GB2060136A

GB2060136A - Hooke's Joints

Info

Publication number: GB2060136A
Application number: GB8031922A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BRD Co Ltd
Current assignee: BRD Co Ltd
Priority date: 1979-10-06
Filing date: 1980-10-03
Publication date: 1981-04-29
Also published as: GB2060136B

Abstract

An assembly of a cruciform member of a hooke's joint and a pair of bearing cups on opposed limbs thereof comprises a retaining member 24, 25 or 26 which engages the bearing cups 17, 18 to retain them on the cruciform member and which is so formed and positioned that it can remain in position during and subsequent to installation or the assembly. The retaining member may be a resilient wire element 24, the ends of which are hooked over and engage in circlip grooves in the bearing cups. The retaining member may form part of circlips, engage over circlips, engage over the ends of bearing cups, be spot welded to the cruciform member or be provided one for each bearing cup. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hookes Universal Joints This invention relates to Hookes type universal joints. More particularly, the invention relates to an assembly of the cruciform member of a Hookes joint and at least one pair of bearing cups on opposed limbs thereof.

An assembly of this type commonly is supplied to vehicle manufacturers as part of a package of a shaft element and one yoke of a Hookes joint which carries, in one pair of bearing cups received in the yoke, the cruciform member of the joint, the other pair of limbs of the cruciform member having bearing cups which are to be installed in a corresponding yoke member connected to another drive train component of a vehicle. The corresponding yoke member usually has each of its limbs provided with a removable cap or strap so that the bearing cups are assembled to this yoke in a direction parallel to the rotary axis thereof. Correct positioning of the bearing cups in the corresponding yoke is provided by circlips or the like on the bearing cups which abut locating surfaces on the limbs of the yoke when the assembly is complete.The package is usually supplied with a retaining strap around the cruciform member which holds the two free bearing cups in position on it prior to installation, but this would interfere with the assembly operation and therefore must be removed for the operation. This is a disadvantage because the bearing cups can then fall from their limbs of the cruciform member until the installation has actually been completed. It has also been proposed to weld a retaining strap across the two free bearing cups at a position which does not interfere with the assembly operation, but this is undesirable because the welding operation may affect the heat treatment or other metallurgical properties of the bearing cup. Also, if it is desired to remove the bearing cups for any reason, the retaining member must be cut.

According to the present invention, there is provided an assembly of a cruciform member of a hookes joint and a pair of bearing cups on opposed limbs thereof, wherein there is provided at least one retaining member engaging the bearing cups on the limbs of the cruciform member to retain them thereon, and so formed and positioned that said retaining member can remain in place during the subsequent to installation of the assembly.

One form of retaining member may be a resilient wire element the ends of which are hooked over parts of circlips which engage the bearing cups. Alternatively the retaining member may be formed integrally with circlips which engage recesses in the bearing cups.

In a further embodiment of the invention a retaining member may comprise a length of sheet metal, welded to the cruciform member at its centre and provided at its ends with hook formations which engage the bearing cups. If the bearing cups are provided with circlips for location purposes, the hook formations may engage in the circlip grooves of the bearing cups.

Two individual sheet metal elements may be employed, one for each bearing cup.

By this means the difficulties which can arise due to falling of the bearing cups from the limbs of the cruciform member are obviated.

Conveniently the retaining member may form part of the means for positioning the bearing cups relative to the corresponding yoke element.

Various forms of such retaining member are described hereafter.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the installation of an assembly embodying the invention, Figures 2 to 5 illustrate alternative forms of the retaining member according to the invention, Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the installation of an assembly embodying a further modification of the invention; and Figure 7 is a more detailed view of the retaining member as shown in Figure 6.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a shaft element 10 to the end of which is welded one yoke 11 of a hookes joint, the yoke having axially extending limbs 12, 13 of which limb 13 is illustrated as broken away to reveal detail of the joint. The limbs 12, 13 have apertures in which are received bearing cups pivotably receiving a pair of opposed limbs of the cruciform member 14 of the joint. One such bearing cup is shown at 15, held in limb 13 by a circlip 16. The other pair of limbs of the cruciform member 14 are provided with bearing cups 1 7, 18, and all these components are commonly supplied as a package assembled as shown, to e.g., a vehicle manufacturer.

