A turnbuckle is a metal device used to adjust tension without twisting ropes or cables. It consists of a rectangular body with screw holes and two threaded inserts. Turnbuckles are used in various applications, including construction, watercraft, and aircraft. They should be selected based on the strength of the wire or rope they are attached to. Improper use can cause injury, and buckled turnbuckles should not be reshaped with heat. Turnbuckles are also used in boxing and professional wrestling rings to attach ropes to corner posts.
A turnbuckle is a three-piece metal hitch device designed to gradually increase or decrease tension without twisting the ropes or cables to which it is attached. It consists of a rectangular or oblong body with screw holes threaded in opposite directions at either end, and two threaded inserts. Threaded inserts usually have an eye or hook on the non-threaded end. When the inserts are threaded into the body and turned in one direction, the screws are pushed out of the body, relieving tension. When the body is turned in the opposite direction, the screws are pulled towards the center, increasing the tension. In fact, the name itself is very descriptive of its function: a turnbuckle is a buckle that turns.
Turnbuckle bodies can range in size from approximately two inches (five cm) to over 12 inches (30.5 cm) in length. The threaded inserts that screw into the body are just under half the length of the body. Thus, a tensioner assembly, when installed as a component of a length of rope or cable, can shorten it by nearly the length of the tensioner body. Turnbuckles are very effective because the process of shortening or lengthening, which directly affects tension, can be done in extremely fine increments.
Turnbuckles are used in a wide variety of applications. In residential construction and refurbishment, for example, turnbuckles are used in suspended ceilings to fine-tune the suspension setting and on screen doors to prevent sagging or sagging. Turnbuckles are also used extensively in personal watercraft and aircraft to adjust the lengths and tensions of rope and cable rigging and lines. In all applications, turnbuckles should be selected to be at least as strong as the wire or rope to which they are attached.
Turnbuckles are built primarily to regulate tension and can pose a threat of injury if used improperly. Before removing a turnbuckle from a cable or rope, you must completely release the tension, by slackening the rope or cables to which it is attached. Otherwise, the sudden release of tension could cause the wire or rope to shake. Also, turnbuckles that have buckled due to the pressure and tension they have been subjected to should never be reshaped by applying heat, as this will reduce the strength of the turnbuckle.
One of the best known uses of turnbuckles is in boxing and professional wrestling rings. These turnbuckles are relatively large, with leotards about 12 inches (30.5cm) long and inserts about six inches each. They attach the ropes that define the “ring” to the four corner posts. For safety, the entire setup is covered in sturdy canvas or vinyl, so the tensioner itself is generally not visible. However, media reporters will often refer to it when describing a match because it is an integral part of the contest. Turnbuckles used in athletic applications must be very strong because they withstand a great deal of pressure and stress during the course of competition, especially in professional wrestling rings where wrestlers frequently climb to the top of the turnbuckle stack.
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