Hand levers and tension levers
Adjustable levers are clamping components that offer a ratcheting feature that is especially useful in tight spaces. Their design also allows for easier visual adjustment to specific positions, and their ergonomic shape makes them user-friendly. They are ideal for situations where more torque is required than can be achieved with a simple knob.
Hand levers and tension levers, also called clamping levers, are standard parts for tensioning and clamping components on machines, devices, and mechanisms of all kinds. They consist of a handle and a threaded insert, which can be designed with male or female thread. Hand levers replace commonly used clamping screws such as wing screws or star knobs.
There are both fixed and adjustable designs. While the handle and threaded insert form a single unit on fixed tension levers, adjustable hand levers have a threaded insert that is connected to the handle by a releasable serration lock. Adjustable hand levers are ideal whenever parts have to be clamped in a confined space or in a particular lever position.
Functioning of adjustable hand levers
On adjustable hand levers, the threaded insert is connected to the handle by a releasable serration lock. When the handle is pulled up, the serrations and the lever can be moved to the best clamping position. After being released, the hand lever latches automatically back into place thanks to an integrated spring.
Applications for hand levers
The many applications include machine and plant construction, food processing equipment, medical technology, sports equipment, and physical rehabilitation equipment.
- Machine and plant construction: Wherever the position of components must be changed quickly by hand, hand levers or clamping levers are a useful standard part. For special requirements, such as controlling mechanical functions on a machine, gear levers and control levers are also available.
- Food processing equipment and medical technology (hygienic and sanitary areas): For the challenging areas of food processing equipment, medical technology and the pharmaceutical industry, Winco developed special hand levers in “hygienic design”. These DGUV-tested hand levers are made of easy-to-clean material with a very plain surface and can be fastened without dead space.
- Other applications: A hand lever is generally the perfect solution wherever frequent manual adjustment and clamping are required. The applications are extremely diverse: Stage equipment, film production, photo studios, and sports equipment are just a small selection of possible uses for these practical and reasonably priced standard parts.
- Special requirements for increased safety: Safety tension levers can only be released when the lever hub is pressed down. This effectively prevents accidental operation and unintended releasing of the tension lever.
Hand levers from Winco
Winco offers hand levers in a wide range of designs and materials. The handles are made of coated zinc die casting, plastic or precision cast stainless steel, and the threaded inserts are available in blackened or zinc-plated steel as well as stainless steel. The hand levers are available in inch and metric sizes. Custom designs are also possible.
Hand levers and tension levers are also referred to as:
adjustable handles, adjustable levers, adjustable hand levers, lever handles, clamping levers, adjustable clamping levers, adjustable tension levers, clamp levers, ratchet handles, ratcheting handles, kipp levers, kipp handles, ratcheting levers, spring loaded adjustable levers, and spring loaded levers
