From Knights to Machines: Exploring the Amazing World of the Cotter Pin!
Cotter pins are designed to secure two components together by passing through a hole in one component and then spreading the ends apart to prevent it from coming out. Despite their simple design, cotter pins play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and safety of mechanical systems.
The humble start of the cotter pin begins an interesting history that started in medieval times. They used bent wire pins to hold armor pieces together. As technology advanced, pin designs evolved. By the 1800s, pins took a more familiar shape and were used regularly in machinery.
It was during the Industrial Revolution that cotter pins really came into their own. As factories sprang up and machines grew more complex, components needed reliable yet easy ways to connect.
Enter the cotter pin!
Made of inexpensive steel wire, these humble pins held moving parts securely in place. They were used in steam engines, bicycles, school buses and cars.
Cotter pins help machines run smoothly and safe.
Techniques like welding have advanced but cotter pins endure because they are low-cost, easy to install and can withstand significant forces.
Today’s modern cotter pins may look a little different than the original hand-crafted wire. But their purpose remains the same. To secure and fasten components.
