British Standard

A single copy of this

British Standard is licensed to
Giorgio Cavalieri
on March 07, 2001

This is an uncontrolled copy.

Ensure use of the most current
version of this standard by
searching British Standards Online
at bsonline.techindex.co.uk
 BRITISH STANDARD BS 4620:1970

Specification for

Rivets —
For general engineering purposes
Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

UDC 621.884
BS 4620:1970

Co-operating organizations

The Mechanical Engineering Industry Standards Committee, under whose

supervision this British Standard was prepared, consists of representatives
from the following Government departments and scientific and industrial
organizations:
Associated Offices’ Technical Committee Institution of Civil Engineers
Association of Consulting Engineers Institution of Gas Engineers
Association of Mining Electrical and Institution of Heating and Ventilating
Mechanical Engineers Engineers
Board of Trade Institution of Mechanical Engineers*
British Chemical Plant Manufacturers’ Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Association (Automobile Division)*
British Compressed Air Society Institution of Production Engineers
British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers’ Locomotive and Allied Manufacturers’
Association* Association of Great Britain*
British Gear Manufacturers’ Association London Transport Board
British Internal Combustion Engine Machine Tool Trades Association
Manufacturers’ Association Ministry of Defence
British Steel Industry* Ministry of Defence, Army Department
British Mechanical Engineering Confederation Ministry of Power
British Pump Manufacturers’ Association Ministry of Public Building and Works
Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Ministry of Technology
Administrations Ministry of Technology — National Engineering
Department of Employment and Productivity Laboratory
(H.M. Factory Inspectorate) Ministry of Transport*
Electricity Council, the Central Electricity National Coal Board
Generating Board and the Area Boards in National Physical Laboratory (Ministry of
England and Wales Technology)
Engineering Equipment Users’ Association Royal Institute of British Architects
Gas Council

The Government department and scientific and industrial organizations

marked with an asterisk in the above list, together with the following, were
directly represented on the committee entrusted with the preparation of this
British Standard.
Aluminium Federation Greater London Council
Association of British Railway Carriage and Institute of Iron and Steel Wire Manufacturers
Wagon Manufacturers Institution of Structural Engineers
Board of Trade Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
British Aluminium Holloware Manufacturers’ Ministry of Defence, Navy Department
Association North East Coast Institution of Engineers and
British Constructional Steelwork Association Shipbuilders
British Friction Materials Council Small Rivet Association
British Railways Board Society of British Aircraft Constructors
British Rivet Association Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
Bureau Veritas Ltd.
Copper Development Association
This British Standard, having
been approved by the
Mechanical Engineering
Industry Standards
Committee, was published
under the authority of the
Executive Board on
24 July 1970 Amendments issued since publication
© BSI 01-2000
Amd. No. Date Comments

The following BSI references

relate to the work on this
standard:
Committee reference MEE/44,
MEE/54, MEE/67
Draft for comment 68/26642

ISBN 0 580 06411 5

 BS 4620:1970

Contents

Page
Co-operating organizations Inside front cover
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 Definitions 1
3 Materials 1
4 Method of manufacture 1
5 Workmanship 1
6 Shapes of heads and shanks 1
Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

7 Radius under head 1

8 Dimensions and tolerances 1
Appendix A Tentative range of preferred nominal lengths
associated with shank diameters 9
Table 1 — Cold forged snap head rivets 2
Table 2 — Hot forged snap head rivets 3
Table 3 — Cold forged universal head rivets 4
Table 4 — Hot forged universal head rivets 5
Table 5 — Cold forged flat head rivets 6
Table 6 — Cold forged 90° countersunk head rivets 7
Table 7 — Hot forged 60° countersunk and raised countersunk
head rivets 8

© BSI 01-2000 i
BS 4620:1970

Foreword

This British Standard is published under the authority of the Mechanical

Engineering Industry Standards Committee and is for rivets to basic metric
dimensions. It is based on ISO/Recommendation ISO/R 10511). The snap head
rivet dimensions 14 mm diameter and above have been taken from DIN 1242).
The shapes of heads have been restricted to those in common use in this country.
A chart showing a tentative range of preferred nominal lengths in association
with shank diameters is included in Appendix A which will be reviewed in the
light of usage.
A British Standard does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users of British Standards are responsible for their correct application.

