Bison Lifting

What Bison Lifting Makes, and What We Stock

Bison Lifting's range is built around the chain hoist: hand-operated hoists, electric chain hoists in single- and three-phase, the trolleys that carry them along a beam, and the clamps that attach to beams and steel plate. Vovlift is an authorized Bison Lifting dealer and carries 117 active items from the line. Listed product types include manual chain hoists in black chain and galvanized chain, single-phase hoists in top-hook and hoist-plus-trolley form, three-phase hoists in one-speed and dual-speed, push, geared and motorized trolleys, beam clamps, vertical plate clamps, radio remotes and a Special Series group. Capacities in the catalog start at 400 pounds and top out at 10 tons, with prices from $104 to $23,693.

How the Hoist Range Is Divided

Manual chain hoists

Two versions: black chain and galvanized chain. Both are hand-operated, so they need no power drop and can hang wherever a rated anchor exists. Galvanized load chain is the choice for outdoor beams, damp bays and wash areas where plain chain will surface-rust. These are the entry point to the range on price, and the practical answer for lifts that happen a few times a month rather than a few times a shift.

Single-phase electric hoists

Cataloged at 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 3 and 5 tons, in both top-hook and hoist-plus-trolley form. They run 115v/230v dual voltage, which is what makes them workable in shops, service bays and small fabrication floors with no three-phase service. In the product titles these appear plainly as 5 Ton Hoist + Trolley and similar. The 5-ton single-phase combination lists a combined headroom of 46.88 inches and a combined weight of 498 pounds.

Three-phase electric hoists

The larger and faster half of the range, at 230v/460v dual voltage, covering 1/4 ton through 10 tons. These split two ways: one speed or dual speed, and top hook or with trolley. Dual-speed units give a creep speed for spotting a load plus a main hoisting speed; one-speed units are simpler and cost less. The 10-ton three-phase dual-speed hoist with trolley sits at the top of the catalog.

BIH, BXH and BVH series

Bison also catalogs small electric chain hoists under series designations — BIH, BXH and BVH at 1/2 ton, plus a BXH at 400 pounds. These are the lightest powered units we carry. Compare the spec table on each listing rather than assuming the series are interchangeable at the same capacity.

Trolleys, Clamps and Controls

Trolleys come three ways. Push trolleys roll when the load is pushed — the cheapest option, fine for short beam runs and infrequent moves. Geared trolleys add a hand chain, so an operator on the floor can inch the load along the beam instead of shoving it. Motorized trolleys are powered and stocked at 1, 2, 3 and 5 tons, which is roughly where hand-shifting a load stops being reasonable. Beam clamps and vertical plate clamps cover the rigging side: clamps to hang a hoist from an existing beam, and plate clamps for handling steel plate on edge. Plate clamps are below-the-hook lifting devices, and ASME's B30.20 standard sets the marking and inspection requirements that apply to them. Radio remotes are stocked separately for pendant-free operation of the powered units.

Sizing, Duty and Site Constraints

Three things decide the model. First, capacity — rate for the heaviest load plus rigging, not the average. Second, duty cycle: a hoist that lifts twice a shift and one that cycles continuously wear differently, and a manual hoist is not a substitute for a powered unit on repetitive work. Third, the building itself. Available power decides single- versus three-phase. Headroom decides whether you need one of the low-headroom hoist-and-trolley configurations. Beam flange width and taper decide trolley fit, so measure before ordering. The published environmental window on these electric hoists is -4° to +104° F with humidity at 85% or less; if your site sits outside that, ask us first. For ongoing inspection, ASME's B30.16 standard for overhead underhung hoists is the reference most US programs are built around, with frequency tied to service class and how hard the unit is worked.

Warranty, Parts and Delivery

Bison's published warranty on the electric hoists in this catalog is 12 months. Because Vovlift is an authorized dealer, units ship with that coverage intact and replacement parts come through the factory channel — which matters most on wear items such as brake components, limit-switch paddles and load chain, where a non-genuine substitute can put coverage at risk. Construction is consistent across the published electric line: die-cast aluminum bodies, pull-rotor motor brakes, friction-clutch overload protection and mechanical paddle limit switches top and bottom. On delivery, weight decides the method — clamps and push trolleys at the $104 end typically move as parcel, while a package like the 5-ton hoist and trolley at 498 pounds ships LTL and needs an unloading plan at the receiving end. If you are down to two models, send us the beam, the power available and the load, and we will confirm fit against the spec sheets before you order.