NUTS
What are twin nuts and how do they function? A nut is a mechanical fastener with a threaded hole. It’s used with a bolt, screw, or stud to provide a clamping force and prevent axial movement. Typically, a bolt is inserted through two parts with aligned holes and a nut is then screwed onto the bolt. The shaft of the bolt prevents radial movement of the parts while both the head of the bolt and the nut prevent axial movement. The most common type of nut is the hex nut. It has a hexagonal outer shape for the faces of tools to apply torque when fastening. The hex nut is typically TWIN OR SPLIT NUTS ARE a good go-to option for many basic assemblies. IDEAL FOR APPLICATIONS THAT However, there are also several types of nuts REQUIRE THE ADDITION OF A available to suit the needs of different applications. STRUCTURAL NUT TO ANY BOLT, One such option is the twin nut, which is ROD, OR THREADED SHAFT a type of split nut that resembles a regular WHERE THERE’S NO ACCESS TO hex nut that’s cut into two pieces for quick THE OTHER END OF THE PART. assembly and rapid adjustment. The two halves lock together so that they can function as a typical nut. To secure the nut to a bolt, it’s typically fitted with a conical washer. Twin or split nuts are ideal for applications that require the addition of a structural nut to any bolt, rod, or A twin nut is a unique type of fastener that can be split into two halves for quick assembly or adjustments of an application.
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December 2021
www.fastenerengineering.com
threaded shaft where there’s no access to the other end of the part. Installation on a bolt, rod, or shaft can be done without the disassembly of these fasteners. The split feature of the twin nut means it splits into two, identical halves along a plane that passes through the axis of rotation. This allows the female thread to be opened and placed around the male thread. It can, then, be used to insert the nut onto a leadscrew, which has no accessible end. Alternatively, this allows the nut to be opened so that it can move axially along a screw without any relative rotation — and then closed at a new position (so that the screw actuation can resume). This can be useful in positioning applications, such as the leadscrew of a lathe, allowing a quick, rough setting before the final adjustments are made. Split nuts used in these types of positioning applications are usually made with machined parts and have additional mounting interfaces for secure attachment. They typically have threads cut to match the leadscrew of the machine. For this reason, these fasteners can be more costly to manufacture. The ability to separate the nut and place it at an arbitrary location and along a long, threaded shaft can be particularly useful for clamping and tooling adjustment operations.
DESIGN WORLD
