GB894888A - Improvements in ball and socket joints - Google Patents

Abstract

894,888. Ball-and-socket joints. LANGEN, V, [trading as EHRENREICH & CIE, A.]. July 19, 1960, No. 25074/60. Class 65(2). A ball-and-socket joint comprises a stud 2 with a part spherical head 3, an annulus 5 with a spherical surface and a socket 1 within which the annulus can have angular movement, there being two pairs of bearing surfaces to take the axial load of the stud, the one pair taking it up to a predetermined amount and thereafter the second pair taking or assisting in taking the load. In one embodiment (Fig. 1) the load is first taken between the surface 4 and the resilient ring 7 and as the load increases surface 8 of the annulus comes into contact with the surface 4. In modifications the resilient ring 7 is replaced by a resilient or spring mounted ball bearing and/ or a ball bearing may be introduced at the position 8. In another modification the annulus is formed by a hard core within a resilient sheath having holes containing balls so that the sheath normally provides one bearing surface and when the load is increased the balls also form a bearing. In another embodiment (Fig. 6) the annulus is formed in two parts 20, 21 with a resilient ring 26 with holes containing balls 9 between them, the ring providing the first bearing surface and the balls the second bearing; the ring 26 may be conical instead of planar. In a modification (Fig. 5) the parts 20, 21 are resilient and contain a ball bearing 23 forming the first bearing and the two parts 20, 21 form the second bearing surface so the load is increased.