BRITISH STANDARD BS 4942-2:

1981
ISO 1835:1980

Short link chain for

lifting purposes —
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Part 2: Specification for grade M (4)

non-calibrated chain
[ISO title: Short link chain for lifting purposes — Grade M (4),
non-calibrated, for chain slings, etc.]

UDC 621.86.065.4:672.6
 BS 4942-2:1981
Licensed Copy: :FULLNAME, : DATE, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI
This British Standard, having
been prepared under the
direction of the Mechanical
Engineering Standards
Committee, was published
under the authority of the
Executive Board and comes
into effect on
27 February 1981
© BSI 08-1999
First published October 1973
First revision February 1981
The following BSI references
relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference MEE/12
Draft for comment 78/73171 DC
ISBN 0 580 11821 5
Cooperating organizations
The Mechanical Engineering Standards Committee, under whose direction
this British Standard was prepared, consists of representatives from the
following:
Associated Offices Technical Committee*
Association of Consulting Engineers
Association of Hydraulic Equipment
Manufacturers
Association of Mining Electrical and
Mechanical Engineers
British Compressed Air Society
British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers’
Association (BEAMA)
British Gas Corporation
British Gear Manufacturers’ Association
British Internal Combustion Engine
Manufacturers’ Association
British Pump Manufacturers Association
British Steel Corporation*
British Steel Industry
British Valve Manufacturers’
Association Ltd.
Cbmpe
Chartered Institution of Building Services
Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and
Administrations
Department of Industry Mechanical
Engineering*
Department of Industry National
Engineering Laboratory*
The organizations marked with an asterisk in the above list, together with the
following, were directly represented on the Technical Committee entrusted
with the preparation of this British Standard:
British Ports Association
British Railways Board
Chain Testers Association of Great Britain
Corporation of Trinity House
Department of Industry National Physical
Laboratory
Federation of Civil Engineering
Contractors
Amendments issued since publication
Amd. No. Date of issue Comments
Department of the Environment (PSA)
Department of Trade (Marine Division)
Department of Transport
Electricity Supply Industry in England
and Wales*
Engineering Equipment
Users’ Association*
Federation of Manufacturers of
Construction Equipment and Cranes*
Health and Safety Executive*
Institution of Gas Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Plant Engineers
Institution of Production Engineers
Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
London Transport Executive
Machine Tool Industry Research
Association
Ministry of Defence*
National Coal Board*
Oil Companies Materials Association
Process Plant Association
Telecommunication Engineering and
Manufacturing Association (TEMA)
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and
Traders Limited
Federation of Wire Rope Manufacturers of
Great Britain
Machine Made Chain Manufacturers’
Association
Ministry of Aviation Supply
National Association of Drop Forgers
and Stampers
Individual Technical Experts
 BS 4942-2:1981

Contents

Page
Cooperating organizations Inside front cover
National foreword ii
1 Scope and field of application 1
2 References 1
3 Definitions 1
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4 General conditions of acceptance 1

5 Dimensions 1
6 Material and manufacture 1
7 Test requirements 2
8 Inspection 2
9 Marking 2
10 Test certificate 2
Annex Temporary additional sizes 6
Figure 1 — Material and weld tolerances 3
Figure 2 — Chain and link dimensions 4
Table 1 — Dimensions of grade M (4) non-calibrated chain 4
Table 2 — Mechanical properties 5
Table 3 — Grade M (4), non-calibrated, test requirements and
working load limits 5
Table 4 — Dimensions 6
Table 5 — Test requirements and working load limits, Grade M (4)
non-calibrated chain shown in Table 4 (temporary additional sizes) 7
Publications referred to Inside back cover

© BSI 08-1999 i
 BS 4942-2:1981

National foreword

This Part of this British Standard, published under the direction of the
Mechanical Engineering Standards Committee, forms one of a series on
lifting chain and is identical with ISO 1835 “Short link chain for lifting
purposes—Grade M (4) — Non-calibrated for chain slings etc.” published
in 1980 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
The United Kingdom has taken part in the preparation of the International
Standard through Subcommittee 1 of Technical Committee 111, Round steel link
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chains, chain wheels, lifting hooks and accessories.

