GB2208698A - Universal joint - Google Patents

Universal joint Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2208698A
GB2208698A GB8824437A GB8824437A GB2208698A GB 2208698 A GB2208698 A GB 2208698A GB 8824437 A GB8824437 A GB 8824437A GB 8824437 A GB8824437 A GB 8824437A GB 2208698 A GB2208698 A GB 2208698A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
joint member
joint
balls
inner joint
plunger
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB8824437A
Other versions
GB8824437D0 (en
GB2208698B (en
Inventor
Daniel Wesley Hazebrook
Steven Charles Hahn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GKN Driveline North America Inc
Original Assignee
GKN Automotive Components Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by GKN Automotive Components Inc filed Critical GKN Automotive Components Inc
Priority to GB8824437A priority Critical patent/GB2208698B/en
Publication of GB8824437D0 publication Critical patent/GB8824437D0/en
Publication of GB2208698A publication Critical patent/GB2208698A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2208698B publication Critical patent/GB2208698B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
    • B25B23/00—Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers
    • B25B23/0007—Connections or joints between tool parts
    • B25B23/0035—Connection means between socket or screwdriver bit and tool
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
    • B25B13/00—Spanners; Wrenches
    • B25B13/02—Spanners; Wrenches with rigid jaws
    • B25B13/06—Spanners; Wrenches with rigid jaws of socket type
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
    • B25B23/00—Details of, or accessories for, spanners, wrenches, screwdrivers
    • B25B23/0007—Connections or joints between tool parts
    • B25B23/0014—Screwdriver- or wrench-heads provided with cardan joints or the like
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16D—COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
    • F16D3/00—Yielding couplings, i.e. with means permitting movement between the connected parts during the drive
    • F16D3/16—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts
    • F16D3/20—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members
    • F16D3/22—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts
    • F16D3/221—Universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts one coupling part entering a sleeve of the other coupling part and connected thereto by sliding or rolling members the rolling members being balls, rollers, or the like, guided in grooves or sockets in both coupling parts the rolling members being located in sockets in one of the coupling parts

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Abstract

A quickly disconnectable torque transmitting universal joint, which is a constant velocity joint up to a certain angle of articulation, comprising an inner joint member 77 having circumferentially spaced apertures, balls 83 received in the apertures for unrestricted rotation therein and an outer joint member 75 with internal circumferentially spaced rectilinear grooves 79 in which the balls engage for torque transmission between the joint members. The outer joint member is deformed to retain the inner joint member in driving engagement with it. The balls are supported by a spring-loaded plunger 81, axial movement of the plunger against its spring permitting the balls to move radially inwardly and the inner joint member to be removed from the outer joint member. <IMAGE>

Description

UNIVERSAL JOINT This invention relates to a universal joint, for establishing a torque transmitting connection between drive and driven members. More particularly, the invention relates to a quickly disconnectable universal joint.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved quickly disconnectable universal joint.
According to the invention, we provide a quickly disconnectable universal joint for transmitting torque comprising in combination: a hollow inner joint member; aperture means in said inner joint member; a spring mounted plunger mounted interior of said inner joint member; a plurality of balls received in said aperture means for unrestricted movements therein, and supported by said plunger; and an outer joint member having groove means therein to receive said balls.
A joint according to the invention will remain a constant velocity joint until it is articulated beyond an angle of approximately eight degrees, which is adequate for a large number of uses of the invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a universal joint of the present invention used as a wrench drive; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a universal joint embodying the present invention being used in a power take-off system; Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section of a single universal joint having the quick-disconnect device of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a view as Figure 3 but showing the operation of the quick-disconnect device.
Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is shown a ratchet wrench 23 having a universal joint, generally designated by the numeral 20, included as an integral part thereof. The constant velocity joint 20 may be considered to be of the quick disconnect type, as hereinafter described, with the disconnect device being actuated by a spring-loaded push button 23a. The joint 20 itself is made up of an outer joint member 22 and an inner joint or pintle member 21. The wrench 23 with the integral inner joint member 21 may be part of a set which includes a multiplicity of different sizes of sockets each of which can interchangeably be assembled to the inner joint member 21 to serve as an outer joint member.
It is, of course, also contemplated that other tools, such as screwdriver type tools, pneumatic wrenches and other tools, and electric wrenches and other tools can be constructed with an integral universal joint.
There is shown in Figure 2 a situation where a universal joint of the present invention is used as a power take-off. A source of power such as a farm tractor or other vehicle is illustrated by the numeral 33, towingly connected to a power actuated attachment 34.
The implement 33 provides a driving force for the operation of the power attachment 34. In this case, a quick disconnect, single universal joint 37 is utilised in providing this driving force.
Figures 3 and 4 show a version of the constant velocity universal joint of the present invention having two balls, but it should be understood that versions having three or four balls, such as those just described, or any practical number, may also be constructed in this manner.
In the quick-disconnect universal joint shown in Figures 3 and 4, there is an outer joint member 5 having a plurality of part-cylindrical rectilinear grooves 79 in which balls 83 are received, the balls occupying apertures in inner joint member 77. Deformations 76 are provided for retaining the inner joint member, but in this instance the inner joint member 77, because of its construction, can permit balls 83 to move inwardly toward the centre of the joint a distance sufficient to clear the deformations 76. This is accomplished by having the inner joint member hollow in construction and provided with a plunger 81 having an inclined surface 81a against which the balls 83 rest. The plunger 81 is received in the hollow interior of the inner joint member 77 and is retained in its retracted position by a compression spring 82 which is shown in its normally extended position in Figure 5. The spring 82 is retained between a bearing portion 85 on the interior of the inner joint member and a land 87 provided on the plunger 81, so that when the plunger is pushed in a direction toward the outer joint member 75, the spring 82 will compress allowing the plunger to move axially towards the outer joint member, and the balls 83 to move towards the axis of the plunger. Because of the dimensions of the plunger, the balls 83 move inwardly sufficiently to clear the deformations 76, thus allowing the disassembly of the inner joint member 77 from the outer joint member 75, as illustrated in Figure 16.

