Product category:
Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware
News Release from: Protex Fasteners | Subject: Overcentre fasteners
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 16 May 2000
Catchbolt helps Audi at Le Mans
Protex Catchbolt helps new entrant Audi Sport to excel in the Le Mans 24-hour race As a newcomer to the Le Mans 24-Hour Race.
As a newcomer to the Le Mans 24-Hour Race, Audi achieved impressive results last year (1999) with a third and fourth place With no more than half of the 46 entrants to the gruelling, almost 5000 km, endurance race finishing, Audi's performance was a tribute to both the drivers and the speed and reliability of the cars
The Audi line-up consisted of two open-cockpit Audi R8R's, entered by Audi Sport Team Joest of Germany, and two enclosed Audi R8C's designed and built by Racing Technology Norfolk of Hingham, Norfolk, and entered by Buckingham-based Audi Sport UK.
If competing against seasoned competitors with some of the most heavyweight manufacturer support in the history of the Race wasn't enough, Audi also had to comply with tougher rules and regulations imposed by the race organisers.
Amongst the regulations was the requirement that all external latches and fastenings controlling access to the cars should be operable by hand, with no necessity for a tool or implement such as screwdriver or coin.
Naturally the fasteners would also be expected to offer the strength and quick-action qualities required in a racing application.
To meet the regulations, Audi's designers specified Protex Catchbolts to secure the nose, tail and mid-body composite panels.
The Catchbolt is an exclusive patented product of Protex Fasteners Ltd of Redditch, UK, which manufactures and sell direct a large standard range of overcentre fasteners.
This independent company makes such quick-action fastening devices in either stainless or zinc-plated mild steel.
100mm long X 45mm wide X 18mm deep, the unique Protex Catchbolt fastener gives a closing force combined with rigidity in all three planes.
This avoids the hingeing action common to all other overcentre fasteners which, since they apply a load along one axis only, are unsuited to securing bonnets, covers, doors, flaps, hatches or panels.
The initial closing action of the Protex Catchbolt pulls its mating keeper in towards the main body.
Continued operation of the lever pushes a spring-loaded bolt of square section under the keeper and, since the bolt has a tapered nose, a positive "clamp-down" is achieved against the rubber seal it compresses.
This enables the fastener to hold rigidly in three planes, thus eliminating the need for location dowels and allowing compound curved panels on the cars to be secured simply and easily.
Protex manufacture a variety of different models of the Catchbolt in mild or stainless steel.
Facilities can include pin sealing, padlock, a spring-loaded safety catch and (for flush fitting or when you need to spread the loading) a split, recessed dish.
The mating catchplate can also be supplied as a right-angled mounting bracket (allowing the anchoring of two different planes for later quick disconnection).
Audi specified the stainless steel version with safety catch (model 89-1090/SS), which they mounted in neatly moulded recesses designed into the body panels.
In stainless, the Protex Catchbolt device has a breaking strength of 600 kgf (5.88 KN) along the longitudinal and lateral axes, 900 kgf (8.82 KN) in the vertical axis.
Accordingly, Protex Catchbolts(R) easily meet the severe structural and aerodynamic loads encountered in endurance racing.
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