This Part of this standard is a revision of BS 4942-2:1973, which was related to
ISO/R 1835:1971, although the text was not identical. The 1973 edition
of BS 4942-2 is withdrawn with publication of this revision. It is also intended
that this Part of this standard will in due course supersede BS 1663:1950 “Higher
tensile steel Grade 40 (short link and pitched or calibrated) for lifting purposes”.
Terminology and conventions. The text of the International Standard has
been approved as suitable for publication as a British Standard without
deviation. Some terminology and certain conventions are not identical with those
used in British Standards; attention is especially drawn to the following.
The comma has been used throughout as a decimal marker. In British Standards
it is current practice to use a full point on the baseline as the decimal marker.
Wherever the words “International Standard” appear referring to this standard
they should be read as “British Standard”.

Cross-references

International Standard Corresponding British Standard

ISO 388:1964 BS 4391:1972 Recommendations for metric basic sizes
for metal wire
(Technically equivalent)
ISO/R 643:1967 BS 4490:1969 Methods for the determination of
austenitic grain size of steel
(Technically equivalent)
ISO 1035-1:1969 BS 4229 Recommendations for metric sizes of ferrous
and non-ferrous bars
Part 2:1969 Ferrous bars
(Technically equivalent)
ISO 1834:198O BS 4942 Short link chain for lifting purposes
Part 1:1981 Specification for general conditions of
acceptance
(Identical)
Additional information. It will be noted that clause 9 requires a quality mark
to be applied and alternative marks are permitted i.e. “M” or “4”. Manufacturers
are recommended to adopt the mark “M” as the quality mark for this grade of
chain, in order to align with the marking of other materials and components in
this grade. The use of either “M” or “4” as the quality mark is however acceptable
for compliance with this British Standard.

ii © BSI 08-1999
 BS 4942-2:1981

A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.
Licensed Copy: :FULLNAME, : DATE, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i to iv,
pages 1 to 8, an inside back cover and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.

© BSI 08-1999 iii

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iv
blank

1 Scope and field of application
This International Standard specifies the
requirements for lifting chains, grade M (4),
non-calibrated, for use on cranes, in chain slings and
for general lifting purposes. These are electrically
welded round steel short link chains fully heat
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treated and tested and comply with the general
conditions of acceptance of ISO 1834.
The range of sizes covered by this International
Standard is from 5 to 45 mm. The annex gives a
range of temporary additional sizes 6 to 46 min.
2 References
ISO/R 388, ISO metric series for basic thicknesses of
sheet and diameters of wire.
ISO/R 643, Micrographic determination of the
austenitic grain size of steels.
ISO 1035-1, Dimensions of hot rolled steel bars —
Part 1: Round bars — Metric series1).
ISO 1834, Short link chain for lifting purposes —
General conditions of acceptance.
3 Definitions
For the purpose of this International Standard the
definitions given in ISO 1834 apply.
4 General conditions of acceptance
The chain shall comply fully with the requirements
of ISO 1834 as well as those of this International
Standard.
5 Dimensions
5.1 Size (see ISO 1834, clause 4, Definitions)
The size of chain shall be one of the sizes listed
in Table 1, column 1 corresponding to the nominal
diameter (dn) of the steel wire (ISO/R 388) or bar
(ISO 1035-1) from which the chain is made.
NOTE Control over the size of the material (bar or wire) from
which the chain is made is important but this International
Standard concerns finished chain and must assume that the
inspector may not have the opportunity of retrospective
measurement of the original material. The chain manufacturer
will realize the need for the size of this material to be kept within
accepted tolerances.
5.2 Material diameter (see ISO 1834 for
definition of material diameter and method of
measurement)
5.2.1 Tolerance on material diameter
For sizes up to 18 mm the diameter d of the material
in the finished link shall nowhere differ from the
nominal diameter by more than + 2 %, except at
the weld. –6
1)
At present at the stage of draft (Revision of ISO/R 1035-1:1969.)
© BSI 08-1999
BS 4942-2:1981
For sizes 18 mm and over, the diameter d of the
material in the finished link shall nowhere differ
from the nominal diameter by more than ± 5 %,
except at the weld.
5.2.2 Tolerances at the weld
The dimension of the steel at the weld shall nowhere
be less than the diameter d of the steel adjacent to
the weld, or exceed it by more than the following
tolerances. (See Figure 1 and Table 1.)
Type 1: 10 % of the nominal diameter in any
direction;
Type 2: 20 % of the nominal diameter in the
direction perpendicular to the plane of the link
and 20 % in other planes;
Type 3: 20 % of the nominal diameter in the
direction perpendicular to the plane of the link
and 35 % in other planes.
NOTE Type 1 eliminates functional problems such as kinking
or locking by severely limiting the weld oversize to 10 % of the
nominal diameter. Both types 2 and 3 ensure freedom from these
hazards by limiting the oversize beyond the 10 % allowed under
type 1 to certain areas of the link only (see Figure 1) thus
providing clearance where required.
5.2.3 Area affected dimensionally by welding
The area affected dimensionally by welding shall
not extend by more than 0,6 of the material to either
side of the centre of the link.
5.3 Length and width
The dimensions of the length and width of the links
shall be as specified in Table 1 and illustrated
in Figure 2.
6 Material and manufacture
6.1 Quality of material
The steel used shall be produced by the open hearth
or electric process or by oxygen blown process.
In its finished state as supplied to the chain maker,
the steel shall meet the following requirements as
determined by check analysis on the rod, wire or
finished link.
It shall be fully killed, shall possess reliable,
welding quality and when heat treated, be capable
of producing in the finished chain the mechanical
properties required by this specification.
Its content of sulphur and phosphorus shall be
restricted as follows:
Cast analysis Check analysis
Sulphur, max. 0,045 % 0,050 %
Phosphorus, max. 0,040 % 0,045 %
1
 BS 4942-2:1981

