I was asked the other day about the Roofmaster Model 62 Hoist. This is a hoist that we made from about 1956 until about 2000. I will give a little history on this unique hoist.
This hoist was invented in the late 1930’s by Charles Cobb in Los Angeles. Roofmaster became aware of the hoist and hired Charlie, as he was known. We improved and refined the product. It was sold over the entire United States.
It was made of 2″ tubing that was jig welded with ground “nose” cones to index into the next sections along with safety chains with snaps so the sections wouldn’t come apart.
The primary purpose was getting roll goods to the roof, but there was a gravel bucket attachment to the material carriage, along with a roof hopper and automatic ground hopper for large jobs. The capacity was only 250#, but the hoist was fast, hence the nickname “jackrabbit”.
Automatic Gravel Roof Hopper
Model 62 Roll Ramp
It was sold as a 40′ unit and came with four 8′ sections, one 4′, one 2′ and one 1′, along with a 5′ bottom section. But, the contractor could add 8′ sections for higher jobs. I think the highest we went was in the 120′ range.
Charlie Cobb showing the Model 62 in operation
The top curved section held an eight horsepower Briggs engine and a cable spool. It had an always on internal brake and a Twin Disc clutch that was operated by a second operating handle. The operator would release the brake and engage the clutch at the same time. The material carriage would travel up the extension sections until it reached the top curved section, where it would stop and either throw the rolls onto a ramp or the gravel into the top hopper. Gravity would take the carriage back down to the ground, where the operator would apply the brake to stop it.
Jim Neinow and others at Midwest RCA, Nov 1960
This is not an active hoist for us at this time. There are still some 62 hoists out there, and we do still make replacement parts, but most hoisting today is done by cranes or 1000# or 2000# hydraulic hoists.
I never did figure out why we called it a 62 hoist…
This hoist was invented in the late 1930’s by Charles Cobb in Los Angeles. Roofmaster became aware of the hoist and hired Charlie, as he was known. We improved and refined the product. It was sold over the entire United States.
It was made of 2″ tubing that was jig welded with ground “nose” cones to index into the next sections along with safety chains with snaps so the sections wouldn’t come apart.
The primary purpose was getting roll goods to the roof, but there was a gravel bucket attachment to the material carriage, along with a roof hopper and automatic ground hopper for large jobs. The capacity was only 250#, but the hoist was fast, hence the nickname “jackrabbit”.
