead Counterweight Applications

 

Lead Counterweights are used in many systems.

Typical uses include elevators, cranes, bridges and funfair rides. A famous example of a building that used counterweights to maintain stability is the leaning tower of Pisa, which is no longer slowly falling to the ground!

Typically the Lead counterweight is designed in such a way that its weight multiplied by the distance from the central support, is equal to the load times its distance from the central support. In some systems this requirement can lead to tight tolerances for the machined lead counterweights.

Nuclead has extensive experience providing counterweights, including several repeat orders for custom machined; power coated lead counterweights for a fortune 500 defense contractor.

Lead Counterweights in construction

Many elevators use counterweights to balance the load of the elevator car and some portion the rated capacity (typically 50%). This means that the elevator motor need only lift a fraction of the full load, and it also increases ascending acceleration force and decreases the descending force. Like the elevator car the lead counterweights run on tracks to smooth out the ride for the passengers.

Crane Design

A crane is basically a mechanism that balances the load to be moved with a lead counterweight. Since the counterweight is usually close to the tipping point, it will be significantly larger than the load weight. Some cranes increase their load capacity by using hydraulic mechanisms to move the counterweight away from the tipping point.

Moveable Bridges

A bascule bridge (from the French for balance) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic

In a vertical-lift bridge part of the span is raised vertically, staying parallel to the ground. This kind of bridge uses smaller counterweights than a bascule bridge or draw bridge since it only needs to balance weight of the deck. This allows for stronger material to be used and makes this kind of bridge suitable for heavy traffic such as railroads

Nuclead can supply all sizes of lead counterweights 

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