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Carriage bolt
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A carriage bolt (also called coach bolt and round-head square-neck bolt)[1] is a type of bolt. It is also known as a cup head bolt in Australia and New Zealand.
It is distinguished from other bolts by its shallow mushroom head and the fact that the cross-section of the shank, though circular for most of its length (as in other kinds of bolt), is square immediately beneath the head.[2] This makes the bolt self-locking when it is placed through a square hole in a metal strap. This allows the fastener to be installed with only one wrench, working from the opposite end. The head of a carriage bolt is usually a shallow dome. The shank has no threads and its diameter equals the size of the square cross-section.
The carriage bolt was devised for use through an iron strengthening plate on either side of a wooden beam, the squared part of the bolt fitting into a square hole in the ironwork. It is also not uncommon to use a carriage bolt on bare timber, the square section being allowed to sink into the soft wood fibers when tightened, giving enough grip to prevent rotation. The principle is the same as in purpose-built timber bolts.
The carriage bolt is used extensively in security applications, such as locks and hinges, where the bolt must be removable from one side only. The smooth, domed head and square nut below prevent the carriage bolt from being gripped and rotated from the insecure side.
Timber bolt
[edit]Closely related to the carriage bolt is the timber bolt (also called mushroom-head bolt and dome-head bolt), meant to fasten wood to wood (rather than metal to wood), for use with large wood planks and structures. It has a domed head that is proportionally wider than that of a carriage bolt. Instead of the carriage bolt's square part of the shank immediately under the head, the timber bolt has four fillets, whose sharp corners grip the edge of the hole in the wood to prevent rotation.
Plow bolt
[edit]
The plow bolt or plough bolt is a flush-fitting carriage bolt, whose head is countersunk beneath the surface of the material. The plow bolt was devised to hold replaceable plowshares to the moldboards of iron plows. The share, the fastest-wearing part of the plow, would be replaced several times over the life of the plow. Such bolts continue to be used anywhere a protruding head is undesirable, such as to hold shovels onto cultivators, and cutting edges onto earthmoving implements.
See also
[edit]- Coach screw or lag bolt, a square- or hex-headed screw with a tapered woodscrew thread.
References
[edit]- ^ Machinery's Handbook (Twenty-First ed.). New York: Industrial Press. 1980. p. 1146.
- ^ Machinery's Handbook (Sixth ed.). New York: Industrial Press. 1927. p. 827.
Carriage bolt
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins
The carriage bolt, also known as a coach bolt, was invented in 1818 by Micah Rugg, a blacksmith from Southington Township, Connecticut, who developed the first systematic method for producing these fasteners using a mechanical trimming tool for bolt heads.[6][7] This innovation marked a significant advancement in fastener design during the early 19th century, tailored specifically for the burgeoning transportation sector reliant on horse-drawn vehicles. Rugg's work built on earlier European precedents for screw and nut production, such as Jacques Besson's 1568 machine in France, but adapted them to create bolts suited for American carriage construction.[6] The bolt's name originates directly from its initial purpose: securing metal components, such as iron plates or brackets, to the wooden frames of horse-drawn carriages and wagons prevalent in the 1800s.[8] A key feature was the square neck beneath the round, domed head, which embeds into the wood to prevent rotation during tightening, ensuring a stable and reliable connection without the need for additional tools on the head side.[9] This design also contributed to its tamper-resistant properties, as the smooth head resists gripping or turning without a corresponding nut, making it difficult to loosen or remove unauthorizedly in exposed applications like carriage undercarriages.[6] Early production of carriage bolts relied on labor-intensive hand-forging techniques, where blacksmiths heated and shaped iron rods on anvils using hammers and simple heading blocks to form the square necks and rounded heads before threading the shanks.[10][11] These methods, common in the first half of the 19th century, produced bolts in limited quantities for local carriage makers, with Rugg producing a total of around 3,000 bolts by 1839.[12] The first documented applications appeared in carriage assembly around 1818, where the bolts fastened axles, wheels, and body panels to wooden structures, enhancing durability and security for long-distance travel on rough roads.[6][13] By the mid-19th century, mechanization began to replace hand-forging, with inventions like Rugg's 1838 treadle heading block enabling more efficient production and paving the way for widespread adoption. This early development laid the foundation for the bolt's expansion into other uses beyond horse-drawn vehicles.Evolution
