INTOODUCTION

•A cotter is a flat wedge shaped piece of rectangular cross-

section and its width is tapered (either on one side or both
sides) from one end to another for an easy adjustment.

•The taper varies from 1 in 48 to 1 in 24 and it may be

increased up to 1 in 8, if a locking device is provided. The
locking device may be a taper pin or a set screw used on
the lower end of the cotter.

•The cotter is usually made of mild steel or wrought iron.

•A cotter joint is a temporary fastening and is used to

connect rigidly two co-axial rods or bars which are
subjected to axial tensile or compressive forces.

• It is usually used in connecting a piston rod to the cross­

head of a reciprocating steam engine, a piston rod and its
extension as a tailor pump rod, strap end of connecting rod
etc.
Spigot is the male
part of the joint , it
has a rectangular
slot for passing the
cotter through it.
Spigot  has a collar
which rests against
the socket end.

Cotter is a wedge shaped

piece of metal which actually
connects two parts which are
non rotating. Cotter is fitted
in the slot and remains in its
position by wedge action.
Socket is the female part of the joint, it
also has a
rectangular slot for passing the cotter
through it. It has a circular hole in
which spigot fits.
 Types of Cotter Joints
Following are the three
commonly used cotter joints to
connect two rods by a cotter:

1. Socket and spigot cotter

joint,
2. Sleeve and cotter joint, and
3. Gib and cotter joint'
Socket and spigot Cotter joint
 NOTATION USED
P = Load carried by the rods,
• d = Diameter of the rods,
• d 1 = Outside diameter of socket,
• d2 = Diameter of spigot or inside diameter of socket,
• d3 = Outside diameter of spigot collar,
• t 1= Thickness of spigot collar,
• d 4 = Diameter of socket collar,
• c = Thickness of socket collar, b = Mean width of cotter,
• t = Thickness of cotter,
• I = Length of cotter,
• a = Distance from the end of the slot to the end of rod,
 t= Permissible tensile stress for the rods material,
  = Permissible shear stress for the cotter material, and
 c = Permissible crushing stress for the cotter material.
 Socket & spigot joint
Socket and spigot cotter joint is used to connect circular rods.
One of the rods is formed into a socket by enlarging its end
while the other rod, called spigot end is formed with enlarged
diameter and an integral collar as shown in fig (8.1). The spigot
is put inside the socket and the cotter is driven through the
slots in socket and spigot ends. A pictorial view of socket and
spigot cotter joint is shown in fig (8.1). While a sectional view of
socket and spigot cotter joint is shown in fig (8.2). An exploded
view of this joint is also shown here in fig (8.3
 Design procedure
The dimensions for a socket and spigot cotter joint may be obtained by
considering the various modes of failure.
Important Note@(we design cotter joint under tensile stresses because
usually compressive or crushing stresses are double of tensile stresses. In
comparison of tensile in crushing material is double strong, we have to
design for that load in which material is weak. If material will not fail in
tension than obviously it will not fail in compression.)
 1) Failure of the rod in tension
(Tensile failure of Rod).
The rod may fail in tension due to the tensile
load P .
We know that
resisting tearing= (/4)*d2
Equating this to load
Tearing strength (P), we have 2)* ( )
of rods=(/4)*(d t
P=[ (/4)*(d)2 ]*t

From this equation, diameter of the rod (d) may be calculated

 2)Failure of spigot in tension across the
weakest section (or slot )
(Tensile failure of spigot)We have to design Spigot. First
we have to determine diameter of spigot(d2).Since the
weakest section of the spigot is that section which has a
slot in it for the cotter , therefore
Area resisting tearing of the spigot across the slot
=[ (/4)*(d2)2- (d2)*t ]
Failure of spigot in tension across the
weakest section (or slot )
 3)Failure of the rod or cotter in crushing

(Crushing failure of cotter)We know that the area that resist crushing of
the cotter= (d2)*t
Tearing strength of rods= (d2)*t * (t)
Equating this to load (P), we have
P=[(d2)*t ]*t
. From this equation, the induced crushing stress may be checked
Crushing failure of cotter
UPTO STEP 3 WE HAVE FIND
DIAMETER OF ROD
Dia OF SIPGOT
THICKNESS OF SLOT (MEAN COTTER)
4)Failure of socket in tension
across the slot
 4)Failure of socket in tension across the slot
We know that
Area resisting to the tearing of the socket across the slot
=(/4)*[(d1)2 - (d2)2 ]-(d1-d2)*t
 4)Failure of socket in tension across the slot
We know that
Area resisting to the tearing of the socket across the slot
=(/4)*[(d1)2 - (d2)2 ]-(d2-d1)*t
Tearing strength of the socket across the slot
= {(/4)*[(d1)2 - (d2)2 ]-(d1-d2)*t}*(t)
Equating this to load (P), we have
P= {(/4)*[(d1)2 - (d2)2 ]-(d1-d2)*t}*(t)

From this equation, diameter of the rod (d1) may be calculated

 5)Failure of COTTER IN SHEAR
Considering the failure of cotter in shear as shown in figure.
Since the cotter is in double shear , therefore shearing area of the
cotter=2*b*t
And shear strength of the cotter =2*b*t*