Claims (9)

1. A quickly disconnectable universal joint for transmitting torque, comprising in combination: a hollow inner joint member; aperture means in said inner joint member; a spring mounted plunger mounted interior of said inner joint member; a plurality of balls received in said aperture means for unrestricted movements therein, and supported by said plunger; and an outer joint member having groove means therein to receive said balls.
2. A joint according to Claim 1, further comprising means to maintain said inner joint member in driving engagement with said outer joint member.
3. A joint according to Claim 2 wherein, when said plunger means mounted in said inner joint is actuated, said balls are able to move inwardly toward each other and disengage said means to maintain said inner joint member in driving engagement with said outer joint member.
4. A joint according to Claim 3 wherein said means to maintain said inner joint member in driving engagement with said outer joint member includes a plurality of deformations about the circumference of said outer joint member.
5. A joint according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said plurality of balls are circumferentially equidistantly spaced about said joint.
6. A joint according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said groove means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced rectilinear grooves.
7. A universal joint substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
8. A tool drive comprising a universal joint according to any one of the preceding claims.
9. A power take-off system comprising a universal joint according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.
GB8824437A 1985-02-22 1988-10-19 Universal joint Expired GB2208698B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8824437A GB2208698B (en) 1985-02-22 1988-10-19 Universal joint

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US70419685A 1985-02-22 1985-02-22
GB8824437A GB2208698B (en) 1985-02-22 1988-10-19 Universal joint

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8824437D0 GB8824437D0 (en) 1988-11-23
GB2208698A true GB2208698A (en) 1989-04-12
GB2208698B GB2208698B (en) 1989-08-16

Family

ID=26294532

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8824437A Expired GB2208698B (en) 1985-02-22 1988-10-19 Universal joint

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2208698B (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2691769A1 (en) * 1992-05-26 1993-12-03 Gkn Automotive Ag CV joint and its manufacturing process.
GB2343232A (en) * 1998-10-27 2000-05-03 Rover Group Motor vehicle drive shafts

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2691769A1 (en) * 1992-05-26 1993-12-03 Gkn Automotive Ag CV joint and its manufacturing process.
US5451185A (en) * 1992-05-26 1995-09-19 Gkn Automotive Ag Constant velocity universal ball joint and method of producing such a joint
USRE35995E (en) * 1992-05-26 1998-12-15 Gkn Automotive Ag Constant velocity universal ball joint
US5852864A (en) * 1992-05-26 1998-12-29 Gkn Automotive Ag Constant velocity universal ball joint and method of producing such a joint
GB2343232A (en) * 1998-10-27 2000-05-03 Rover Group Motor vehicle drive shafts
GB2343232B (en) * 1998-10-27 2003-04-02 Rover Group A motor vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8824437D0 (en) 1988-11-23
GB2208698B (en) 1989-08-16

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19960214