The Meyer Steel Structures division of Thomas & Betts announces that an H-frame version of its Meyer QuickPin arm connection system is now available.
Meyer QuickPin connections are engineered to enable fast, safe and efficient arm assembly. They require less installation time than traditional bolted arm connections, and reduce or eliminate the need for connection inspections. The pins are secured using either a single locking nut, clevis and cotter pins, or an L-Rod arrangement that locks multiple pins at once for even faster arm assembly. Because the QuickPin connection pins have a tapered end, the connection is more easily forced into alignment. Blunt bolted connections, on the other hand, require more adjustment and force to achieve connection alignment. The QuickPin design presents a safer alternative to tightening traditional bolted connections using torque multipliers and “cheater bars.”
H-frame arms are an ideal application for the QuickPin because they have to be installed high in the air and the slightest variance in structure canting can cause considerable offset of the arm and saddle holes. The tapered end of the Meyer QuickPin brings the connection into alignment as it is driven into place. Bolted connections require more time and force to achieve alignment, often damaging the threads in the process and requiring additional hand tools to secure the connection. Fewer personnel are required for QuickPin connections, and fewer hand tools are needed for installation promoting a safer workplace.
When tested against bolted connections, the Meyer QuickPin system used 40% less hardware, and the project was completed by a smaller crew in half the time, yielding a 70% savings in labor costs. The shorter construction schedule allowed the line to be energized sooner, accelerating the return on investment.
Tests by the National Electric Energy Testing Research and Applications Center have confirmed that QuickPin connections perform identically to bolted connections in vibration, noise and wear.
Thomas & Betts
www.meyersteelstructures.com