The package is installed in, e.g., a motor vehicle by connecting the bearing cups 17, 18 to the corresponding yoke 19 of the joint. The limbs of the yoke 19 are provided with removable caps or straps 20, 21 which may as illustrated be bolted to the limbs of the yoke. Thus the package is assembled axially to the yoke 1 9 and caps 20, 21 subsequently fitted to retain them in position.

Means such as circlips 22, 23 on the bearing cups 17, 1 8 cooperate with locating formations on the limbs of the yoke 19 to ensure accurate positioning of the bearing cups.

In order to prevent the bearing cups 17, 1 8 from falling off their limbs of the cruciform member during installation, the present invention provides that a retaining member connects the bearing cups to hold them in position on the cruciform member. In Figure 1, this retaining member takes the form of a resilient wire element 24 the ends of which are hooked over parts of the circlips. The positioning of the wire 24 is such that it does not interfere with either the operation of installation of the bearing cups in yoke 19 or the subsequent operation of the joint.

Alternative forms of retaining member for holding the bearing cups in position on the cruciform member of the joint are shown in Figures 2 to 6. In Figure 2, a retaining strap 25 of, e.g., spring steel is hooked over parts of the circlips which embrace the bearing cups. Figures 3 and 4 show two alternative forms of retaining member integral with circlips, of a configuration permitting some resilience to facilitate assembly to the bearing cups. Figure 5 shows a strap 26 which is not springy but is flexible to permit length adjustment.

In Figure 6 parts corresponding to those in Figure 1 are indicated by like reference numerals with the addition of 100. A retaining member 24 comprises-a thin strip of sheet metal, welded to the cruciform member at its centre (27). The free ends of the retaining member are formed as hooks 28, 29 which engage in the grooves which accommodate the circlips 22, 23. The bearing cups are thus retained on the cruciform member, but can be removed by disengagement of the hook formations if desired. In possible modifications, the retaining member may engage over the circlip itself rather than in the circlip groove, or even over the end of the bearing cup if the design of the assembled joint is such that there is no hindrance to the retaining members remaining in such a position. The retaining member may be welded, e.g. spot welded, to the cruciform member before or after the bearing cups are put onto the limbs thereof. Two retaining members may be provided, each one retaining one pair of bearing cups, and the two retaining members may be on the same or opposite sides of the cruciform member. It would also be possible for a retaining member to be provided for each bearing cup individually.

As illustrated, the circlips 22, 23 only cover slightly more than half the circumference of the bearing cups. They can thus be pushed onto the bearing cups from the side, possibly subsequent to installation of the bearing cups in the yoke member. The bearing cups can twist freely on the limbs of the cruciform member, up to the limit positions at which the ends of the circlip abut the retaining member.

Claims

1. An assembly of a cruciform member of a hookes joint and a pair of bearing cups on opposed limbs thereof, wherein there is provided at least one retaining member engaging the bearing cups on the limbs of the cruciform member to retain them thereon, and so formed and positioned that said retaining member can remain in place during and subsequent to installation of the assembly.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the means for positioning the bearing cups on the opposed limbs comprises circlips fitted to the bearing cups, and the retaining member connects said circlips.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the retaining member is formed integrally with said circlips.

4. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the retaining member comprises a length of sheet metal welded at its centre to the cruciform member and provided at its ends with hook formations which engage the bearing cups.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4 wherein the hook formations engage in circlip grooves formed in the bearing cups.

6. An assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figure 1, or as modified in accordance with Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

7. An assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.