Sheave Sheave A sheave () is a pulley with a grooved wheel for holding a belt, wire rope, or rope. The grooved wheel spins on an axle or bearing inside the frame of the block. This allows the wire or rope to move freely minimizing friction and wear on the cable. Sheaves can be used to redirect a cable or rope, lift loads, and transmit power. The words "sheave" and "pulley" are sometimes used interchangeably. A sheave can also refer to a pulley which has an adjustable operating diameter for use with a mechanical belt. This is accomplished by constructing the
Fly system used for spot rigging, where they are often equipped with swivel-pivots to divert lines across a large range of angles. Tension blocks are single-sheave blocks located at the lower end of the arbor guide track, beneath the arbor. The operating line is reeved through the tension block from the bottom of the arbor through the rope lock. Tension blocks typically ride vertically along the arbor guide system tracks, instead of being fixed, to allow for variation in the length of the operating line. Counterweights are heavy objects that are used to balance the lineset loads in a fly system. In