Adjustable locking levers LS514 stem black

With a threaded stud in zinc plated steel the LS514 clamping lever is screwed straight into a threaded hole in the machine part; this is the stud version of the adjustable clamping lever in the series. The handle is lifted, turned to a free position and let down again, at which point the toothed ring takes a fresh grip and the lever locks at the chosen angle. You can therefore always park the lever where it is not in the way, without the tightening of the joint changing in the slightest.

The lever body is in glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic with a matte black surface and the toothed ring is in plastic, exactly as in the bushing version. The difference is in the mount: instead of a threaded hole the lever has an external threaded stud that makes it the screw in the joint. That suits designs where the material already has a threaded hole, for example a machine table with threaded fixture holes or a clamping block with a through thread.

Eleven versions cover the lever lengths 43, 52, 65, 80 and 94 mm with threads from M4 to M10 and stud lengths from 10 to 60 mm. The long 60 mm stud in M10 reaches through thick table tops and spacers, while the short 10 mm studs in M4 to M6 suit thinner material and precision mechanics. You pick the combination as a variant on the product page; the whole range sits under the same item.

The stud length is the most important choice in the series. Work out the thickness of the material plus the thread engagement you want and then pick the nearest length upward, but check at the same time that the stud does not bottom out in a blind hole before the lever has had time to clamp. A stud that bottoms out gives a joint that feels tight without clamping anything at all; that is a classic assembly mistake and easy to avoid with the right length.

In a workshop the stud levers sit on clamps and clamping blocks, on adjustable stops in welding fixtures, on angle adjustments for sensors and cameras in automation lines and on machine guards that have to open quickly. What the applications have in common is that the operator clamps and releases by hand, often with gloves, and that the lever has to be able to be turned aside after tightening so it does not block movements or cleaning.

The zinc plating on the stud gives basic corrosion protection for a dry indoor environment, which is plenty in most workshops. In wash down areas, outdoor use or chemical exposure you should instead check the surface treatment against the manufacturer's data sheet before you choose the series, and then you avoid surprises in the form of rust streaks on the fixture.

Choose the lever length by the hand torque the operator needs to be able to apply; the leverage does the whole job. A 43 mm lever on an M10 joint becomes heavy to tighten properly, while a 94 mm lever on M4 mostly invites overtightening. The combinations in the series are set to avoid both traps. Full dimensions for each version are in the data sheet, and the levers are supplied in packs of 50 or 100 pieces depending on size.

The levers are also used a great deal in training and laboratory settings, where equipment is rigged and re-rigged constantly and tool free joints save time every time. The same logic goes for exhibition stands and demonstration equipment that is packed up and down; a threaded stud with a lever is faster than a hex screw at every step. And since the toothed ring lets the lever be parked flat against the material, the equipment can also be packed more tightly, without handles sticking out and breaking off in transit.

Questions about thread choice or stud length? Contact us and we will help you find the right version.