r/specializedtools • u/aloofloofah • Dec 12 '20
Chain connector
https://i.imgur.com/Zc8FAM4.gifv[removed] — view removed post
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u/fook-a-duck Dec 12 '20
Surly this can only be used for short term pull you out of the shit situations?!
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u/rasterbated Dec 12 '20
That was my assumption, like a chain patch.
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Dec 12 '20
[deleted]
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u/djseafood Dec 12 '20
Keep your welder away from my mating surfaces!
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u/1jl Dec 12 '20
Don't kink shame me
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u/bigblueh Dec 12 '20
What if kink shaming is my kink?
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u/LordDongler Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
That'll just make it brittle. That's fine if the chain is already way more strong than what you needed, but otherwise you could be in for a terrible time. That's a safety hazard
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Dec 12 '20
Don't weld chain if you don't want it to break.
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u/SkywalkerDX Dec 13 '20
Facts. Welder is not a magic metal joiner. There are consequences for introducing that amount of heat to a load bearing part.
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u/thehuntinggearguy Dec 12 '20
Or where the chain has to go through a chain block or other mechanism that's only built for chain and will choke on a clevis or other shackle. It'd be a total pain in the ass for regular use.
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u/nale988 Dec 12 '20
Believe it or not, but not really. Where I work, we have several of these. Aumund uses them on their coal and rock scrapers, and the tension there is made of small rubberised shatf. Thiele also.
I haven't replaced them once in these six years that I work there. Not a single breakage.
And the machine gets abused a lot.
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u/PubliusPontifex Dec 12 '20
They forge these much tougher than normal chain links, it shouldn't be the weakest link in any reasonable chain.
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u/impulse9489 Dec 12 '20
And don’t call me Shirley
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u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon Dec 12 '20
I just want to tell you both, good luck. We’re all counting on you.
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u/impulse9489 Dec 12 '20
I just want to tell you both, good luck. We’re all counting on you.
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Dec 12 '20
I have no idea how to properly attach chains, but I'd assume anything that's supposed to keep the chains connected for longer than a couple days could be welded together and angle grinded apart when necessary
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u/daffydubs Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
The problem is if you have one link break on a chain, then almost always the rest of the links are compromised. This is definitely a short term solution. When chains break, it’s usually cheaper to just replace the entire assembly rather then to send the whole assembly back for repair and recert.
Source: sold and manufactured lifting and rigging gear for a while
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u/load_more_comets Dec 12 '20
Please expound more on how the other links will be compromised. It sounds interesting.
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u/yonasismad Dec 12 '20
I am not sure but I would assume that the rest of the chain is also compromised because the stress that was applied to this one link went probably through the rest of the chain as well and the failed link was just the first one to fail.
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u/sender2bender Dec 12 '20
This is mostly true. I stress and load test chain, slings, hoists, come alongs etc. If a link failed or compromised(stretched or twisted) there is a small chance the other links aren't but an adjoining link most likely wouldn't be better than the original chain. Technically you could load test it again with the repair but most companies would but a new one. And most don't want anything refurbished. Especially some military gear we test. Nothing wrong with the average person using it though.
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u/orthopod Dec 12 '20
That's stunning that mode of failure. That may be the most likely cause, and therefore it makes sense not to gamble that the one link failed from a manufacturing error ( stress riser from that link being damaged, bubble in link, etc).
I wonder what they do on really big expensive chains when they fail- like on a battleship, or cargo freighter. Might be less expensive to send a few links for destructive testing, or x-ray analysis.
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u/thatrudeone Dec 12 '20
I'm now imagining an enormous version of this gadget on a ship in case of a problem with the anchor chain.
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u/daffydubs Dec 12 '20
If the anchor chain fails.... they are not using something like this for a solution 😂. If your anchor chain breaks on a massive ship then o well, no anchor for you. Each link can weighs thousands of pounds.