Equating this to load (P) we have

P=2*b*t*

. From this equation width of cotter

(b) is determined
5)Failure of COTTER IN
SHEAR
 6)Failure of socket collar in crushing.
(Crushing failure of socket due to crushing).
Considering the failure of socket collar in crushing as
Weshown
know in figure
that area that resists crushing of socket collar
=[(d4) - (d2) ]* t
 and crushing strength =(d4 – d2) t × σc
Equating this to load (P), we have
P =(d4 – d2) t × σc
From this equation, the diameter of socket collar (d4) may
be obtained.
 7) Failure of socket end shearing
Since the socket end is in the double shear.
Therefore area that resist s shearing of socket collar
=2*[(d4) - (d2) ]*c

And the shearing strength of socket collar

=2*[(d4) - (d2) ]*c* 

Equating this to load (P) We get

P=2*[(d4) - (d2) ]*c* 

From this above equation the the thickness of socket

collar ( c ) may be obtained.
7) Failure of socket end
shearing
 8) Failure of rod end in shear
(Shearing Failure of spigot due to cotter)Since the rod end is in the double shear.
Therefore area that resists shearing of rod end.
=2*a* (d2)

And the shearing strength of rod end

=2*a* (d2)* 

Equating this to load (P) We get

P=2*a* (d2)* 

From this above equation the the thickness of rod end ( c ) may be obtained.
Shear will be from
two sides. So
double shear

Piece of spigot will come out

8) Failure of rod end in shear
 9)Failure of spigot collar in crushingt
When we insert spigot in socket, it is supported by collar of socket.
Considering the failure of the spigot collar in crushing as shown
in figure.
We know that Area resisting to the crushing of the spigot collar
=(/4)*[(d3)2 - (d2)2
Crushing strength of the collar
=(/4)*[(d3)2 - (d2)2 *(c)

Equating this to load (P), we have

=(/4)*[(d3)2 - (d2)2 *(c)

From this equation, diameter of the rod (d3) may be calculated

 9)Failure of spigot collar in crushing
Crushing area

We can get spigot diameter from this force

 10)Failure of spigot collar in shearing
weConsidering the failure of the spigot collar in shearing as shown in
figure.
We know that Area that resists shearing
of the collar
=()*(d2)*(t1)
And the shearing strength of the collar
=()*(d2)*(t1) *

Equating this to load (P), we have

=()*(d2)*(t1) *

From this equation, diameter of the rod &(t1)may be calculated

FIG 11: SHEARING AWAY OF THE COLLAR IN THE SPIGOT
10)Failure of spigot collar in shearing
 Failure of cotter in bending
In all the above relation it is assumed that
load is uniformly distributed over the various
cross-section of the joint . But in actual
practice this does not happen and the cotter
is subjected to bending . In order to find out
the bending stress induced ,it is assumed
that the load on the cotter in the rod end is
uniformly distributed while in the socket end
it various from zero at the outer diameter d4
and maximum at the inner diameter d2 as
shown in figure.’
Failure of cotter in bending
The maximum bending moment occurs at the centre
of the cotter and is given by

MMAX=P/2[1/3*(d4-d2)/2+d2/2]- P/2[d2/4]

MMAX=P/2[(d4-d2)/6+d2/2-d2/4]

MMAX=P/2[(d4-d2)/6+d2/4]

We know that section modulus of the cotter ,

Z=t*b2/6
Bending stress induced in the cotter,
 b= ( M MAX /Z)
 Failure of cotter in bending
Bending stress induced in the cotter,
b= (M /Z)
MAX

Bending stress induced in the cotter,

b= P/2[(d4-d2)/6+d2/4]/( t*b2/6 )

Bending stress induced in the cotter,

b= P[(d4)+0.5 *d2]/(2* t*b2 )

This bending stress induced in the cotter

should be less than the allowable bending stress of the cotter.
Other dimensions of the cotter joint
The length of the cotter(l) is taken as
l=4d
The taper in cotter should not exceed 1
in 24. In case the greater taper is
required then a locking device must be
provided.
The draw of the cotter is generally
taken as 2 to 3 mm
When all the parts of the joint are made of steel,
the following proportions in terms of the
diameter of the rod (d) are generally adopted
D1=1.75d
D2=1.21d
D3=1.5d
D4=2.4d
A=c=0.75d
B=1.3d
L=4d
T=0.31d
T1=0.45d
E=1.2d
Taper of cotter=1 in 25 and draw of cotter= 2 to 3 mm.
If the rod and cotter are made
of steel or wrought iron then
=0.8t
And c= 2t
May be taken.
Section modulus is the ratio of  moment of inertia about neutral axis
upon the farthest point of section from neutral axis.
A beam that has a larger section modulus than another will be stronger
and capable of supporting greater loads, The section modulus is
denoted by Z. To calculate Z, the distance (y) to the extreme fibres
from the centroid (or neutral axis) must be found as that is where the
maximum stress could cause failure.
Z = I/Y(max)
Hence, if the maximum stress offered by the section is known we can
easily compute the moment of resistance that can be offered by the
section. hence for a beam of given material the greatest moment of
resistance the beam section can offer is given by
FINISHING
DESIGN
PROCEDURE OF
COTTER JOINT