The steel shall be made in conformity with a 7.3 Static tensile test
suitable deoxidization practice to obtain an 7.3.1 Testing machine and method
austenitic grain size of 5 or finer when tested in
accordance with ISO/R 643. The testing machine and method of testing shall be
as specified in ISO 1834.
This could be accomplished, for example, by
ensuring that it contains sufficient aluminium or an 7.3.2 Tensile test
equivalent element to permit the manufacture of
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The breaking force shall be not less than that

chain stabilized against strain age embrittlement specified in Table 3, column 3, or Table 5, column 3.
during service; a minimum value of 0,02 % metallic
7.3.3 Total ultimate elongation
aluminium is given for guidance.
The total ultimate elongation as defined in
Within the above limitations it is the responsibility
of the chain maker to select steel so that the finished ISO 1834 shall be not less than 20 %.
chain, suitably heat treated, meets the mechanical
properties specified in this International Standard.
8 Inspection
6.2 Heat treatment 8.1 Provision for inspection
All chain shall be normalized or hardened and The provision for inspection shall be as specified in
tempered before being subjected to the proof force. ISO 1834.
6.3 Proof force 8.2 Acceptance
The proof force shall be as specified in Table 3, The acceptance procedure shall be as specified in
column 2 or Table 5, column 2, and shall be applied ISO 1834.
as specified in ISO 1834.
9 Marking
7 Test requirements 9.1 Quality marking
7.1 Mechanical properties and test forces The quality mark for the chain is M or 4. It shall be
The mechanical properties shall be as specified applied as specified in ISO 1834.
in Table 2, and the test forces to be applied for each 9.2 Identification marking
size are specified in Table 3 and Table 5. The identification marking shall be as specified in
7.2 Selection of samples ISO 1834.
Samples shall be selected as specified in ISO 1834. 9.3 Inspection marking
The length of the lot from which the inspector The inspection marking shall be as specified in
selects the samples shall be 200 m or lesser length. ISO 1834.

10 Test certificate
The manufacturer shall if required supply a
certificate of test and examination with every
supply of chain containing the information detailed
in ISO 1834. A typical form is given in ISO 1834,
Annex C.