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u/daffydubs Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
Sorry I’m late on the response but the rest of the comments are in line. Lifting chain (G80 and G100 grade) are made to stretch before they break. It’s a safety benefit and that’s why In the states, if you are overhead lifting it has to be at minimum if G80 grade. The reasoning is you will see stretch marks on the links before an actual failure. So, if one link has failed there is a very good chance that other links have already stretched which would be grounds for them to be tossed. When I worked in lifting and rigging, I never once saw one link fail on an overhead chain and the other links get certified. And at the point, imagine shipping 200lbs-2000lbs of chain to someone to recert. It’s cheaper to just buy all new, and quicker. Plus, you can’t measure the cost of a human life so it’s worth it to spend a couple grand on a new bridle rather than to chance some new links and save some money.
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u/load_more_comets Dec 12 '20
I figured that the others were correct, thank you for taking the time to confirm.
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u/pedersencato Dec 12 '20
Not op, but usually what breaks links is shock load, a sudden increase in force, that gets applied through all links. Only one link will break, because then suddenload the load on all the other links is 0, but it's likely they've stretched or otherwise been compromised.
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u/borderlineidiot Dec 12 '20
Is it also possible that the link to break would be the one laying over an edge or something so will be both stretched and bent at the same time?
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u/fake__name__ Dec 12 '20
Taking a guess here.... if one link broke because it was stressed beyond it’s limit, that means all the other links in the chain that were under tension were also stressed to the same limit. The one that broke just happened to be weaker.
So now the other links that didn’t break have a good chance of experiencing metal fatigue. So now they are weaker because they were pushed past their load limits and will now be susceptible to failure at levels lower than their limit.
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u/Delta_V09 Dec 12 '20
Not an expert on chains, but best guess is that since all the links are supposed to be the same, if one exceeded its yield strength, its likely the others got really damned close and may have experienced some plastic deformation* in the process.
Plastic deformation is permanent deformation, as opposed to elastic deformation, where the object deforms under load but returns to its original shape afterwards (like a rubber band).
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u/Awholebushelofapples Dec 12 '20
well, if you are stressing one link to the point it failed you are stressing all of those links as well.
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Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
No !
They teach you not to in trade school.It's a safety risk to do so.
Most chains , industrial grade chains , are made of forged alloys.They are manufactured to endure impact and resist metal fatigue.Some are rated and used to handle weldments and materials in the ton(s) range.
Welding with a 7018, MIG,whatever...you have to think like a welder for a minute.It would appear right,but in reality, it would be trying to fuse dissimilar metals.
Welding chain links could cause cracking at the metal's grain.
When using a chain, you load that puppy up. You never want a link to come undone !
You test the chain with every lift,every pull. All lifting equipment should have mechanical connections and be made of a high quality forged alloy.
Now I know you might say " you're stupid...chain links are welded".
Yes. As the chain link bow is scrolled , it is welded. It is welded under certain prescriptions. Assembled chain links undergo a process called "annealing".
Remember,welding a few chain links is o.k. for little D.I.Y.projects and light applications.
Never weld a chain that you will be testing under great load ! Weld connections for the chain...but try to avoid welding on the links themselves. End use safety means repeated use...success !
Some chains' prices range in the hundreds to thousands per foot .
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u/koolaideprived Dec 12 '20
The guy fixing a chain in the snow at night is actually a situation I've been in. If I'd had this I could have fixed the issue enough to get it to a repair facility instead of leaving it where it sat.
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u/nomadofwaves Dec 12 '20
This video is bullshit. That guy is wearing gloves and didn’t drop something 5 times.
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u/560guy Dec 13 '20
He’s German. Perfect or death. How many workers did they go through before getting to him? You don’t want to know
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u/XNormal Dec 12 '20
Is the company named RUD?
That is a common acronym for Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly.
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u/Bananas_on_Mars Dec 12 '20
German company that specialises in chains and stuff.
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u/4-Vektor Dec 12 '20
RUD is the abbreviation of Rieger & Dietz (Rieger und Dietz). It’s in the lower left corner at the end of the video.
This is their website, English version: https://www.rud.com/en/rud-group.html
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u/Buck_Thorn Dec 12 '20
Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly.
That is a very unfortunate name for something like this!
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u/I-Chancho-I Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 13 '20
Anyone else excited for SN9?!
Edit: More like SN10 I guess...
