Product category:
Machine Safety Components
News Release from: Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley Guardmaster ) | Subject: Prosafe mechanical interlocks
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 26 February 2003
Bolt interlocks are robust mechanical
safeguards
Guardmaster Prosafe has added robust, single- and dual-bolt mechanical interlocks to its Prosafe interlocking range.
Guardmaster Prosafe has added robust, single- and dual-bolt mechanical interlocks to its Prosafe interlocking range The bolt interlocks are manufactured entirely from weatherproof 316 stainless steel and have a unique antitamper design, which makes them the most practicable method of locking on, or off, host electrical equipment such as large isolators and grounding units
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 17 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Safety switches preserve productivity
The SensaGuard will shut down a machine if a failure occurs before there is a demand on the safety device, which improves machine operator safety.
Safety interlock switch adds escape release
Improved safety provision for machine operators is provided by Allen-Bradley Guardmaster's introduction of a new escape release facility for its TLS-GD2 safety interlock switch.
The interlocks also provide high levels of safeguarding on sliding gates, hatches and enclosures, where part or full body access is required.
The Prosafe single- and dual-bolt interlocks offer the major advantage that there is no need to run electrical power to the guard door on which they are mounted.
Instead, power is disconnected by a trapped key on a control panel, or by a Prosafe RKS (rotary key switch) type unit, and the key is then hand-carried to the guard or gate by the operator.
Further reading
New safety standard has risk reduction benefits
The familiar EN954-1 "Safety of machinery: safety related parts of control systems", is the latest standard to come under the spotlight.
Ease of use is paramount in machine guarding
A safety system that is difficult to use is more liable to be removed or bypassed, and so difficult machine guarding problems require special consideration.
Robust in design and operation, the bolt interlocks have unique, replaceable stainless steel coded barrels (tested to 100,000 operations) to satisfy even the most complicated of interlocking systems.
The interlocks are protected by weatherproof dustproof caps and offer extremely reliable operation via their direct drive, push/pull positive operating mechanism.
In common with all units in Guardmaster's Prosafe range, the interlocks are CE marked, fully tested and conform to standards EN292, EN1088 and GS ET 19 154.
Single-bolt interlocks in the range are used to lock on, or off, host electrical equipment such as large isolators or grounding units, and as an interlock on sliding gates or hatches where part body access, only, is required.
In these applications the key, after it has been turned to release the guard-locking unit, remains trapped, and cannot be removed until the guard is closed and locked again.
As a result, it is impossible to open the guard without first isolating the power source, and it is also impossible to switch on power to the machine without closing and locking the guard.
The dual-key bolt interlock is similar to the single key version but has a secondary key to allow 'two key in' or 'key exchange' conditions.
The key exchange version may be used where whole body access is required, as the secondary key can be used as a personnel key.
Further details of the new complete Prosafe interlocks range are contained within the new Guardmaster catalogue, which is also available on mini-CD for maximum convenience.
• Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley Guardmaster ): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
