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BY : PROF. ANUJ GUPTA

INTRODUCTION
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 not
used for connecting shafts that rotate and transmit torque.
It is usually used in connecting a piston rod to the crosshead of a reciprocating
steam engine, a piston rod and its extension as a tailor pump rod, strap end of
connecting rod etc.
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 cotter is usually made of mild steel or wrought iron.
In cotter joint clearance is also provided between cotter and slots to allow
driven cotter to draw two parts together
Cotter is tapered
a )to withstand back movement due to impact load
b) Due to taper shape , it is easy to remove cotter and dismantle the joint
c) for having perfect assembly of this joint

When cotter is inserted in slot through socket and spigot and pressed by means
of hammer, it becomes tight due to wedge action. This ensures tightness of the
joint in operating condition and prevents loosening of the parts

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.

Design procedure
The dimensions for a socket
and spigot cotter joint may
be obtained by considering
the various modes of failure

1) Failure of the rod in tension

The rod may fail in tension due to the
tensile load P .
We know that
resisting tearing= (/4)*d2
Tearing strength of rods=(/4)*(d2)* (t)
Equating this to load (P), we have
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 )
Since the weakest section of the spigot is that
section which has a slot in it for the cotter ,

Area resisting tearing of the spigot across the slot

=[ (/4)*(d2)2- (d2)*t ]
t= 0.31d where d is dia of rod and t is thickness of cotter

2.a)Failure of spigot in tension across the

weakest section (or slot )
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 ]
Tearing strength of the spigot across the slot
=[ (/4)*(d2)2- (d2)*t ]*(t)

Equating this to load (P), we have

P=[ (/4)*(d2)2- (d2)*t ]*(t)

From this equation, diameter of spigot or inside

diameter of socket (d2)may be determined.

2.b)Crushing failure of spigot end

Force P causes compressive stress on
narrow rectangular area of thickness t
Crushing stress is given by cr = P /
(d2*t )
This crushing stress must be less than allaaaa
allowable cr for safe design

From this equation, the induced crushing stress may be checked.

2.c) Failure of spigot end in shear

Since the rod end is in the double shear.
Therefore area that resists shearing of spigot end.
=2*a* (d2)
And the shearing strength of rod end
=2*a* (d2)*
Equating this to load (P) We get
a
P=2*a* (d2)*
d2
SHEARING OF SPIGOT END

3)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

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
2
{(/4)*[(d
)2 - (d
2) ]-(d1-d2)*t}*(t)
Equating this to=load
(P), 1we
have
P= {(/4)*[(d1)2 - (d2)2 ]-(d1-d2)*t}*(t)

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

4.a)Failure of socket collar in crushing.

Considering the failure of socket collar in crushing
as shown in figure
We know that area that resists crushing of socket collar
=[(d4) - (d2) ]* t

Crushing strength of socket collar

=[(d4) - (d2)

]* t*cr

Equating this to load (P) we have

P=[(d4) - (d2)

]* t*cr

. From this equation the diameter of socket collar

( d4) May be determined

4.b) Failure of socket end in shear

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*
d2

Equating this to load (P) We get

P=2*[(d4) - (d2) ]*c*
c
From this above equation the the thickness of socket
collar ( c ) may be obtained.

d4

5.a)Failure of spigot collar in crushing

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 *(cr)

Equating this to load (P), we have

=(/4)*[(d3)2 - (d2)2 *(cr)
From this equation, diameter of the rod (d3) may be calculated

5.b)Failure of spigot collar in shearing

Considering 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) *

6)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

6.b)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= (MMAX/Z)

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.

If the rod and cotter are

made of steel or wrought
iron then
=0.5t
And c= 2t
Allowable b = 1.2 1.4
t

THANK YOU