COTTER JOINT

A cotter joint is used to connect rigidly two co-axial rods or

bars which are subjected to axial tensile or compressive
forces . It is a temporary fastening.
A cotter is a flat wedge shaped piece of rectangular cross
section and its width is tapered (either on one side or on
both sides) from one end to another for an easy adjustment.
.

Spigot

Socket Cotter
 APPLICATIONS OF COTTER
• 1. Connection of the piston rod with the cross
heads
2.Joining of tail rod with piston rod of a wet
air pump
3. Foundation bolt
4.Connecting two halves of fly wheel (cotter
and dowel arrangement)
 Design of Spigot and Socket Cotter

d4 = Diameter of socket collar,

Let P = Load carried by the rods,
c = Thickness of socket collar,
d = Diameter of the rods,
b = Mean width of cotter,
d1 = Outside diameter of socket,
t = Thickness of cotter,
d2 = Diameter of spigot or inside
l = Length of cotter,
diameter of socket,
a = Distance from the end of the slot to the end of rod,
d3 = Outside diameter of spigot collar,
σt = Permissible tensile stress for the rods material,
t1 = Thickness of spigot collar,
τ = Permissible shear stress for the cotter material, and
σc = Permissible crushing stress for the cotter material.
 1. Failure of the rod
(Spigot) in tension
P= Area x Tensile stress
 2. Failure of spigot in tension across
the weakest section (or slot)
Area Resisting=
d2

P
3. Failure of the rod (spigot) or cotter
in crushing
• P=d2 x t x σc

d2
 4. Failure of the socket in tension
across the slot
Area Resisting =

Load P=
5. Failure of cotter in shear
6. Failure of the socket collar in
crushing
7. Failure of socket end in
shearing
8. Failure of rod(Spigot) end in
shear
9. Failure of spigot collar in crushing
10. Failure of the spigot collar in
shearing
 Problem 1
Design and draw a cotter joint to support a load
varying from 30 kN in compression to 30 kN in
tension. The material used is carbon steel for which
the following allowable stresses may be used. The
load is applied statically. Tensile stress = compressive
stress = 50 Mpa shear stress = 35 MPa crushing
stress= 90 MPa.
 Problem 2
Design a cotter joint to transmit a load of 90 kN in
tension or compression. Assume the following
stresses for socket, spigot and cotter.
Allowable tensile stress = 90 Mpa
Allowable crushing stress = 120 Mpa
Allowable shear stress = 60 Mpa.
 Problem 3
Two rod ends of a pump are joined by means
of a cotter and spigot and socket at the ends.
Design the joint for an axial load of 150 kN
which alternately changes from tensile to
compressive. The allowable stresses for the
material used are 75 MPa in tension, 60 MPa
in shear and 150 MPa in crushing.
Draw a neat sketch of the joint designed.
 Problem 4

Design and draw a cotter joint to support a load

varying from 120 kN tension. The material used
is carbon steel for which the following allowable
stresses may be used. The load is applied
statically. Draw a neat sketch of the
joint designed.
Tensile stress = compressive stress = 80MPa;
shear stress = 45MPa and crushing stress =
190MPa.
 Problem 5

Two mild steel rods 40 mm diameter are to be

connected by a cotter joint. The thickness of the
cotter is 12 mm. Calculate the dimensions of
the joint, if the maximum permissible stresses
are: 46 MPa in tension ; 35 MPa in shear and 70
MPa in crushing.
Draw a neat sketch of the joint designed.
 Problem 6

Design a cotter joint to connect two mild steel rods

for a pull of 30 kN. The maximum permissible
stresses are 55 MPa in tension; 40 MPa in shear
and 70 MPa in crushing. Draw a neat sketch of the
joint designed.
 Problem 7
Two rod ends of a pump are joined by means of a
cotter and spigot and socket at the ends. Design the
joint for an axial load of 100 kN which alternately
changes from tensile to compressive. The allowable
stresses for the material used are
50 MPa in tension, 40 MPa in shear and 100MPa in
crushing.