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, carriage bolt production transitioned from labor-intensive hand-forging to mechanized manufacturing processes, allowing for mass production and improved uniformity in size and quality.[14] This evolution was driven by advancements in machinery, such as automated threading and heading equipment, which reduced costs and increased output to meet the demands of expanding infrastructure.[15] The change aligned closely with the growth of railroads and the emergence of automobiles, where carriage bolts provided essential fastening for frames and assemblies under high stress and vibration.[16] As the Industrial Revolution progressed into its later stages, carriage bolts gained prominence in agricultural machinery, including plows and harvesters, due to their ability to secure components against rotational forces.[10] In construction, they became integral for timber framing in buildings and early infrastructure projects, leveraging their design to embed securely in wood without specialized tools.[17] These applications highlighted the bolt's adaptability beyond initial transportation uses, supported by the original square neck feature that prevented turning during installation.[14] Significant milestones in this period included U.S. fastener standardization initiatives, such as the formation of the American National Standards Committee B18 in 1922, which established uniform specifications for bolt dimensions and threads to facilitate interchangeability across manufacturers.[18] Preceding broader international efforts like the German DIN standards introduced in 1917, these American developments, including the Industrial Fasteners Institute founded in 1931, promoted consistent quality and reduced production variability for carriage bolts and similar fasteners.[15] Such efforts were crucial for scaling industrial applications, ensuring reliability in diverse mechanical contexts. By the mid-20th century, carriage bolts had evolved from specialized transportation fasteners to general-purpose ones, incorporated into a wide array of machinery and structures thanks to refined production techniques and material enhancements.[17] This broadening utility was evident in their routine use across sectors like farming equipment and civil engineering, where standardized designs enabled seamless integration without custom fabrication.[10]Design
Components
A carriage bolt, also known as a coach bolt, consists of several distinct components that work together to provide secure fastening, particularly in applications involving wood or soft materials. The primary parts include the head, square neck, shank, and threaded end, each contributing to the bolt's self-locking mechanism and resistance to rotation.[19] The head of a standard carriage bolt features a smooth, rounded, or mushroom-shaped design with a low dome and a flat bearing surface underneath. This configuration allows for a flush fit against the material surface, distributing load evenly while providing an aesthetic finish that conceals the fastener. The head's rounded top prevents snagging and facilitates installation without damaging surrounding surfaces. Head diameter range is 0.563 to 0.594 inches for 1/4-inch bolts, per ASME B18.5.[19][20] Directly beneath the head is the square neck, an integrally formed feature that embeds into a correspondingly shaped hole in the workpiece. This square profile, typically with sides slightly smaller than the shank diameter, locks the bolt in place and prevents rotational movement during tightening, eliminating the need for a wrench on the head. For 1/4-inch bolts, it has a width across flats of 0.245 to 0.260 inches and depth of 0.125 to 0.156 inches, approximately half the diameter.[19][20][19] The shank forms the main body of the bolt, consisting of a smooth, unthreaded cylindrical portion extending from the square neck to the threaded section. This unthreaded length provides high shear strength by maximizing the solid cross-section in the joint, accommodating the thickness of the materials being fastened without threads weakening the assembly.[20][9] At the opposite end, the threaded portion is partially threaded, with the threaded length determined by ASME B18.5 standards to provide sufficient engagement while maximizing unthreaded shank for shear strength. The threaded portion extends from the end of the bolt for a length standardized at twice the diameter plus 1/4 inch (for bolts 6 inches or shorter) or plus 1/2 inch (for longer bolts), featuring coarse unified national coarse (UNC) threads for robust engagement with a nut. These threads allow the bolt to draw materials together securely on the far side of the assembly, completing the fastening without requiring access to the head.[19][19] Together, these components enable the carriage bolt's signature self-locking function: the square neck grips the material to resist turning, while the shank bears shear loads and the threads secure the connection with a nut, making it ideal for one-sided installations in wood or composites.[20][9]Standards and Dimensions
