THE BRUCE^Ž KT CONNECTOR
(Patented worldwide)

The BruceŽ KT Connector is a high technology product made to order only. Like standard Kenters, it is compatible with established wildcat and fairleader designs.

Conventional chain connecting links have the problem that high stress concentrations in their locking mechanism greatly reduce their fatigue life. Tests have shown that standard Kenters have average fatigue lives of between one-third and two-thirds of the fatigue life of common stud-link chain. Although this may be tolerable for merchant ships, for long term mooring it is highly desirable that the fatigue life of a chain connector be equal to that of common links of chain. This desirable feature was incorporated in the design of the BruceŽ KT Connector.

Design Summary

Like a standard Kenter, the BruceŽ KT Connector has two U-shaped half-links, each with a flange that fits into a recess in a corresponding half-link. However, in the KT Connector the recess in each half-link is sufficiently larger that the flange to allow insertion of wedges which are used to provide an internal preload comprising a compressive load in the flange and a corresponding tensile load in the material surrounding the recess. The disposition of material in the flange and around the recess is chosen so that their respective spring constants in compression and tension are approximately equal.

Since tensile stress in the material surrounding the recess is reduced by the ratio of its spring constant in tension to the sum of its spring constant in tension and that of the flange in compression, the cyclic tensile stress in the material around the recesses is halved for cyclic tensile loads in the connector of less than the static compressive preload in the flanges. Appropriate wedge design therefore allows the fatigue life of the locking mechanism to be increased sufficiently to enable the KT Connector to have a fatigue life equal to that of chain.

Dimensional Data