A block and tackle is a system of two or more pulleys with a rope or cable threaded between them, usually used to lift or pull heavy loads.
The pulleys are assembled together to form blocks and then blocks are paired so that one is fixed and one moves with the load. The rope is threaded, or reeved, through the pulleys to provide mechanical advantage that amplifies that force applied to the rope.
Hero of Alexandria described cranes formed from assemblies of pulleys. Illustrated versions of Hero's "book on raising heavy weights" show early block and tackle systems.
Read more about Block And Tackle: Overview, Mechanical Advantage, Example Block and Tackle Configurations, Friction, Rigging Methods, More On Mechanical Advantage
Famous quotes containing the words block and/or tackle:
“The skyscraper establishes the block, the block creates the street, the street offers itself to man.”
—Roland Barthes (1915–1980)
“Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.”
—Edgar Albert Guest (1881–1959)