Chain Connector — Grade 80 and Grade 100 Connecting Link

Chain Connector — Grade 80 and Grade 100

The drop-forged, heat-treated connecting link that joins a length of chain to a hook, a master link, or another length of chain. Two halves close over a load-bearing pin and lock together on interlocking lugs, so the joint is the same shape and roughly the same reach as the chain link it replaces. Nine sizes, 6 mm to 32 mm — 7/32″ to 1-1/4″ chain.

Also sold as a connecting link, coupling link, or hammerlock-style connector.

Both grades are stocked. Grade 100 is the same fitting in better steel — about 25% more load at the same size — and many makers forge one body and rate it Grade 100, so a Grade 100 connector is commonly supplied for use on Grade 80 chain. Which grade you get depends on the size; tell us the size and we will tell you what is on the shelf.

Pick the size below by the chain it has to fit. Grade is confirmed when we quote.

Sold as hardware. No test certificates, and not for overhead lifting.

What the markings mean

Connecting links are marked size-grade, which reads like a part number and is not one:

• 6-8 — fits 6 mm chain, Grade 8. The trailing 8 is the grade, not a dash number.
• 18/20-8 — one link covering both 18 mm and 20 mm chain, Grade 8.
• 7/8-10 — fits 7 mm and 8 mm chain, Grade 10. In North American sizing 1/4″ alloy chain is 7 mm nominal and 5/16″ is 8 mm, so one link covers both trade sizes.
• G-100 — Grade 100. An international grade, not a brand: Grade 10 in European numbering, Grade 100 in North American. Grade 100 carries about 25% more load than Grade 80 at the same size.

The chain grades guide works through the whole ladder, from Grade 30 proof coil to Grade 120.

Sizes

Part No.	Marked	Fits chain		Catalogue WLL		Dimensions, inches				Weight each
		mm	inch	kg	lb	E	A	C	G
091-1099	6-8	6	7/32″	1,120	2,470	1-3/4″	2-5/16″	1-9/16″	5/8″	0.26 lb
091-1106	8-8	8	5/16″	2,000	4,400	2-1/16″	2-3/4″	1-25/32″	11/16″	0.42 lb
091-1115	10-8	10	3/8″	3,200	7,000	2-3/4″	3-9/16″	2-1/4″	7/8″	0.68 lb
091-1124	13-8	13	1/2″	5,000	11,000	3-1/2″	4-5/8″	2-25/32″	1″	1.32 lb
091-1133	16-8	16	5/8″	8,000	17,600	4″	5-5/16″	3-7/16″	1-1/4″	2.09 lb
091-1142	18/20-8	18/20	3/4″	12,500	27,500	4-3/8″	6-1/8″	4″	1-1/2″	3.52 lb
091-1151	22-8	22	7/8″	15,000	33,000	5-3/16″	7-3/16″	4-7/16″	1-3/4″	5.06 lb
091-1160	26-8	26	1″	20,000	44,000	5-7/8″	8-1/16″	4-15/16″	2″	7.37 lb
091-1179	32-8	32	1-1/4″	32,000	70,500	6-5/8″	9-1/4″	5-3/4″	2-7/16″	11.66 lb

Dimensions E, A, C and G are lettered on the drawing above. The working load limits are the catalogue's Grade 80 figures; a Grade 100 connector of the same size carries about 25% more. All of it is transcribed from the Keating catalogue page and describes the pattern, not a test result for any particular link.

The pattern

Construction	Drop forged, heat treated. Two halves, integrally forged load pin, interlocking lugs to distribute the load
Grade	Grade 80 (Grade 8) and Grade 100 (Grade 10), both stocked. The size table above carries the catalogue's Grade 80 figures; ask for the Grade 100 load figures in your size
Catalogue reference	W. J. Keating Limited, page 82 — Grade 80 Chain Accessories, part series 091-1080
Standards the pattern follows	EN 1677-1 and EN 1677-4 (components for slings, Grade 8); ASTM A952/A952M (forged Grade 80 and Grade 100 lifting components and welded links); DIN 5688-3 in the older German numbering. Chain itself: EN 818-2, ASTM A391
Country of origin	China
Certificates	None. This is a hardware item

Ordering

Matched to the chain, not sold by the pail. Tell us the chain size — or send a photo of the marking and we will read it for you — and we will confirm the grade, what is on the shelf and what has to come in.

The awkward sizes are the point: 18/20 mm, 26 mm and 32 mm are where general suppliers stop, and they are in the range above.