What type of nut can be tightened by hand due to its flanges on each side?

A wing nut is designed with two large, protruding "wings" or flanges on either side, allowing it to be easily tightened or loosened by hand without the need for tools. This design facilitates quick adjustments and makes it ideal for applications where frequent fastening and unfastening are necessary. The ergonomic shape of the wings provides a firm grip, ensuring that users can adequately apply the required torque with their fingers.

In contrast, other types of nuts, such as cap nuts or hex nuts, typically require a wrench or specialized tool to secure them tightly. Cap nuts have a closed top and offer some protection for the threaded end of a bolt but lack the hand-tightening feature. Hex nuts have a standard hexagonal shape, necessitating the use of a wrench for proper gripping. Barrel nuts are used primarily in specific applications like furniture assembly and do not have the same convenient hand-tightening capability as wing nuts.