How does a cotter pin/split pin secure other fasteners?

95 views

I saw on Wikipedia the following

> Split pins are frequently used to secure other fasteners, e.g. [clevis pins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clevis_pin), as well as being used in combination with [hardboard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardboard) discs as a traditional joining technique for [teddy bears](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear)

I don’t understand how such a small element would help secure other fasteners, say a nut for example. How does it secure it, I mean what value does it exactly add?

In: 3

5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It physically prevents things sliding around in a shaft, even if the nut ever was to come loose, the cotter pin will prevent it from unscrewing completely and ultimately prevent the two parts from separating completely

they are also used without a nut in situations where sideways sliding is not supposed to happen but needs to be prevented

They are used in situations where large loads aren’t expected so it’s not at risk of breaking, in those situations you would use something stringere

You are viewing 1 out of 5 answers, click here to view all answers.