Which washer is designed to prevent a nut from shaking loose?

Which washer is designed to prevent a nut from shaking loose?

• A. Lock Washer
• B. Spring Washer
• C. Special Washer
• D. Plain Washer

Answer: (A)

Lock washers are designed to keep fasteners from turning loose when subjected to vibration. They achieve this by adding a locking action: the teeth or the split shape bite into the nut and the surface, creating extra friction and a slight deformation that resists rotation. This binding helps prevent the nut from backing off as parts move or shake. A plain washer only distributes load and does not provide any locking action. A spring washer adds some tension to resist loosening, but its effectiveness can diminish as it relaxes under load. A special washer may serve other functions, but it isn’t specifically designed to prevent a nut from shaking loose. So the lock washer is the best choice for preventing loosening.

Lock washers are designed to keep fasteners from turning loose when subjected to vibration. They achieve this by adding a locking action: the teeth or the split shape bite into the nut and the surface, creating extra friction and a slight deformation that resists rotation. This binding helps prevent the nut from backing off as parts move or shake. A plain washer only distributes load and does not provide any locking action. A spring washer adds some tension to resist loosening, but its effectiveness can diminish as it relaxes under load. A special washer may serve other functions, but it isn’t specifically designed to prevent a nut from shaking loose. So the lock washer is the best choice for preventing loosening.