Hand cranks VH571 black

On a machine next to a walkway a crank handle that sticks out is both a coat hook and a risk. Hand crank VH571 is built for exactly that problem: the handle folds, so after the adjustment it is folded in against the crank arm and nothing stands out that could catch on clothing, be hit by passing goods or be operated by mistake. The crank drives spindles, adjusting screws and feed shafts just like a fixed crank; the difference shows only when you let go of it.

In other respects VH571 shares its design with the fixed sister model VH57. The crank body is molded in glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic with a matte black surface, the handle turns and rotates freely around its axis, the fasteners are in zinc plated steel and the predrilled hole is covered by a cap in light gray thermoplastic. The difference is in the folding function; that is the whole point of the model.

The series comes in three crank sizes with the dimension E at 110, 140 and 185 mm. The hub hole is threaded M10 on the 110 size, which also comes with a plain 10 mm hole, while 140 and 185 are supplied with a plain 8 mm hole. The other dimensions follow the crank size, so the grip grows along with the arm. You pick the version as a variant straight on the product page, and all versions are matte black with the same folding mechanism.

Folding cranks turn up in risk assessments for a reason. Rotating parts that stick out into a traffic route are a classic pinch risk, and the simplest way to handle it is to have nothing sticking out when the crank is not in use. The same logic applies to mobile equipment: a crank that travels on a trailer or is rolled through narrow doors is best kept folded in during the move. In vehicle body building and agricultural machinery, folding cranks are close to standard on support legs and canopies, and the same thinking works just as well on stationary machines indoors. Safety walks and insurance company reviews also tend to note cranks sticking out into walkways; a folding model takes that item off the list.

The glass fiber reinforcement gives the crank arm a stiffness that unreinforced plastic does not reach; the arm does not spring noticeably under normal hand torque, and it does not creep out of shape from standing under load. At the same time the plastic keeps its usual advantages over metal cranks: it does not rust, it weighs little and it does not feel cold to grab. The matte surface gives a sure grip even with oily gloves.

The choice between a threaded and a plain hole follows the shaft end on the machine. A threaded shaft or stud takes the threaded version directly; a plain shaft calls for the plain version plus locking with a pin or a screw joint. Check the free swept area in the unfolded position as well, since it is easy to forget that a 185 mm crank sweeps a circle of twice that.

Make the folding a routine. A folding crank only protects when the handle is actually folded down after the adjustment, so it is worth putting the instruction at the operating station if several people share the machine. The movement itself takes a second; the handle folds back up to working position just as fast, so the function costs no time in daily work.

The cranks are supplied in packs of 5 pieces, the largest size in packs of 2. If you need more sizes or a fixed crank without the folding function, VH57 comes in five sizes from 65 to 185 mm.

Questions about mounting or choice of size? Contact us and we will look at it together.