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Compliance with a British Standard does not of itself confer immunity
from legal obligations.

Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside front cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 9 and a back cover.
This standard has been updated (see copyright date) and may have had
amendments incorporated. This will be indicated in the amendment table on the
inside front cover.

1) ISO/R 1051:1969, “Rivet shank diameters (diameter range 1 mm to 36 mm)”.

2) DIN 124, “Round head rivets for steel structures”.

ii © BSI 01-2000
 BS 4620:1970

1 Scope 4 Method of manufacture

This British Standard specifies the materials, The rivets shall be made by hot or cold forging
dimensions and head shapes of rivets in metric sizes methods as specified in Table 1 to Table 7 as
ranging from 1 mm to 39 mm diameter intended for appropriate.
general engineering purposes.
5 Workmanship
2 Definitions The rivets shall be free from harmful defects.
For the purposes of this British Standard, the
following definitions apply: 6 Shapes of heads and shanks
Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

2.1 The heads of the rivets shall conform to the shapes

nominal diameter shown in Table 1 to Table 7 as appropriate.
the diameter of the shank
7 Radius under head
2.2
nominal length of rivets other than The radius under the head of the rivet shall run
countersunk or raised countersunk rivets smoothly into the face of the head and shank
without any step or discontinuity.
the length from the underside of the head to the end
of the shank
8 Dimensions and tolerances
2.3
8.1 The dimensions and tolerances for the rivets
nominal length of countersunk and raised
shall be in accordance with Table 1 to Table 7 as
countersunk rivets
appropriate.
the distance from the periphery of the head to the
8.2 A chart showing a tentative range of preferred
end of the rivet measured parallel to the axis of the
nominal lengths associated with shank diameters is
rivet
shown in Appendix A.
2.4
manufactured head
the head on the rivet as received from the
manufacturer

3 Materials
The rivets shall be made from mild steel, copper,
brass, pure aluminium, aluminium alloys or other
suitable metal.

© BSI 01-2000 1
BS 4620:1970

Table 1 — Cold forged snap head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal shank Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Tolerance on
diameter diameter diameter diameter depth head depth length
d d D D K K L
1 1.8 0.6
1.2 2.1 ±0.2 0.7 +0.2
1.6 2.8 1.0 –0.0
±0.07
2 3.5 1.2
+0.24 +0.5
2.5 4.4 ±0.24 1.5 –0.0 –0.0
3 5.3 1.8
(3.5) 6.1 2.1
+0.29
4 7 ±0.29 2.4 –0.0
5 ±0.09 8.8 3.0
6 10.5 3.6
+0.35
12.3 ±0.35 4.2
(7) –0.0 +0.8
14 4.8
8 ±0.11
–0.0
10 18 6.0
21 7.2 +0.42
12 25 ±0.42 8.4 +1.0
(14) ±0.14 –0.0
28 9.6 –0.0
16
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

2 © BSI 01-2000
 BS 4620:1970

Table 2 — Hot forged snap head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal shank Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Tolerance on
diameter diameter diameter diameter depth head depth length
d d D D K K L
(14) 22 9 +1.0
+1.0
16 ±0.43 25 ±1.25 10 –0.0
–0.0
(18) 28 11.5
20 32 13 +1.6
+1.5 –0.0
(22) ±0.52 36 ±1.8 14 –0.0
24 40 16
(27) 43 17
+2.0
30 48 ±2.5 19 –0.0 +3.0
(33) ±0.62 53 21
–0.0
36 58 23 +2.5
±3.0
(39) 62 25 –0.0
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

