The CM Lodestar is a brand of electric chain hoist

Hoist

Hoist may refer to:*Hoist , a machine for lifting loads*hoist controller, a machine for raising and lowering goods or personnel by means of a cable*Hydraulic hooklift hoist, another machine* Hoist , another machine...

 designed, manufactured, and marketed by Columbus McKinnon Corporation. The first CM Lodestar

CM Lodestar

The CM Lodestar is a brand of electric chain hoist designed, manufactured, and marketed by Columbus McKinnon Corporation. The first CM Lodestar was produced in 1955. The oldest known working CM Lodestar is a Model E serial number L-3150X, made in November 1955. It is owned by ZFX Inc. in...

 was produced in 1955. The oldest known working CM Lodestar is a Model E serial number L-3150X, made in November 1955. It is owned by ZFX Inc.

ZFX Inc.

ZFX Inc., commonly known as ZFX Flying, is a performer flying effects company based in Louisville, Kentucky, and Utrecht, the Netherlands. Founded in Las Vegas in 1994 it has provided flying effects for over 4,000 stage productions, including hundreds of professional and amateur versions of Peter...

 in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

. The oldest one in continuous use was installed in Murray Industrial Supply Company in February 1956. Mostly used in industrial applications, CM Lodestar has modified editions for stage rigging, cleanroom environments and wind turbine

Wind turbine

A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...

s.

Columbus McKinnon Corporation manufactured the millionth CM Lodestar in 2006.

Entertainment division hoist technical information

Model	Max. Capacity	Lift Speed	Lift Speed	Motor H.P.	Short. Dist. Between Hooks	Max. Lift Dist.
B	1/4 Ton – 250kg	16' @60hz	4.06m @50hz	1/4 (.19kW)	14.25" (362 mm)	102' (31.1m)
C	1/4 Ton – 250kg	32' @60hz	8.13m @50hz	1/2 (.37kW)	14.25" (362 mm)	204' (62.2m)
F	1/2 Ton – 500kg	16' @60hz	4.06m @50hz	1/2 (.37kW)	14.25" (362 mm)	102' (31.1m)
J	1/2 Ton – 500kg	32' @60hz	8.13m @50hz	1 (.75kW)	15.56" (395.3 mm)	125' (38.1m)
L	1 Ton – 1000kg	16' @60hz	4.06m @50hz	1 (.75kW)	15.56" (395.3 mm)	125' (38.1m)
R	2 Ton – 2000kg	8' @60hz	2.03m @50hz	1 (.75kW)	22.5" (571.5 mm)	66' (20.1m)
LL	1 Ton – 1000kg	32' @60hz	8.13m @50hz	2 (1.5kW)	15.56" (395.3 mm)	254' (77.4m)
RR	2 Ton – 2000kg	16' @60hz	4.06m @50hz	2 (1.5kW)	22.81" (579.4 mm)	125' (38.1m)

Technical information

There are two types of CM Lodestars, single speed and two speed. Both CM Lodestars have rated capacities of 1/8 tons, 1/4 tons, 1/2 tons, 1 ton, 2 tons, and 3 tons; however, single speed can have 10, 15, and 20 feet lift, whereas the two speed CM Lodestar only has 10 feet lift.

CM Lodestars for wind turbines have more than 300 feet lift, qualifying it for being a long-lift hoist.

CM Lodestars meet ASME regulation B30.16.

External links

• PDF copy of the first print advert for the Lodestar from 1955