Cotter Pin Vs. Circlip
The cotter pin and the circlip are metal fasteners used to secure multiple pieces of hardware into place. Both fasteners are meant to allow a rotational movement while preventing any lateral movement among the hardware. The type of application and hardware being used will help to determine which fastener to use. Does this Spark an idea?
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A cotter pin, also known as a split pin, consists of two parallel tines connected at one end. A circlip, also known as a snap ring, consists of a circular ring open at one end. Both come in a variety of different sizes, thicknesses and lengths. The tines of the cotter pin can also be bent into various designs depending on the application.
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Both ends of the circlip have holes to aid in the insertion of the ring. The flexible ring is inserted into a groove that will hold it in place. Special pliers are then inserted into the ring's holes and clamped together. The cotter pin is inserted into a drilled hole, and the flexible ends of the fastener are bent to hold it in place. Cotter pins can be inserted into various objects, such as a hole drilled through a bolt and screw or a clevis pin.
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Disposability
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Both cotter pins and circlips are meant to be used only once. Since they are flexible metal fasteners and designed to bend into shape, once they are removed from the hardware, they should be discarded.
Problems
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Cotter pins and circlips are not necessarily designed to resist strong forces. Using the wrong clip or installing it incorrectly can lead to the clip coming loose or falling off. This can have disastrous results. The fasteners can melt under high temperatures and come loose under high levels of vibration.
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- Photo Credit rusty gears image by steve dimitriou from Fotolia.com