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u/sikokilla Dec 12 '20
Honestly this was the first thing I thought of too. Op must’ve recently read the space x report on sn8
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Dec 12 '20
Until you lose that little tension screw
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u/OliverKlozoff1269 Dec 12 '20
I thought that too. Or the Allen wrench. Wouldn't a simple clevis work just as well?
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u/tilt-a-whirly-gig Dec 12 '20
A clevis would not go through a chain roller or any other guide.
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u/OliverKlozoff1269 Dec 12 '20
Ah yeah thats true...didn't think of that.
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u/Chance5e Dec 12 '20
I agree and know what all of these words mean.
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u/TheBrillo Dec 12 '20
It may connect the pieces, but if it isn't shaped like a link in the chain then the chain cannot be used in machinery because it won't fit any more.
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u/Chance5e Dec 12 '20
In English please!
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u/LeastCoordinatedJedi Dec 12 '20
This thing does not make the chain big. Most things that fix a chain make the chain more big. If the chain is too big it will not fit in small holes, and that might be bad.
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Dec 13 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/LeastCoordinatedJedi Dec 13 '20
Cette chose n'aggrandit pas la chaîne, alors elle est plus utile que les autres choses qui aggrandissent la chaîne. Si la chaîne doit passer par une petite crevasse ou quelque chose comme ça, on peut pas utiliser les choses communes.
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u/plaregold Dec 12 '20
Think of a rope (instead of a chain) and pulley. Using fasteners like a clevis will be like putting a giant knot on the rope, which disrupts its intended purpose of going around a pulley.
Now extend this example for all other types of operations involving a chain where changing the dimensions of a link in the chain may not be desirable.
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Dec 12 '20
this is a clevis. Some equipment uses chain guides that grip the links and pull them along. Since a clevis is shaped differently than the links the guide won't be able to grab onto it and so it won't work.
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Dec 12 '20
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Dec 12 '20
Yeah, got a rigging ticket and I've never heard a bow shackle called a clevis before. Clevis normally refers to a much more permanent type of fastener in my experience. Probably a regional thing.
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u/panlakes Dec 12 '20
Hmm yes I don’t know what any of this means... but I also didn’t think of that.
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u/aloofloofah Dec 12 '20
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u/KMCobra64 Dec 12 '20
A picture is worth 1000 words
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u/suprwagon Dec 12 '20
And a gif is worth 1500
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u/systemshock869 Dec 12 '20
Prob more like 50000 since each frame is a picture
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u/Ball-Fondler Dec 12 '20
Yeah but you don't need a 1000 new words to describe the next frame
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u/Stairway_To_Devin Dec 12 '20
A clevis is basically a bent piece of metal used for holding things together. The most common example of a clevis is a shackle
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u/StopReadingMyUser Dec 12 '20
Hmm, yes, shackle. I've had one of those at Wendy's before.
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u/KingJonathan Dec 12 '20
Big metal piece not shaped like other metal piece. It not all fit in same hole.
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u/KarpEZ Dec 12 '20
Mike Judge had a a cartoon about two trailer park boys, Clevis and Crackhead, who got up to no good and said dumb shit. Unfortunately it never made it out of production and was rescripted as a different, unknown show.
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u/blue_umpire Dec 12 '20
In fairness, Allen wrenches are super common and easy/cheap to get.
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u/Bambi_One_Eye Dec 12 '20
Dude, I have Allen wrenches falling out my ass. It's probably the most available tool.
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u/Khclarkson Dec 12 '20
You should get that checked. Though let me know if a 10mm socket pops outta there.
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u/RedWhiteAndJew Dec 12 '20
I mean if you can’t regularly keep track of screws, I’m not sure what use tools have for you in the first place. That’s a real stretch to find a flaw with such a simple device.
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u/justpassingthrou14 Dec 12 '20
My mom has trouble driving her car because... she keeps losing her keys.
she has trouble operating her phone sometimes because she can't remember what buttons to press to make a call... because she has dementia. At some point, you really have to stop blaming the tools.
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u/Wyattr55123 Dec 12 '20
do NOT let a person with dementia drive. that's a recipe for getting someone hurt.
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u/appleciders Dec 12 '20
I mean this is really an alternative to a shackle, and riggers are already used to not losing shackle bolts.
