Two-spoke handwheels VH52 black

VH52 is a 2-spoke handwheel in glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic for manual actuators: spindles, feed screws, valves and adjusting devices where the operator needs a steady grip and clear control over the rotation. The two spokes give the hands natural holds during fine adjustment, and on the rim sits a turning, rotating handle that lets you crank quickly over longer adjustment distances without moving your grip.

The two spoke shape weighs less than a full rim handwheel of the same diameter and at the same time gives a free view in toward the scale or the spindle; you see what you are setting while you turn. The rim is smooth all the way around, so the hand can slide along it during coarse setting before the handle takes over the cranking.

The glass fiber reinforcement is what separates this series from simpler handwheels in plain thermoplastic. The fiber gives the material higher stiffness and better dimensional stability, so the wheel holds its shape even under hard hand force and in environments where the temperature swings. The surface is matte; it gives a safer grip with gloves and hides scratches and fingerprints better than glossy surfaces. The fasteners are in zinc plated steel, and the hub has a pilot hole that is covered by a cap in light gray thermoplastic so the shaft mounting is hidden and the front stays clean. The cap can be lifted off if you need to reach the mounting during service.

The series covers six diameters: 80, 100, 130, 160, 200 and 250 mm. The hub height grows with the diameter, from 35 mm on the smallest wheel to 70 mm on the largest, and the pilot hole lies between 18 and 30 mm depending on size. The full dimensional drawing with hub, hole and handle measurements is in the data sheet. The hole is easily machined to its final fit; thermoplastic is drilled and reamed with ordinary tools, so the mounting can be matched exactly to your shaft.

The choice of diameter is basically about torque. A larger wheel gives a longer lever and more torque with the same hand force: 80 and 100 mm suit small valves and free running adjusting screws, 130 and 160 mm are classic sizes on workshop machines and fixtures, while 200 and 250 mm belong where the thread is coarse or the resistance is high. Weigh in the space around the wheel as well; the rotating handle comes into its own only when the full turn is clear.

In Swedish workshop industry this type of handwheel sits on format settings in packaging lines, on stops and end stops in fixtures, on adjusting spindles in press tools and on hand operated valves in the process industry. We also see them on jigs at subcontractors and on height adjustable tables in assembly. The rotating handle does the most good where the operator resets often; on a machine that is rigged several times per shift it saves both time and wrists.

The thermoplastic takes a workshop environment with oil, grease and cleaning agents without swelling or cracking, and the black color sits in the body so minor scratches barely show. The handwheels are delivered 5 per pack in the sizes 80 to 130 mm and 2 per pack from 160 mm and up. When needed the wheel is wiped clean with ordinary degreaser without the surface turning glossy or slippery. If the handle also has to fold in, the sister model VH521 is in the shop.

Not sure which diameter gives the right torque for your application? Get in touch and we will sort it out together.