© BSI 01-2000 3
BS 4620:1970

Table 3 — Cold forged universal head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal Tolerance Nominal Tolerance Tolerance
Nominal Tolerance
shank on head on on head Radius Radius
head depth on length
diameter diameter diameter diameter depth
d d D D K K R r L
1 2 0.4 +0.2 3.0 0.6
1.2 2.4 ±0.2 0.5 –0.0 3.6 0.7
1.6 3.2 0.6 4.8 1.0
±0.07
2 4 0.8 +0.24 6.0 1.2
±0.24
2.5 5 1.0 –0.0 7.5 1.5 +0.5
3 6 1.2 9.0 1.8 –0.0
(3.5) 7 1.4 10.5 2.1
+0.29
4 8 ±0.29 1.6 –0.0 12 2.4
±0.09
5 10 2.0 15 3.0
6 12 2.4 18 3.6
+0.35
(7) 14 ±0.35 2.8 –0.0 21 4.2
8 ±0.11 16 3.2 24 4.8 +0.8
10 20 4.0 30 6 –0.0
+0.42
12 24 ±0.42 4.8 36 7.2
–0.0
(14) ±0.14 28 5.6 42 8.4
+1.0
16 32 ±0.5 6.4 +0.5 48 9.6 –0.0
–0.0
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

4 © BSI 01-2000
 BS 4620:1970

Table 4 — Hot forged universal head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal Tolerance Nominal Tolerance Tolerance

Nominal Tolerance
shank on head on on head Radius Radius
head depth on length
diameter diameter diameter diameter depth
d d D D K K R r L
(14) 28 5.6 42 8.4 +1.0
+0.7
16 ±0.43 32 ±1.8 6.4 48 9.6 –0.0
–0.0
(18) 36 7.2 54 11
20 40 8.0 60 12 +1.6
+0.9 –0.0
(22) ±0.52 44 ±2.5 8.8 –0.0 66 13
24 48 9.6 72 14
(27) 54 10.8 81 16
+1.3
30 60 ±3.0 12.0 –0.0 90 18
+3.0
(33) ±0.62 66 13.2 99 20
–0.0
36 72 14.4 +1.6 108 22
±4.0
(39) 78 15.6 –0.0 117 23
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

© BSI 01-2000 5
BS 4620:1970

Table 5 — Cold forged flat head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal shank Tolerance Nominal head Nominal head Tolerance on
diameter on diameter diameter depth length
d d D K L
1 2 0.25
1.2 2.4 0.3
1.6 3.2 0.4
±0.07
2 4 0.5
2.5 5 0.6 +0.5
3 6 0.8 –0.0
(3.5) 7 0.9
4 8 1.0
±0.09
5 10 1.3
6 12 1.5
(7) 14 1.8
+0.8
8 ±0.11 16 2 –0.0
10 20 2.5
NOTE 1 Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.
NOTE 2 Tolerances for head diameter and head depth are not specified.

6 © BSI 01-2000
 BS 4620:1970

Table 6 — Cold forged 90° countersunk head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal shank Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Tolerance on

diameter diameter diameter diameter length
d d D D L
1 2 +0.0
1.2 2.4 –0.4
1.6 3.2
±0.07
2 4 +0.0
2.5 5 –0.48
+0.5
3 6 –0.0

(3.5) 7
+0.0
4 8 –0.58
±0.09
5 10
6 12
14 +0.0
(7) –0.7
8 ±0.11 16 +0.8
10 20 +0.0 –0.0
±0.14 24 –1.3
12
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

© BSI 01-2000 7
BS 4620:1970

Table 7 — Hot forged 60° countersunk and raised countersunk head rivets

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

Nominal shank Tolerance on Nominal head Tolerance on Tolerance on Tolerance on
Height of raise
diameter diameter diameter diameter raise length

d d D D W W L

(14) 21 2.8 +1.0

+0.35
16 ±0.43 24 ±1.25 3.2 –0.0
–0.0
(18) 27 3.6
20 30 4.0 +1.6
+0.45 –0.0
(22) ±0.52 33 ±1.8 4.4 –0.0
24 36 4.8
(27) 40 5.4
+0.6
30 45 ±2.5 6.0 –0.0
+3.0
(33) ±0.62 50 6.6
–0.0
36 55 7.2 +0.8
±3.0
(39) 59 7.8 –0.0
NOTE Rivet sizes shown in brackets are non-preferred.