Carriage bolts adhere to established international standards that govern their dimensions, materials, and performance. In the United States, the ASME B18.5 standard specifies dimensional tolerances for imperial carriage bolts, while ASTM A307 outlines requirements for carbon steel variants, typically Grade A, ensuring consistent manufacturing for applications like structural connections.[19] In Europe and for metric sizes, DIN 603 defines the design and dimensions, emphasizing a mushroom head with square neck for self-locking in wood or soft materials.[21] Common size ranges for carriage bolts vary by system. Imperial bolts typically feature diameters from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch, with lengths spanning 3/4 inch to 20 inches to accommodate diverse fastening needs.[4] Metric equivalents range from M6 to M20 in diameter, with lengths up to 200 mm or more, though standard stock often limits to 80 mm for smaller sizes.[21] Thread specifications follow unified standards for reliability. Imperial carriage bolts use coarse threads per UNC (Unified National Coarse) series, with Class 2A fit, though UNF (Unified National Fine) options exist for precision applications.[19] They are partially threaded, with the threaded length standardized at twice the diameter plus 1/4 inch for bolts 6 inches or shorter, or plus 1/2 inch for longer ones, per ASME B18.5.[22] Grade markings indicate strength levels, though the domed head often limits visible top markings to manufacturer identifiers rather than standard grade symbols. ASTM A307 Grade A bolts, made from low-carbon steel, provide a minimum tensile strength of 60 ksi (414 MPa) and typically lack distinct head marks. SAE Grade 5, from medium-carbon steel, offers 120 ksi (827 MPa) tensile strength and may feature three radial lines if marked.[20][19] Dimensional tolerances ensure interchangeability and performance. The square neck, designed to prevent rotation by embedding in the material, has precise dimensions like a width across flats of 0.245 to 0.260 inches and depth of 0.125 to 0.156 inches for 1/4-inch bolts.[20]| Grade | Material | Minimum Tensile Strength | Typical Head Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| A307 Grade A | Low-carbon steel | 60 ksi (414 MPa) | None |
| SAE Grade 5 | Medium-carbon steel | 120 ksi (827 MPa) | 3 radial lines (if present) |
Materials
Common Types
Carriage bolts are predominantly manufactured from carbon steel, which is the most common material due to its balance of strength, availability, and cost-effectiveness. Carbon steel carriage bolts typically conform to ASTM A307 Grade A specification, which provides a minimum tensile strength of 60 ksi and is equivalent to SAE J429 Grade 2; this type features low to medium carbon content ranging from 0.15% to 0.30%, enabling tensile strengths typically of 60 ksi, though higher grades up to 120 ksi are available for specialized applications.[4][23][24] For applications requiring enhanced strength, alloy steel may be used in higher grades such as SAE J429 Grade 5 or Grade 8, though these are uncommon for carriage bolts; Grade 8, for example, undergoes heat treatment to achieve a tensile strength of 150 ksi. These alloys incorporate at least one of elements like chromium (minimum 0.30%) or molybdenum (minimum 0.20%) to improve hardenability and performance under high stress.[4][23][24] Stainless steel variants, primarily austenitic types 304 and 316, provide superior corrosion resistance and are favored in marine or outdoor environments. Type 304 consists of approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel, while type 316 includes 16% chromium, 10% nickel, and 2% molybdenum for added resistance to chlorides; both offer tensile strengths of 65 to 85 ksi and a minimum yield strength of 20 ksi in annealed conditions.[25][26] Mechanical properties of carriage bolts are governed by standards like SAE J429 for carbon and alloy steels and ASTM F593 for stainless steels, emphasizing proof load testing to verify load-bearing capacity without permanent deformation and wedge tensile tests, which insert a wedge under the head to simulate embedding forces unique to carriage bolt designs. Key properties include yield strength, such as 36 ksi minimum for Grade 2 carbon steel bolts over 3/4 inch, and hardness levels of Rockwell B 70 to 100 for lower grades. Ductility is assessed via elongation (e.g., 18% minimum for Grade 2) and reduction of area (35% minimum), ensuring the bolt can deform without fracturing under load.[23][27]| Material/Grade | Tensile Strength (ksi) | Yield Strength (ksi, min) | Hardness (Rockwell) | Elongation (% min) | Reduction of Area (% min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Steel (Grade 2, >3/4") | 60 | 36 | B70-B100 | 18 | 35 |
| Carbon Steel (Grade 5, 1/4-1") | 120 | 92 | C25-C34 | 14 | 35 |
| Alloy Steel (Grade 8, 1/4-1-1/2") | 150 | 130 | C33-C39 | 12 | 35 |
| Stainless Steel (304/316, Annealed) | 65-85 | 20 | B85 max | Varies by condition | Varies by condition |
