Chapter 6 — Slings and Sling Hitches 79
An endless sling, also called a grommet sling, is a sling formed by attaching the ends of a sling body together to form a continuous loop. These types of slings can be made from chain or synthetic fiber materials.
End Fitting Examples
Sling Configurations
EYE-AND-EYE
ENDLESS Lift-All Company, Inc.
Figure 6-2. Sling configurations are broadly categorized as either eye-and-eye or endless.
Various types of end fittings are used with slings to make them more suitable for specific tasks, such as thimbles, rings, or hooks. See Figure 6-3. These can be included on either eye-and-eye or endless slings. Some are permanently attached when the sling is manufactured, and some can be added by the rigger. However, the size of a sling eye affects its suitability for use with other hardware. A sling eye must not be opened too widely, even if it can be fitted onto hardware, because it strains the eye construction. See Figure 6-4. Synthetic web sling eyes must not be put around objects that are wider than one-third the length of the eye. For wire rope slings, the limit is one-half the length of the eye and not less than the diameter of the wire rope.
Lift-All Company, Inc.
Figure 6-3. A wide variety of end fittings are available for slings. Most types are D-shaped rings and various hooks.
Limits of Sling Eye Openings SYNTHETIC WEB SLING
WIRE ROPE SLING
Sling Rated Loads Rigging components, such as hardware and slings, are rated by the amount of force they can safely tolerate. The rated load is the maximum tension that a rigging component may be subjected to while maintaining an appropriate margin of safety. This is also commonly called the load rating, rated capacity, or working load limit. The rated load of a component is different from its breaking strength.
LARGER THAN ¹⁄₃ EYE LENGTH
LARGER THAN ¹⁄₂ EYE LENGTH
SMALLER THAN ROPE DIAMETER
Figure 6-4. The size of a sling eye determines the range of component sizes that may be safely attached to it.