Look up ferrule in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A ferrule (a
corruption of
Latinviriola "small bracelet", under the influence of ferrum "iron") is any of a number of types of objects, generally used for fastening, joining, sealing, or reinforcement. They are often narrow circular rings made from metal, or less commonly, plastic. Ferrules are also often referred to as eyelets or
grommets within the
manufacturing industry.[1]
Most ferrules consist of a circular
clamp used to hold together and attach
fibers,
wires, or posts, generally by crimping,
swaging, or otherwise deforming the ferrule to permanently tighten it onto the parts that it holds.
Examples
The sleeve, usually plastic or metal, on the end of a shoelace, preventing it from unraveling (called the
aglet)
The metal sleeve which is crimped to hold the
eraser in place on a
pencil
The metal band that binds the bristles or hair of a
brush to its handle
The metal ring which holds a
chisel blade's
tang to its handle
In
fiber optic terminations, glass or plastic fibers are bonded to precision
ferrule connectors (FCs), also described as fiber channel connectors, and polished for splitting or connecting two fibers together.[2]
The metal spike at the end of the shaft of an
ice axe
The margin of a cast crown that stabilizes root-canal-treated teeth in restorative dentistry[3]
A ferrule, in respect to
dentistry, is a band that encircles the external dimension of residual tooth structure, not unlike the metal bands that exist around a barrel. This is also known as the
ferrule effect.
The bottom end of a flag stick on a golf course, which fits snugly into the hole in a cup
The plastic sleeve that adorns the bottom of a steel or graphite
golf club shaft just above the club head hosel. Originally designed to protect the shaft from damaging vibrations, it is now used mainly for aesthetic purposes.
The metal band used to prevent the end of a wooden instrument or tool from splitting
The semi-circular metal band that holds in place the fibers on the
frog of a
bow for an instrument in the
violin family
Compression fittings for attaching tubing (piping) commonly have ferrules (sometimes called olives, especially in the UK) in them to make a liquid-tight connection
The cap at the end of a
cane or
umbrella as well as the ring, often crimped, sometimes pinned, that prevents an umbrella's canopy from sliding off the end when open