2 © BSI 08-1999
 BS 4942-2:1981
Licensed Copy: :FULLNAME, : DATE, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

dn = size (nominal diameter of the material)

d = measured diameter of the material except at the weld
dw = measured diameter of the material at the weld (type 1 and 2 welded chain) or weld dimension perpendicular to the plane of the
link (type 3 welded chain)
G = dimension in other planes (type 3 welded chain)
e = length affected by welding on either side of the centre of the link
For all welds Weld tolerance:

e u 0,6 dn Type 1: d w = d + 0,10 d n

0

For dn < 18 mm, d = d n + 2 % Type 2: d w = d + 0,20 d

–6 0 n
For dn W 18 mm, d = dn ± 5 % 0,20
Type 3: d w = d + 0 dn

G = d + 0,35 d n
0
Figure 1 — Material and weld tolerances

© BSI 08-1999 3
 BS 4942-2:1981
Licensed Copy: :FULLNAME, : DATE, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

l = outside link length (4,75 dn min., 5 dn max.)

w = outside link width (3,5 dn max., except at weld)
w1 = inside link width (1,25 dn min., exept at weld)
Figure 2 — Chain and link dimensions
Table 1 — Dimensions of grade M (4) non-calibrated chain
(for symbols, see Figure 1 and Figure 2)
Dimensions in millimetres
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Minimum
Outside link
Maximum tolerance at the weld Outside link length inside link
Nominal Diameter width away
(see Figure 1) limits width away
size tolerance from weld
from weld
Type 1 Type 2 and 3 Type 3 max. min. w max. w1
dn (d – dn) (dw – d) (dw – d) (G – d) (5 dn) (4,75 dn) (3,5 dn) (1,25 dn)
5 + 0,10
– 0,30 0,5 1,0 1,75 25 24 18 6,3

6,3 + 0,13
0,63 1,26 2,2 32 30 22 7,9
– 0,38
7,1 + 0,14 0,71 1,42 2,5 36 34 25 8,9
– 0,43
8 + 0,16
– 0,48 0,8 1,6 2,8 40 38 28 10

9 + 0,18 0,9 1,8 3,15 45 43 32 11,3

– 0,54
10 + 0,20
– 0,60 1,0 2,0 3,5 50 47 35 12,5

11,2 + 0,22
1,12 2,24 3,9 56 53 39 14
– 0,67
12,5 + 0,25
– 0,75 1,25 2,5 4,4 63 59 44 15,7

14 + 0,28
1,4 2,8 4,9 70 66 49 18
– 0,84
16 + 0,32 1,6 3,2 5,6 80 76 56 20
– 0,96
18 ± 0,90 1,8 3,6 6,3 90 85 63 23
20 ± 1,0 2,0 4,0 7,0 100 95 70 25
22,4 ± 1,1 2,24 4,48 7,85 112 106 78 28
25 ± 1,25 2,5 5,0 8,75 125 119 88 32
28 ± 1,4 2,8 5,6 9,8 140 133 98 35
32 ± 1,6 3,2 6,4 11,2 160 152 112 40
36 ± 1,8 3,6 7,2 12,6 180 171 126 45
40 ± 2,0 4,0 8,0 14,0 200 190 140 50
45 ± 2,25 4,5 9,0 15,75 225 214 158 57
NOTE See annex for temporary additional sizes.

4 © BSI 08-1999
 BS 4942-2:1981

Table 2 — Mechanical properties Table 3 — Grade M (4), non-calibrated, test

Mechanical property Requirement
requirements and working load limits
Mean stress at specified (1) (2) (3) (4)
minimum breaking Nominal size Proof force Minimum Working
2F m min. 400 MPa (N/mm2) dn to which the
whole chain
breaking
force
load limit
force ------------------------
- is subjected
2
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;d n
mm kN kN t
Mean stress at proof
5 7,9 15,8 0,4
2F e 200 MPa (N/mm2)
force --------------
- 6,3 12,5 25 0,63
2
;d n
7,1 15,9 31,9 0,8
Ratio of proof force to specified 8 20,2 40,4 1,0
minimum breaking force 50 %
9 25,5 51 1,25
Specified minimum total
10 31,5 63 1,6
ultimate elongation 20 %
11,2 39,5 79 2,0
Mean stress at working load
limit 100 MPa (N/mm2) 12,5 49,1 98,2 2,5
14 63 126 3,2
NOTE 1 The stresses quoted in Table 2 are obtained by
dividing the force by the total cross-section of both sides of the 16 81 162 4,0
link i.e. they are mean stresses. The stress is in fact not uniform
and particularly at the extrados the maximum fibre stress is
18 102 204 5,0
considerably greater. 20 126 252 6,3
NOTE 2 The working load may be selected to comply with
national regulations but it must in no case exceed the load 22,4 158 316 8,0
in Table 3, column 4, or Table 5, column 4. 25 197 394 10
28 247 494 12,5
32 322 644 16
36 408 816 20
40 503 1 006 25
45 637 1 274 32

