Nuts, Bolts, And A Wide Array Of Screws

Machines have been invented time and again and dominate the world today. These machines are devices that increase the energy that is exerted by a person to help in certain tasks. Machines that do not have moving parts are referred to as simple machines. Bolts and nuts fall under this category and are kinds of screws.

By definition a screw is a cylindrical rod with one or more spiral threads that are notched throughout the cylinder. Screws have two parts which are the head and the shank and all throughout the shank, threads can be found. The head is almost always larger than the body or the shank of the screw and is specially formed to allow the screw to be driven or turned. The shank in most cases is tipped. Bolts and nuts usually come in pairs since unlike screws; the end of the bolt is of the same diameter as the shank and needs a nut at the end. The bolts are inserted through holes of assembled parts and fastened more securely with the nuts.

There are many kinds of bolts and nuts and these are carriage bolts, square head bolts, expansion bolts, J bolts and even U bolts. The kinds of nuts that correspond with a specific bolt are called cap nuts, spring nuts, hexagonal nuts, etc. In the case of a carriage bolt, the heads of these bolts are domed and are not designed to be driven so when they are fixed through something, usually wood, it does not turn when the nut is tightened. On the other hand, and J bolts and U bolts do not have heads at all. There are also hex bolts and nuts wherein the head is designed to be turned using a wrench. Tap bolts and nuts are simple machines that are meant to be threaded all the way to the head so that water can be turned off.

The eye bolts and nuts are kind of screws that just have its head in a loop shape. The loop may be used for securing ropes or wires to the wall for example. Toggle bolts and nuts have a unique nut called the wing. This wing is spring loaded and it expands after the bolt has been bored through the hole. Bolts and nuts referred to as stove bolts have round or flat heads and like the tap bolts, are threaded to the head and used to put together sheet metal parts with a hex or square nut. Bolts and nuts equipped with a spring are bolts designed to be pulled back and returned to its normal position by the spring when the spring is released.

There is actually only a few distinguishing markers between a screw and a bolt. Sometimes, depending on the size, a small screw is called a screw and larger ones are referred to as bolts. Screws or bolts and nuts, both kinds of simple machines, working alone or in pairs but still very, very useful to man in making their lives easier.