Help to name this type of washer

[Joe Smith]

I need some help with the name of a particular type of washer.

Imagine a piece of metal (say the front flap of a wall-mounted floodlight) where two bolts are used to retain the flap. Each bolt might fall but there is a washer (rubber in this case) which holds it in place.

What is the term used to described that washer?

I thought it might be called a "retaining washer" but it seems from web illustrations that retaining washers are something else.

[Phil Anthropist]

"Joe Smith" wrote;

Grommets?

[Bikini Whacks]

If it's made of rubber you may be looking at a grommet.

[dom]

Are you describing a narrow shanked bolt, that remains captive but slide-abouty after threaded through the "washer"?

[Lobster]

Sounds like small 0-rings to me.

David

[Guy King]

The message from Joe Smith contains these words:

It's just an O-ring usually, turns a screw into a captive screw.

[thoss]

I'd call it a captive washer. But there's probably nothing special about the washer except that it has to have the right internal diameter: it's the bolt that's special, in that it has a narrow section without thread.

[Bob Eager]

Or a circlip, in some cases.

[Spiny Norma]

We used fibre washers with hole size that would lock onto the screw. Just used ordinary full screws.

[Jamie]

paper washers?, normally paper washers with a small hole where the screw and be set into it to prevent the screw from falling out is used.

[Joe Smith]

Essentially, yes.

Does that help?

[Ian Ozenthroat]

I propose we call it Wally, wally the washer, sounds cute.