pintle

A pintle is a slender pin or bolt used as a pivot or anchor in a variety of mechanical assemblies. The term is most commonly associated with a hinge arrangement that also involves a gudgeon: the pintle is the pin that threads into or sits in a bearing, while the gudgeon is the corresponding socket or receptacle. Together they allow rotation about the axis of the pintle while keeping the moving parts aligned.

In hinge applications, pintles and gudgeons are found on doors, gates, shutters, and equipment housings. This simple pivot design provides durability and straightforward maintenance, and it can be adapted for vertical, horizontal, or offset axes. Pintles are often made of steel or stainless steel and may be hardened or corrosion-resistant for outdoor use.

Beyond hinges, pintles serve in mounting hardware and mechanical linkages that require a pivot or swivel. They can be used on mounting brackets for machinery, on naval or artillery mounts, and in certain pivoting supports where a low-friction rotation is needed. In fluid control, a pintle is a rod that moves within a valve seat to start or stop flow in a pintle valve; similar designs appear in nozzle and injector systems.

The word pintle likely derives from an English or French root related to pin or point, reflecting its role as a small, precise pivot element used across many engineering disciplines. Proper lubrication and appropriate material selection are important for longevity, especially in outdoor or high-load applications.