What is a Turnbuckle? A Look at the Types, Parts, ...

A turnbuckle is a piece of hardware used to eliminate slack and adjust tension in a rope, cable, or other tensioning system. ASME B30.26 – ... Mazzella»LearningCenter»WhatisaTurnbuckle?ALookattheTypes,Parts,Installation,andUsesWhatisaTurnbuckle?ALookattheTypes,Parts,Installation,andUsesAturnbuckleisabasicpieceofriggingequipmentthatcanbeusedinadiversesetoftension-relatedapplications.LexieKellerMarch5,2020RiggingEquipmentAturnbuckleisacommonriggingdevicethatisusedtoadjusttensionandreduceslackinarope,cable,orsimilartensioningassembly.Turnbucklesareadiverseproductlinethatareusedinavarietyofapplicationsacrossmanydifferentindustries.Theycanbeusedinapplicationsassimpleasprovidingtensioninafenceorperimetercable,orsomethingascomplicatedastheconstructionofasuspensionbridge.Likeotherrigginghardwareproducts,turnbucklesareavailableinmanydifferentsizes,configurations,andtypes.Werealizethattherearen’talotofavailableresourcesouttheretoeducateyouonturnbuckles,especiallyifyouaren’talreadyfamiliarwiththem.Ensuringyouareusingandselectingtherightdeviceisimportantto maintainingasafeandeffectiveriggingprogram.Wewanttomakesureyouhavetheinformationnecessarytohelpyoudeterminetherighttypeofturnbuckleforyourapplication—orwhetheryoushouldbeusingaturnbuckleinthefirstplace.Withthisarticle,ourgoalistohelpyouformabase-levelunderstandingofturnbuckles,howtheywork,andhowtheycanbeproperlyutilizedduringyournextproject.Inthisarticle,you’llfindbasicinformationabout:WhataturnbuckleisPartsandtypesofturnbucklesApplicationsBasicinstallationstepsTurnbucklematerialsMarkings/identificationRemovalfromservicecriteriaWhatisaTurnbuckle?Aturnbuckleisapieceofhardwareusedtoeliminateslackandadjusttensioninarope,cable,orothertensioningsystem.ASMEB30.26–RiggingHardware definesaturnbuckleas“anadjustabledeviceconsistingofthreeprimarycomponents:abody,aright-handthreadedendfitting,andaleft-handthreadedendfitting.”Theendfittingoneithersideofaturnbuckleconnectstothetensioningsystemand/orasecurementpoint.Theturnbuckleisthentightenedorloosenedtoadjusttensionandeliminateslackinthecableorropeisitconnectedto.Aturnbucklemaybeusedonitsownorinconjunctionwithotherturnbucklestoincreaselengthintheassembly.PartsofaTurnbuckleBody: themetalframeinthecenterofthedevicethatjoinsthetwothreadedendfittings.Thebodyitselfisturnedtoadjusttensionbyextendingandretractingtheendfittings.Thebodymaybeoneoftwotypes:closedoropen.Anopenbodyturnbuckleisthemoretraditionaltypewherethethreadsarevisiblethroughthebodyframe.Closedbodyturnbuckles—alsoknownaspipebodies—encasethethreadsinaclosedframetocreateaslimmerprofilethatfitsintighterspaces.Nut: alsoreferredtoasajamnut,thenutcanbeplacedonthethreadsoftheendfittingsandtightenedagainsttheturnbucklebodytohelppreventthedevicefromlooseningorunthreading.EndFittings: thesearethetwoconnectionpointsthatscrewintotheoppositeendsoftheturnbucklebody.Oneendfittingisright-handthreadedwhiletheotherisleft-handthreaded.Thisallowsyoutoturnthebodytoadjusttensionafterinstallationwithoutmovingtheendfittings.Therearethreemaintypesofendfittingsthatcanbeusedtogetherinanycombinationoneitherendoftheturnbuckle:Hookend –ahookendfittingisusedtocreatetemporaryconnectionsbecausetheyareeasytoquicklyconnectanddisconnect.Theyshouldneverbeusedinconnectionswheretensioncouldunexpectedlyrelease.Jawend –ajawendfittingconsistsofajawandboltsecuredtogetherbyanutorapin.Theseareusedtoconnecttocomponentsthatcannotbeopened,suchasaneyebolt.Eyeend –aneyeendfittingisaclosedloopthatcanbeconnectedtoashackleorquicklink.Threaddiameter: thisisthediametermeasurementofthethreadedportionoftheendfittings.Thegreaterthethreaddiameteris,thegreatertheload-bearingcapacityoftheturnbuckleandviceversa.Take-uplength: thisisthetotallengththattheendfittingscanscrewintoandoutofthebodyto“takeup”tension.Take-uplengthcanbemeasuredintermsof“opened”or“closed”endfittings:theendfittingsareeitherfullyextendedorfullyretracted.TypesofTurnbucklesTurnbuckletypesare,essentially,namedforthecombinationofendfittingsusedinthedevice.Themostcommonendfittingcombinationsare:JawandjawEyeandjawEyeandeyeHookandhookHookandeyeAsyoumighthaveguessed,aneyeandeyeturnbucklehasaneyeendfittingoneitherend.Likewise,ahookandeyeturnbucklehasahookendfittingononeendandaneyeendfittingontheother.Thecombinationofendfittingsisdeterminedbywhattheturnbucklesneedtoconnecttoandwhetherthesolutionispermanentortemporary.Ahookisusedtoattachtotemporaryconnectionpointsthatmaybefrequentlyconnectedanddisconnected.Ajawisusedtoattachtoaconnectionpointthatdoesnotopen,suchasaneyeboltorlink.Aneyeisusedtoattachtoaconnectionpointthatcanopensuchasashackleorquicklink.CommonUsesforTurnbucklesAsmentionedabove,turnbucklescanbeusedwithalengthofrope,cable,orotherriggingassemblyasaconnectionpointtoadjustslackandtensionwithintheline.Turnbucklescanbeusedforsomethingassimpleasafenceorascomplicatedasasuspensionbridge.Someindustriesthatcommonlyuseturnbucklesare:Sportsandentertainment –turnbucklesareusedtoactasasecurementpointandtocreatetensionintheropessurroundingawrestlingorboxingring.Youcan’tseethem,ofcourse,sincetheyarecoveredinsoftmaterialfortheathletes’safety!Maritimetransport –turnbucklesarecommonlyusedtotensionaship’slashingandriggingcomponents.Construction –turnbucklesareoftenusedtoprovidetensionsupportforsuspensionbridges,largebuildings,andhighwayguardrailcableassemblies.Aviation –cablesandwirespresentwithintheconstructionofanaircraft—wings,flightcontrolsystems,etc—aretensionedbyturnbuckles.InstallationofTurnbucklesProperinstallationofanytypeofriggingequipmentisessentialtomaintainingsafeandeffectiveapplications—turnbucklesarenodifferent.Installingaturnbuckleisaratherstraightforwardprocess,herearethesteps:Unscrewendfittingsfromthebodyuntilcompletelyextendedtothefulltake-uplengthConnectendfittingsoneitherendtodesiredsecurementpointForaneyeendfitting,simplyloopitthroughwhateversecurementpointitwillbeconnectedto(shackle,quicklink,etc.)Forahookendfitting,simplyloopthehookaroundwhateverpointitwillbe[temporarily]securedto(thimble,shackle,etc.)Forajawendfitting,unscrewtheboltfromthejaw,placethesecurementpointbetweentheclevisears(thimble,eyebolt,etc),placetheboltthrough,andscrewitshut.Rotatetheturnbuckletomovetheendfittingsclosertogetheruntilyoureachthedesiredtensionintheropeorcable.Tightennuts—ifyouareusingthem—downtothebody.Likeallotherriggingdevices,besuretokeeptheWorkingLoadLimit(WLL)inmindwheninstallingyourturnbuckles.Material:Galvanizedvs.StainlessSteelTurnbucklesThemostcommonturnbucklematerialsaregalvanizedandstainlesssteel.Choosingbetweenthesetwomaterialsisimportantiffactorslikepriceandcorrosionresistanceareimportanttoyou.Stainlesssteelturnbucklesareidealforuseinoutdoorandsaltwaterenvironments,astheyareextremelyresistanttorustandcorrosion.Ifcorrosionisaconcern,stainlesssteelislikelythebestchoiceforyourturnbucklematerial.Galvanizedsteel