8 © BSI 01-2000
 Appendix A Tentative range of preferred nominal lengths associated with shank diameters
© BSI 01-2000
Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

All dimensions are in millimetres

Nom. Nominal length
stank (105 (115 (125
dia. 3 4 5 6 8 10 12 14 16 (18) 20 (22) 25 (28) 30 (32) 35 (38) 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 (95) 100
)
110
)
120
)
130 140 150 160 170 180

1 X X X X X X X X X X
1.2 X X X X X X X X X X
1.6 X X X X X X X X X X X X
2 X X X X X X X X X X X X
2.5 X X X X X X X X X X X X
3 X X X X X X X X X X X X
(3.5)
4 X X X X X X X X X
5 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
6 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
(7)
8 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
10 X X X X X X X X X X X X X
12 X X X X X X X
(14)
16 X X X X X X X
(18)
20 X X X X
(22)
24 X X X X X
(27)
30 X X X X X
(33)
36 X X X X
(39) X X X X X
NOTE 1 Sizes and lengths shown in brackets are non-preferred and should be avoided if possible.

BS 4620:1970
NOTE 2 The inclusion of dimensional data in this standard is not intended to imply that all of the products described are stock production sizes. The purchaser is requested to consult with
the manufacturer concerning lists of stock production sizes.
9
BS 4620:1970

BSI — British Standards Institution

BSI is the independent national body responsible for preparing
British Standards. It presents the UK view on standards in Europe and at the
international level. It is incorporated by Royal Charter.

Revisions

British Standards are updated by amendment or revision. Users of

British Standards should make sure that they possess the latest amendments or
editions.

It is the constant aim of BSI to improve the quality of our products and services.
We would be grateful if anyone finding an inaccuracy or ambiguity while using
this British Standard would inform the Secretary of the technical committee

Licensed Copy: Giorgio Cavalieri, ALSTOM, 7-Mar-01, Uncontrolled Copy. © BSI

responsible, the identity of which can be found on the inside front cover.
Tel: 020 8996 9000. Fax: 020 8996 7400.

BSI offers members an individual updating service called PLUS which ensures
that subscribers automatically receive the latest editions of standards.

Buying standards

Orders for all BSI, international and foreign standards publications should be
addressed to Customer Services. Tel: 020 8996 9001. Fax: 020 8996 7001.

In response to orders for international standards, it is BSI policy to supply the

BSI implementation of those that have been published as British Standards,
unless otherwise requested.

Information on standards

BSI provides a wide range of information on national, European and

international standards through its Library and its Technical Help to Exporters
Service. Various BSI electronic information services are also available which give
details on all its products and services. Contact the Information Centre.
Tel: 020 8996 7111. Fax: 020 8996 7048.

Subscribing members of BSI are kept up to date with standards developments

and receive substantial discounts on the purchase price of standards. For details
of these and other benefits contact Membership Administration.
Tel: 020 8996 7002. Fax: 020 8996 7001.

Copyright

Copyright subsists in all BSI publications. BSI also holds the copyright, in the
UK, of the publications of the international standardization bodies. Except as
permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 no extract may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means – electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior written
permission from BSI.

This does not preclude the free use, in the course of implementing the standard,
of necessary details such as symbols, and size, type or grade designations. If these
details are to be used for any other purpose than implementation then the prior
written permission of BSI must be obtained.

If permission is granted, the terms may include royalty payments or a licensing

agreement. Details and advice can be obtained from the Copyright Manager.
BSI Tel: 020 8996 7070.
389 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 4AL