The vehicle was center of a holiday-season display in the jewelry section of the store, which is below street level. Getting it there took an overnight operation that involved four 3-ton capacity OZ Premium hand chain hoists, with a lifting height of 30 ft.; beam clamps attached to 30-ft. long beams; and a customized lifting platform. The 5,600-lb. car combined with the platform for a total load of 10,000 lb.
To facilitate the lift (lower), four exterior doors were removed, an escalator bank was stripped, and the car was driven to the makeshift freight elevator. The store’s pillars were utilized to anchor the platform in preparation for the 28-ft. journey down to the vault level.
OZ Lifting’s equipment was utilized at the point of use by the project’s rigging contractor, Concord Painting, which sourced it from OZ dealer, Eastern Rigging Supply. A steel fabricator was subcontracted to provide the lifting platform.
Bob Eberheim, of Eastern Rigging, said: “The work was completed upon closure of the store one evening; it took 10 hours even when the Sapphire was in the store, such was the complexity of the job and the constant requirement to complete such lifts as safely as possible.”
He added: “The yellow straps you can see in the photos were used to secure the vehicle in place, and the beams were supported by shoring towers.”
The OZ Premium hand chain hoists are part of a range that spans 0.5-ton to 10-ton capacity. They offer minimal load lifting effort; double reduction gearing provides easy operation. A unique hand-wheel design enables the hand chain to successfully feed directly into the wheel sprocket from many directions and angles. Thus, the operator can use the hoist while standing to the side of, or even above, the load without fear of the hand chain jamming.
All-steel construction features a long-lasting powder coat finish, while providing a long and dependable service life in harsh environments. An enclosed and protected Weston-style load brake stays clean and dry during the entire load operation. Hoists are also equipped with a unique twin pawl design for additional reliability. A sealed roller bearing provides smooth, controlled operation of the gears and shafts, which ensures maintenance-free lubrication.
- An article published in the New York Post reported, ‘…it’s probably the biggest stunt the store has pulled off since 1935’.
