Enter the effort force, length, and height of the toggle into the calculator to determine the toggle force of a toggle joint.

Toggle Force Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Toggle Force.

TF = EF * L / (2*H)

  • Where TF is the toggle force (lbf)
  • EF is the effort force (lbf)
  • L is the length of half the base of the toggle (ft)
  • H is the height of the toggle (ft)

This formula is used only for toggles with equal arm lengths.

What is a Toggle Force?

Definition:

The toggle force is a principle of mechanical advantage used in leverage. It describes how the force applied to a lever increases and the distance through which the lever moves decreases as a pivot point moves away from the place where the force is applied.

The toggle force can be used in many situations, but it is often used with a toggle lock mechanism. The toggle lock consists of two levers joined at a pivot point. A pin fixed to one lever slides through a slot in another lever and rests in an opening at the end of the slot. As long as the pin stays inside the slot, it can only move within that slot and cannot escape it.

How to Calculate Toggle Force?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Toggle Force.

First, determine the effort force. In this example, the effort force is measure to be 400 lbf.

Next, determine the length of the toggle. In this example, the length of the toggle is measured to be 4 ft.

Next, determine the height of the toggle. The height of the toggle is found to be 3ft.

Finally, calculate the toggle force using the formula above:

TF = EF * L / 2*H

TF = 400 * 4 / (2*3)

TF = 266.66 lbf