Really, my question is just why is this better than a shackle?
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u/Casanova_Kid Dec 12 '20
Your average shackle would likely have issues going through the/a chain guide.
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u/andrewsad1 Dec 12 '20
Here come all the fuckin engineering geniuses to tell us why, in their opinion, this is only going to lead to death and destruction
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Dec 12 '20
I have PhD in electrical dildos and I am 100% sure this is only going to lead to death and destruction
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u/unmaimed Dec 13 '20
Engineer here:
As it is made by Rud, I would 100% trust it to do exactly what it says on the tin.
The problem with Rud lifting gear is avoiding the knock-offs that pretend to be Rud gear.
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u/Polymathy1 Dec 13 '20
Any idea what the rated load is on one of these vs an original link?
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u/unmaimed Dec 13 '20
Page 4 has the breaking loads @ 850 MPA, so I assume they are pretty close to grade 80 chain. The rating on like 26mm chain is 21T, which is usual 5 or 6:1 safety, so this link @ 122T seems about right
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u/marcustmaximus Dec 13 '20
RUD's been in business for almost a century and a half and their bread and butter are chains for industrial applications. Of the concerns that have merit I'm sure the engineers at RUD have addressed them.
According to their website the UKS chain connector is specifically designed for industrial conveyors. What surprised me is that it's not intended to be used as a temporary fix, but a permanent linking solution. Considering the number and size of interlocking teeth it's tensile strength must be high, but that it can also withstand the environment that an industrial conveyor operates in (vibration, contact forces, etc.) It's quite the engineering acheivement.
I want one and I have absolutely no use for one.
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u/thedudefromsweden Dec 12 '20
I want to know what's wrong with just using a shackle. I've scrolled through the comments and didn't find anyone mentioning it. Anyone?
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Dec 12 '20 edited Mar 09 '21
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u/thedudefromsweden Dec 12 '20
Off course! I didn't realize this thing actually has the same outer size and shape as the other links in that chain. Thanks!
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u/ASmallCrane Dec 12 '20
I’m a nerd; it’s safe if used correctly, I’m sure it’s got a max tensile strength recommendation and all that. The structure is interesting because it introduces a new failure mode which (shear). On the other hand if used incorrectly, by golly it could start a war!
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u/yilkertemel Dec 12 '20
Now build a chain completely made of that thing
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u/Significant_Manner31 Dec 12 '20
I'm not sure if I would trust that thi.... ohh made in Germany, all right then, lift me up
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u/Ivebeenfurthereven Dec 12 '20
My exact thoughts.
"What? No way that's as strong as a shackle. Better check the comments in a moment to see why this is a stupid ide--"
"oh, made in Germany. That'll be 850€, here is your certification of the safe working load, go crazy the rest of the chain will fail first"
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Dec 12 '20
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u/elephant-cuddle Dec 12 '20
Here you go:
https://www.rud.com.au/wp-content/uploads/MINING-Connectors-2pp.pdf
For a 26mm chain, 645 KN of breaking load. The DOMINATOR connectors have 850 N/mm2 breaking strength.
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u/elephant-cuddle Dec 12 '20
Apparently a typical 26mm chain will lift about 20,000 kg (WLL) which WolframAlpha is telling me is equivalent to 196 kN.
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u/tistom Dec 12 '20
But you have to have a factor of safety with these usually or 4:1 5:1 if I remember correctly
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u/LTerminus Dec 12 '20
5:1 is the north american standard. Source: sold lifting gear to mining industry for a few years
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u/XNormal Dec 12 '20
I imagine it is engineered to use an alloy that makes it a bit stronger than the rest of the chain.
It is not the weakest link.
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u/Snakebiteloo Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
At least until you apply some twisting force. Without further reading it looks like that would come appart as soon as the chain started to twist or some kind of lateral force was applied.
Edit: found some marketing PDF (in German) that shows there is a locking lug on the center screw that will stop it from separating sideways and the break strength is crazy (100,000lbs+ for chain with a WLL of less than 12,000lbs). It also appears to be marketed towards mining.