© BSI 08-1999 5
 BS 4942-2:1981

Annex Temporary additional sizes (Grade M (4) non-calibrated)

These sizes have been added as a temporary measure as an aid to chain selection until the standard sizes
(Table 1) are in general international use.
Table 4 — Dimensions
(for symbols see Figure 1 and Figure 2)
Dimensions in millimetres
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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

Nominal Diameter Maximum tolerance at the weld Outside link length Outside Minimum
size tolerance (see Figure 1) limits link width inside link
away from width away
weld from weld
dn (d – dn) Type 1 Type 2 and 3 Type 3 max. min. w max. w1
(dw – d) (dw – d) (G – d) (5 dn) (4,75 dn) (3,5 dn) (1,25 dn)
6 + 0,12 0,6 1,2 2,1 30 28 21 7,5
– 0,36
7 + 0,14 0,7 1,4 2,45 35 33 25 8,8
– 0,42
8,7
+ 0,17 0,87 1,74 3,05 44 41 30 10,9
– 0,52
9,5 + 0,19
– 0,57 0,95 1,9 3,35 48 45 33 11,9
10,3 + 0,21 1,03 2,06 3,6 52 49 36 12,9
– 0,62
11 + 0,22 1,1 2,2 3,85 55 52 39 13,8
– 0,66
12 + 0,24 1,2 2,4 4,2 60 57 42 15,0
– 0,72
13
+ 0,26 1,3 2,6 4,55 65 62 46 16,3
– 0,78
13,5 + 0,27 1,35 2,7 4,75 68 64 47 17
– 0,81
16,7 + 0,33 1,67 3,34 5,85 84 79 58 21
– 1,0
19 ± 0,95 1,9 3,8 6,65 95 90 67 24
20,6 ± 1,0 2,06 4,1 7,2 103 98 72 26
25,4 ± 1,3 2,54 5,1 8,9 127 121 89 32
30 ± 1,5 3,0 6,0 10,5 150 142 105 38
41,3 ± 2,1 4,13 8,26 14,45 207 196 145 52
46 ± 2,3 4,6 9,2 16,1 230 218 161 58
NOTE The measurements given in column 9 are made away from the weld, but type 1 welded chains customarily meet the
requirement at the weld also.

6 © BSI 08-1999
 BS 4942-2:1981

Table 5 — Test requirements and working load limits,

Grade M (4) non-calibrated chain shown in Table 4
(temporary additional sizes)
(1) (2) (3) (4)

Nominal size Proof force to which Minimum breaking Working load limit
dn the whole chain is force
subjected
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mm kN kN t

6 11,4 22,8 0,57

7 15,4 30,8 0,78
8,7 23,8 47,6 1,2
9,5 28,4 56,8 1,4
10,3 33,4 66,8 1,7
11 38,1 76,2 1,9
12 45,3 90,6 2,3
13 54 108 2,7
13,5 58 116 2,9
16,7 88 176 4,4
19 114 228 5,7
20,6 134 268 6,8
25,4 203 406 10,3
30 283 566 14,4
41,3 536 1 072 27,3
46 665 1 330 33,9

© BSI 08-1999 7
 Licensed Copy: :FULLNAME, : DATE, Uncontrolled Copy, (c) BSI

8
blank
 BS 4942-2:1981

Publications referred to

See national foreword.

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© BSI 08-1999
 BS 4942-2:
1981
ISO 1835:1980 BSI — British Standards Institution
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