Cotter Joint

Cotter Joint
• Cotter joint is used to connect two rods subjected to axial tensile or

compressive loads.
• It is not suitable to connect rotating shafts which transmit torque.
• Axes of the rods to be joined should be collinear.
• There is no relative angular movement between rods.
• Cotter joint is widely used to connect the piston rod and crosshead of a
steam engine, as a joint between the piston rod and the tailor pump rod,
foundation bolt etc.
• A cotter is a wedge shaped piece made of a steel plate.
• It has uniform thickness and the width dimension is given a slight taper.
• Taper is usually 1 in 24 and provides mainly two benefits: i) cotter becomes
tight in the slot due to wedge action. This ensures tightness of the joint in
operating conditions and prevents loosening of the parts. ii) Due to its
taper shape, it is easy to remove the cotter and dismantle the joint.
• Notations Used :
• d = diameter of each rod (mm)
• d1 = outside diameter of socket (mm)
• d2 = diameter of spigot or inside diameter of socket (mm)
• d3 = diameter of spigot-collar (mm)
• d4 = diameter of socket-collar (mm)
• a = distance from end of slot to the end of spigot on rod-B (mm)
• b = mean width of cotter (mm)
• c = axial distance from slot to end of socket collar (mm)
• t = thickness of cotter (mm)
• t1 = thickness of spigot collar (mm)
• l = length of cotter (mm)
Tensile failure of Rod
Tensile Failure of Spigot
Shear Failure of Spigot
Tensile Failure of Socket
Shear Failure of Socket
Shear Failure of Cotter
Design Procedure of Cotter Joint
Before starting the problem, Check if problem has stated Factor of Safety. If Yes –
Find the respective stress. If no FOS given in the problem Assume FOS of rod, spigot
& socket =6. And Assume FOS of cotter = 4. Find σt ,σc , τ. Remember τ = 0.5 σt
• Calculate the Diameter of each rod using

• Calculate thickness of cotter using empirical relation t = 0.31d
• Calculate diameter of the spigot on the basis of tensile stress
• Calculate outside diameter of the socket on the basis of tensile stress
• Diameter of spigot collar, d3 and diameter of socket collar, d4 are determined using
empirical relations d3 = 1.5 d and d4 = 2.4 d
• Dimensions a and c are also determined using empirical relations a = c = 0.75 d.
• Calculate width of cotter by shear and bending consideration and select the width
which is maximum
Bending of Cotter:
Shear failure of Cotter:

Checking the Correctness of the values
Check the crushing and shear stresses in the spigot end
Check the crushing and shear stresses in the socket end
Calculate thickness t1 of spigot collar by the following

empirical relationship t1 = 0.45d
Check the crushing and shear stresses in the socket collar
Problem
• It is required to design a cotter joint to connect two steel rods of equal diameter. Each rod is subjected to an axial force of 50kN.
Design the joint and specify its main dimensions.
Procedure:
• First check what is given in the problem.
Given : P = 50kN. This is the tensile force acting on the rods. But NO FOS given in Problem. So we have to Assume it.
Before starting the problem, Check if problem has stated Factor of Safety. If Yes –
Find the respective stress. If no FOS given in the problem Assume FOS of rod, spigot
& socket =6. And Assume FOS of cotter = 4. Find σt ,σc , τ. Remember τ = 0.5 σt
Now cotter joint material is steel so, Syt = 400N/mm2.
σt= 400/FOS , σc =2x(400/FOS) , τ = 0.5x(400/FOS)
Note: For Cotter Joint ,σc = 2x σt

Now, Assume FOS of rod, spigot & socket =6. And Assume FOS of cotter = 4
For Rod, Spigot & Socket
σt= 400/6 = 66.67N/mm2, σc = 2xσt= 2x66.67 = 133.33N/mm2 and τ = 0.5xσt = 33.33N/mm2
For Cotter
σt= 400/4 = 100N/mm2, σc = 2xσt= 2x100 = 200N/mm2 and τ = 0.5xσt = 50N/mm2
• Calculate the Diameter of each rod using
We know, P = 50kN, σt for rod = 66.67N/mm2

So Find d from here.
• Calculate thickness of cotter using empirical
relation t = 0.31d (we found d above)
• Calculate diameter of the spigot on the basis of
tensile stress
Again for spigot σt = 66.67N/mm2
Find d2
• Calculate outside diameter of the socket on the
basis of tensile stress
• Diameter of spigot collar, d3 and diameter of
socket collar, d4 are determined using
empirical relations d3 = 1.5 d and d4 = 2.4 d
• Dimensions a and c are also determined using
empirical relations a = c = 0.75 d.
• Calculate width of cotter by shear and bending
consideration and select the width which is
maximum
Here find the value of b separately using the following formula for bending and shear of
cotter. And consider the value of b which is maximum .

Find b separately and choose the maximum value of the two.
Bending of Cotter:
Shear failure of Cotter:

• Now design is done. But we ought to check
the correctness of the values. Follow the steps
and formula of Slide 6 for checking. If all
values of spigot and socket are within limits ie.
Shear of Spigot and Socket <33.33N/mm2
• Crushing of Spigot & Socket < 133.33N/mm2
Then Design of Socket & Spigot is SAFE.
NOTE
• Practice all solved examples of Bhandari only
as per the Procedure & checking List given in
Slide 4, 5 & 6.
• Khurmi procedure is not acceptable.

Cotter Joint

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Cotter Joint

• Cotter joint is used to connect two rods subjected to axial tensile or

• Calculate the Diameter of each rod using

• Calculate outside diameter of the socket on the basis of tensile stress

Shear failure of Cotter:

Check the crushing and shear stresses in the socket end

Calculate thickness t1 of spigot collar by the following

σt= 400/FOS , σc =2x(400/FOS) , τ = 0.5x(400/FOS)

Note: For Cotter Joint ,σc = 2x σt

We know, P = 50kN, σt for rod = 66.67N/mm2

cotter. And consider the value of b which is maximum .

Shear failure of Cotter:

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