Bow handle BH14 black

Bow handle BH14 is an injection molded handle in thermoplastic with a matte black surface, made by a Swedish supplier of machine elements. The type is the classic bow that sits on machine doors, electrical cabinets, fixtures and pull out units in the workshop industry; the grip is straight, the distance to the surface generous and the shape free from sharp edges. Handles of this kind are used where a person is going to pull, lift or hold back many times a day, and then the difference between a well thought out grip and a folded sheet metal edge shows quickly.

The mounting is done in threaded holes with molded in brass threaded inserts; the handle is fitted from behind with a machine screw through the panel, without visible screw heads on the grip side. The brass thread takes repeated removal without wearing, which sets it apart from a thread cut directly in the plastic.

The series comes in five sizes with a center distance from 93 to 235 mm, and the thread is M6 or M8 depending on the size. The height above the surface lies between 37 and 53 mm, which decides how much room the hand gets under the bow. You pick the size as a variant on the product page; all dimensions with the manufacturer's designations are in the data sheet, so you can check the hole pattern and the screw size against your design before you order.

Thermoplastic as a handle material has a few concrete advantages over metal. The handle does not feel cold to hold, it does not conduct current and it does not rattle against sheet metal. The material takes oils and ordinary cleaning agents, and the matte surface hides fingerprints and minor scratches that show immediately on glossy or painted metal handles. It does not weigh much either, which matters on doors with gas struts and light panels where every extra gram affects the balance.

Typical applications: doors and inspection hatches on machine guards, lids for conveyor covers, pull out drawers in assembly stations, test fixtures that are moved between benches and sliding doors the operator opens many times per shift. In new designs it is worth staying with one and the same handle series throughout; it gives a uniform impression and means the store room only has to keep one screw size per size of handle.

The size is governed by the use. A handle with a short center distance is enough for a light inspection hatch opened with two fingers, while a heavy pull out unit or a door with a sealing strip needs a longer grip where the whole hand fits. The glove requirement is often forgotten at the drawing board; an operator with winter gloves or cut resistant gloves needs a couple of centimeters more free space than a bare hand grip.

Should a grip be damaged, the whole handle is replaced in a few minutes without the panel having to be reworked; so keep a couple of spares in the store room for machines running in daily production. A cracked or sticky handle is the kind of detail that drags down the impression of an otherwise well kept machine, and the replacement costs hardly any time or money.

A couple of practical pieces of advice along the way. Pick the center distance by where the hand works rather than by the size of the door; a handle placed where the hand naturally lands cuts the risk of the operator pulling at the edge of the door instead. Check the material thickness in the panel the handle is going on as well, so the screw length is right from the start. The handles are delivered in packs of 25 pieces, which suits machine builders who come back to the same model project after project.

Do you want to check the hole pattern or the screw size against your design? Get in touch.