Rescue Ram for Precise Force Application
A rescue ram is a simple hydraulic device that can apply high force with precision. What makes the rescue ram special is that it can be used not only vertically but also horizontally. This is made possible by special design features.
The Design of a Rescue Ram
The rescue ram is technically closely related to manually operated hydraulic cylinders or jacks. Its actual technical principle, the multiplication of forces through hydraulic pressure and different cross-sections of master and slave cylinders, is also applied in this tool. However, conventional hydraulic cylinders have a disadvantage: their effective range is minimally limited to the length of the cylinder. If there are only a few centimeters of space between the two attachment points, their use is severely restricted or impossible. A jack, on the other hand, only has a short effective range. If a heavy load needs to be moved over several decimeters, a jack is often unable to do so. In contrast to the aforementioned tools, the rescue ram has a variable attachment point. For this purpose, a movable bracket is attached to the side of its main cylinder, onto which the force of the extending cylinder is positively transferred. A typical effective range of a rescue ram, the so-called “stroke,” is 350 mm. A lifting force of up to 100 kN can be applied.
Where is a Rescue Ram Used?
The rescue ram is a comparatively robust tool. Its main area of application is in emergency services. With the rescue ram, heavy loads can be moved precisely, for example, to free trapped persons. Technical variants of the rescue ram are used in body construction. They are significantly smaller than the devices used by the fire department. These rescue rams are used to pre-align accident bodies before they are precisely reshaped on a straightening bench.
Why a Manual Rescue Ram is Preferred
Although it is technically possible to equip a rescue ram with an electric pump, the traditional, mechanical variant is still preferred in emergency and fire services today. The simple design, high reliability, and ease of maintenance are important reasons for this. Above all, however, the manual movement of the hydraulic cylinder allows for particularly sensitive movement of the attached load. This prevents the ram or load from slipping and allows the achieved state to be secured after each stroke.
Typical Accessories for Rescue Rams
Rescue rams are ideally always used in combination with support boards and wooden wedges. The boards, preferably heavy-duty multi-layer panels, can bridge differences in length and ideally distribute the high pressures applied. This allows the use of a rescue ram even on softened ground. The wedges serve to immediately secure a created gap and prevent slipping back.