What are Chicago screws? From Yuhuang Electronic Technology

九月 23, 2017

Chicago screws, which are also known as a barrel nut, barrel bolt, sex bolt, post and screw or connector bolt. Chicago screws is a type of fastener (nut) which has a barrel-shaped flange and protruding boss that is internally threaded. The boss sits within the components being fastened, the flange provides the bearing surface. The sex bolt and accompanying machine screw sit flush on either side of the surfaces being fastened. It is normally chosen because of its low profile compared to other nuts. The sex bolt often has a built-in feature, such as a slot, to aid in tightening the fastener. Some sex bolts, more commonly known as ‘architectural bolts’, have knurled barrels to allow one-sided assembly. ‘Binding posts’ are similar to architectural bolts in that they are designed to be assembled from one side, but they have teeth on the flanged surface to keep them fixed.

A sex bolt is a mating fastener combining a fastener (nut) with a fastener (screw). The sex bolt consists of a female (internally) threaded barrel (nut) and a male (externally) threaded screw. Both the barrel and screw have heads designed to clamp (bind) material between the head of the barrel and the head of the screw, or to bridge the gap between two parts.

Due to their overwhelming versatility, Chicago screws make a great fit for most DIY projects. For example, take the place of the permanently sewn on thread, and allow you to swap out different belt buckles with the same leather strap. These binding screws are crucial for many people in the medical, food, and entertainment industries. Originally created and used within the bookbinding industry, the adaptability and usefulness of these screws has greatly increased their popularity.

Technical guide to mating fasteners

Barrel Diameter: mating fasteners often are going through pre-drilled holes. The barrel diameter should be slightly less than the installation hole.
Barrel Length: the barrel length is measured from underneath the head to the end of the barrel. Normally the length of the barrel is shorter than the thickness of the material being clamped. Another common term is ‘grip length’ which is the thickness of the material that a mating bolt can effectively fasten or clamp.
Thread Size: length and thread class fit for both barrel and screw. The more thread depth, the more difficult these parts are to manufacture, and the more expensive.
Head Style: the most common head style for a mating fastener is a ‘truss’ head. Other head styles are button, flat, grommet, hex head, large truss, low profile, oval, rivet and T-head
Drive Systems: mating fasteners are available in a variety of drives such as slotted, socket, Phillips, combination Phillips/slotted as well as tamper-resistant drives: one way, 6-lobe with pin and drilled spanner
Material & Finish: mating fasteners are available in aluminum, steel, brass, copper, stainless steel and plastic materials. Barrels and screws are available anodized, zinc-plated, brass-plated, chrome-plated, bronze-plated, nickel-plated and black-oxide finish.

About Yuhuang Electronic Technology

Yuhuang- Manufacturer, supplier and exporter of screws. Yuhuang offers a wide selection of specialized screws. Whether its indoor or outdoor applications, hardwoods or softwoods. Including machine screw, self tapping screws, captive screw, sealing screws, set screw, thumb screw, sems screw, brass screws, stainless steel screws, security screws and more. Yuhuang is well known for the capabilities to manufacture custom screws. Our highly skilled team will work closely with customers to provide solutions.