Insulating link

Variants of insulating links are also made for specific use in antenna guy wires, and foundry and munitions applications.

The dangers of working near overhead power lines, which have no insulation covering their wires, first became apparent with the electrification of Western countries in the first half of the twentieth century.

As early as 1931[1] there was a patent for an insulator that could be affixed to a crane’s wire rope or chain in order to prevent electrocution.

Such early designs, however, proved unreliable because of their inability to operate safely in all construction crane environments.

However, this requirement was lifted in the 1980s after an investigation found that lethal levels of electric current could pass through the insulating links in use at that time due to environmental contamination.

Figure 2. Contamination on insulating link
Figure 3. Heartbeat fibrillation
Figure 4. An insulating link being used on a crane
Figure 5. Federal requirements for using an insulating link