NEIEP Mechanics Practice Exam

If you had a 14,500 lb machine to lift up the hoistway, what kind of reeving would be used for a 4,000 lb capacity portable gas hoist?

1. 2 to 1

2. 3 to 1

3. 4 to 1

4. 5 to 1

The correct answer is: 4 to 1

In the context of lifting systems, reeving refers to the configuration of ropes or cables that are used with a hoist to effectively lift loads. When determining the appropriate reeving for a lift, it is critical to understand the relationship between load, capacity, and mechanical advantage. In this case, you're lifting a machine that weighs 14,500 lbs. To safely and efficiently lift that load using a portable gas hoist with a capacity of only 4,000 lbs, you would need a reeving system that provides enough mechanical advantage to reduce the effective weight the hoist has to lift at any given time. A 4 to 1 reeving system means that for every four units of rope deployed, only one unit of the load's weight is felt by the hoist. This means that if you were using this configuration, the effective load on the hoist would be \( \frac{14,500 \text{ lbs}}{4} = 3,625 \text{ lbs} \). This weight is within the hoist's capacity of 4,000 lbs, which allows for a safe operation. Using a different reeving ratio, such as 2 to 1 or 3 to 1, would result in