GB883896A - Ball joints - Google Patents

Abstract

883,896. Ball joints. ALEXANDER, L. W. Nov. 25, 1958, No. 37905/58. Class 65(2). A ball joint comprises first and second cupped shells 32, 34 (Fig. 2) of resilient material (e.g. resilient sheet steel) having concave part-spherical bearing surfaces facing one another and transversely-projecting rim portions 36, 52 spaced apart from one another. the first shell being mountable in an aperture 40 in a support 16 with its rim portion abutting the support and a ball member 24 being disposed in rocking engagement with the bearing surfaces and secured to an elongated ball pin 18 extending through an aperture 50 in the second shell, means (e.g. a ring 58) engageable with the rim portion of the second shell being provided for urging the ball member into resilient engagement with the first shell. The ring 58 is adjustably spaced from the support 16 by bolts 69. The rim portion 36 comprises circumferentially spaced quadrant flanges 38 separated by integral upturned lugs 46 engageable with the walls of the aperture 40 to provide resilient lateral support to the shell 32. The ball member 24 is formed by sintering powdered synthetic plastic material (e.g. nylon) around the head 20 of the pin 18. In a modification apertures 50 are formed in both shells and the ball member 24 is formed on a rod which extends out of both apertures and is roughened or provided with an annular enlargement to anchor the ball member thereon. In a further modification the rims include cupped annular spring washers located between the flanges 38, 52 and the support 16 and ring 58 respectively. In the joint shown in Fig. 6, the rims comprise flanges 144, 146 on the shells 148, 150 respectively, and spring washers 136, 138. Laminated shims 160 are located between the flanges so that the tightness of the ball member 24 within the shells is controlled independently of the spring load imposed by the washers. The washers may be single elements or may comprise several washer-components.