turnbucklesarecheaperthanstainlesssteelandcanalsobeusedinoutdoorapplications,butwithcaution,astheyarenotasresistanttocorrosionasstainlesssteelturnbuckles.TurnbuckleMarkings/IdentificationAccordingto ASMEB30.26–RiggingHardware,eachturnbuckleshallbedurablymarkedbythemanufacturertoshow:NameortrademarkofamanufacturerSizeorratedloadTurnbuckleInspectionandRemovalFromServiceCriteriaDuringthecourseofaninspection,removetheturnbucklefromserviceifanyoftheconditionslistedin ASMEB30.26–RiggingHardware arepresent:MissingorillegibleidentificationIndicationsofheatdamage,includingweldspatterorarcstrikesExcessivepittingorcorrosionBent,twisted,distorted,stretched,elongated,cracked,orbrokenload-bearingcomponentsExcessivenicksorgougesA10%reductionoftheoriginalorcatalogdimensionatanypointExcessivethreaddamageorwearEvidenceofunauthorizedweldingormodificationOtherconditions,includingvisibledamage,thatcausedoubtastocontinueduseWrappingitUpWehopethattheinformationlaidoutinthisarticlehelpsyoutounderstandwhatturnbucklesare,howtheyfunction,andwhethertheycanbeappliedtoyourriggingassemblies.Whileturnbucklesarerelativelysimplewhenitcomestomechanics,theycanbeusedtoapplytensionandeliminateslackinvirtuallyanytensioningsystem.Herearesomefactorstoconsiderwhendeterminingtheproperturnbuckletypeandconfigurationthatisbestforyou:Thethreemaintypesofendfittingscanbecombinedinanyconfigurationtoallowtheturnbuckletoattachtoopen,closed,temporary,orpermanentconnectionpoints.Turnbuckleshavetwocommonmaterialtypes—galvanizedsteelandstainlesssteel—tochoosefromandhavearelativelysimpleinstallationprocedure.Likeanyotherpieceofhardware,makesureyouarefollowingthemandatedremovalfromservicecriteriaandidentificationstandards.HowWeCanHelpAtMazzella,westockanddistributeturnbucklesinavarietyofdifferentconfigurationsandsizesinbothgalvanizedandstainlesssteel.Ourturnbucklesandturnbucklepartsaremanufacturedbypremiumvendors,includingCrosbyandSuncorStainless.Ourinventoryalsoincludesarangeof rigginghardware including,hooks,hoistrings,shackles,eyebolts,andmore.Ifyouwanttoscheduleaconsultationorreceiveaquoteforyournextliftingproject, contactoneofourLiftingSpecialiststoday.TurnbucklesWepartnerwithallthemajorrigginghardwaresuppliersintheindustry.Westockanddistributeafulllineofturnbucklesfromseveralmanufacturers,including:CrosbySuncorStainlessAndmore!Callusat800.362.4601orclickhereifyouneedturnbuckles!ShopnowWeusecookiesonourwebsitetogiveyouthemostrelevantexperiencebyrememberingyourpreferencesandrepeatvisits.Byclicking“Accept”,youconsenttotheuseofALLthecookies.CookiesettingsACCEPTPrivacy&CookiesPolicyClosePrivacyOverviewThiswebsiteusescookiestoimproveyourexperiencewhileyounavigatethroughthewebsite.Outofthesecookies,thecookiesthatarecategorizedasnecessaryarestoredonyourbrowserastheyareessentialfortheworkingofbasicfunctionalitiesofthewebsite.Wealsousethird-partycookiesthathelpusanalyzeandunderstandhowyouusethiswebsite.Thesecookieswillbestoredinyourbrowseronlywithyourconsent.Youalsohavetheoptiontoopt-outofthesecookies.Butoptingoutofsomeofthesecookiesmayhaveaneffectonyourbrowsingexperience.NecessaryNecessaryAlwaysEnabledNecessarycookiesareabsolutelyessentialforthewebsitetofunctionproperly.Thiscategoryonlyincludescookiesthatensuresbasicfunctionalitiesandsecurityfeaturesofthewebsite.Thesecookiesdonotstoreanypersonalinformation.Non-necessaryNon-necessaryAnycookiesthatmaynotbeparticul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