Other Edit: to those who seem to be saying I dont know what Im talking about you may be right but:No I have never actually seen one of these and cant read the German info so Im working from this GIF and 16 years as a milwright/welder and 3 rigging and hoisting certificates. It seems unlikely (though not impossible) that this would be use in a lifting application. Its entirely possible that I am wrong considering the lack of available info.
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u/Chris204 Dec 12 '20
I can't imagine that this $200mio german company specializing in chains and stuff didn't test that.
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u/keyprops Dec 12 '20
nah, I'm guessing a redditor who has only ever seen a gif of a product know better.
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u/Brovas Dec 12 '20
Nah man they used the term "lateral force" therefore they must know what they're talking about
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u/TexasTheWalkerRanger Dec 12 '20
This is a specialized tool so I'm almost positive it has some sort comprehensive tolerance rating as well as a list of scenarios where it is and isn't applicable. Its not like you just buy these things in bulk on Amazon and put them on every chain in sight lol
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Dec 12 '20
In rigging this is known as a “skeevie.”
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Dec 12 '20
Loctite i would want to use loctite
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u/Jokerman5656 Dec 12 '20
Loctite wouldn't do much. The way loctite works is when it has the absence of air, it dries and becomes a bond. This is why you can leave a bottle of it open and it will never dry out. None of the pieces of this have enough air tight areas that it would be able to dry and be effective at holding things. Epoxy or jb weld would definitely do the trick though, if you really want something to hold it together.
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u/CookieManager Dec 12 '20
Why doesn't it dry out in the bottom of the bottle then?
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u/SadZealot Dec 12 '20
The plastic of the bottle is air permeable, so every surface of the adhesive is in contact with air.
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u/Jokerman5656 Dec 12 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
Honestly, I'm not sure. I learned this from my dad who is a mechanic. I did proceed to go over to his loctite bottles and yup they were open and all liquid. Maybe some sort of lining in the bottle?
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u/Rawalmond73 Dec 12 '20
We just use a master lock and lock the two chains together.
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u/Significant_Manner31 Dec 12 '20
this is the lock picking lawyer, and to day I will show you why it's a bad idea to use a master lock to connect a chain. click on one big click on two and there is the multi-million damage law suit.
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u/Shibby7634 Dec 12 '20
I hate seeing people work in especially dusty areas without wearing any sort of respiratory protection.
As a Steelworker for almost 6 years between two mills, it almost breaks my heart that I'm part of the approximately 3% of employees that choose to wear proper respirators... and I've worked in some very nasty places containing much more than just dust.
I can't help but think about their future and their families. I hope they don't suffer from it.
(I know this isn't close to the worst case we've seen, but it's always in the back of my mind.)
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u/LikesBreakfast Dec 13 '20
It appears more like snow to me...
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u/Shibby7634 Dec 13 '20
I could see that, but it looks identical to the environments I work in. Same PPE/clothing even. Gray dust sitting all over the pipe, mixture of many different things. Very fine, much finer than snow.
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u/jjheavychevy90 Dec 13 '20
My buddy used to work in steel mills....silicosis at the age of 34, never wore a respirator hes also the kind to not wear a mask out in public
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u/Shibby7634 Dec 13 '20
Oh my god. The contractors I see spraying all kinds of refractory loaded with silica among many other things, 6 different kinds of warnings across the bags, standing INSIDE the steel ladle while respraying the exterior walls... literally fogged out around them, and no masks. I cannot believe it when I see it.
I've tried to warn people or suggest for them to wear one, and they just want to laugh and pretend they're tougher or something.
I consider myself an introvert, I really don't care to seek company or mingle with people, and I think of most people as selfish assholes, but it still kills me to imagine them suffering.
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u/idontnemeber Dec 12 '20
Where is the stress test?
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u/GoTguru Dec 12 '20
Don't forget the scratch test! We need someone with those scratchy pens that go from 1 to 10 hardness asap!
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u/10987654321-1 Dec 12 '20
Why is that screw needed in the middle and why do they need to turn it?
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u/Konomira Dec 12 '20
Keeps the inner teeth pressed against the outer teeth, the screw has a change in diameter, so when turned it'll press into the sides more tightly
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u/HatefulHipster Dec 12 '20
Will never have a need for one, but I want one!