US3091956A - Clothes washing machine having a dry type agitate and spinning mechanism - Google Patents

Description

n 1963 B. BRUCKEN ETAL 3,091,956

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE HAVING A DRY-TYPE AGITATE AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS Jun 4, 1963 B. L. BRUCKEN ETAL CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE HAVING A DRY-TYPE AGITATE AND SPINNING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 9, 1961 n v mmm w WM oh w VNF.W n mBHL .A La .n s e n e h mmm T WTM iii F /'g. 2

June 4, 1963 B. 1.. BRUCKEN ETAL 3,091,956

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE HAVING A DRY-TYPE AGITATE AND SPINNING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I38 I33 I28 I32 y lze Byron L.Brucken Thomas H. Fogf James W Light Their Attorney INVENTORS United States Patent 3,091,956 CLQTHES WASIE IG h lACl-liNE HAWNG A DRY TYPE AGITATE AND SPINNING MECHANISM Byron L. Brucken, Dayton, Thomas H. Fogt, West Carrollton, and iames W. Light, Greenville, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,756 9 Claims. (Cl. 6823) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to an improved dry-type roller drive prime mover system for an agitating and spinning mechanism in a clothes washer.

A dry-type agitate and spinning mechanism for a clothes washer is set forth in copending application Serial No. 5,174, filed January 28, 1960, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention. In this copending case a roller drive mechanism is taught in which oil bath lubrication is eliminated and replaced with torque transmitting rollers to selectively rotate a spin tub or reciprocate an agitator. In such a prime mover system, it is essential that friction and play be minimized wherever possible to hold down noise problems and eliminate wear.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a noise-free flexible coupling between the agitate shaft of an agitate and spin mechanism and the means for actuating said agitate shaft.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a variable grip ball socket between the prime mover and the agitate and spin shaft which includes a ball pressed between a pair of bearing cups, the pressure of which is automatically increased during agitate and decreased during spin.

A more general object of this invention is the provision of a universal ball-socket joint in which the ball alternately universally pivots or rotates in said socket and wherein the pressure of said socket against said ball is varied in accordance with said pivoting or rotating.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pulsator arm assembly having the variable grip ball socket of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the improved agitate and spin mechanism partly in elevation to show the pulsator arm in a raised out-of-alignment condition;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic sectional view partly in elevation of a clothes washer provided with the improved dry running type, roller motivated agitating and spinning mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic representation of the ball socket taken generally along line 4-4 in FIGURE 6 illustrating increased pressure on said ball during agitation to minimize noise;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic representation of the ball socket taken generally along line 44 in FIGURE 6 illustrating decreased pressure on said ball during spin to reduce friction; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top elevational View of the pulsator arm assembly with parts broken away to show the variable grip ball socket.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGURE 3 a clothes washer 20 is comprised of a control housing portion 22 and a casing 24. The casing 24 is generally divided into a mechanism portion or compartment 26 and a washing portion or water container chamber .28. A generally centrally located bulkhead 3t) separates the mechanism compartment 26 from the water container chamber 28 which is further bounded by a cylindrical water container wall 32. Within the water container 32 is a spin tub 34 having a top opening 36 and a plurality of centrifuging outflow ports 38. The ports 38 are designed to permit the egress of water from the tub 34 when the tub is rotated at high speed. For filling the tub 34 with water, a conventional water supply system may be provided with a hot water solenoid actuated valve 40' and a cold water solenoid actuated valve 42 which are manifolded into a mixed water supply conduit 44 terminating at a chute 46 overlying the opening 36 of the tub 34. Within the tub 34, an agitator or pulsator 48 is adapted to reciprocate for agitating the water admitted through the water supply conduit 44. Thus, clothing placed within the tub 34 is washed as the agitating action of the pulsator 48 causes surging currents of washing fluid and detergent through the fabric. Conventional sequential operating timer means, shown generally at 50 on the control housing 22 may be included to selectively admit water through the supply conduit 44, to spin the tub 34 and tovertically reciprocate the agitator or pulsator 48.

In the prior art, mechanisms for selectively spinning tub 34 or reciprocating an agitator 48 were rather complex and required lubrication of the many parts required to set up the desired washing operation. This invention is directed to an improved dry running roller type agitating and spinning mechanism of the type taught more fully in the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 5,174 and shown generally in FIGURE 3 as 53. The mechanism 53 is suspended from a stationary shaft enclosing housing portion 54 which is connected to a resilient cup-shaped support member 56. This support member 56, in turn, is affixed to an opening 5 8 in the bulkhead Tali-sealing gasket 60 being provided to efiect a water-tight connection. Extend-ing upwardly from the stationary enclosing housing 54 is an agitate or pulsate shaft 62 to which the agitator 43 is connected and a spin shaft 64 which is connected as by tub support nut 66 to the bottom wall 68 of the spin tub 34. In order to dampen excessive gyrating or swinging movement of the agitate and spin mechanisms lower end, a snubber device shown generally at 79, is included to receive a snuhbing stud 71. It is desirous that water he kept from between the agitate and spin shafts. For this purpose a rubber bellows 67 has its upper end fastened to the agitate shaft 62 and its lower end fastened to the tub bottom and the spin shaft by the nut 66. Additional detail in this regard may be gained from the patent to Sisson 2,758,685 issued August 14, 1956.

With reference now to FIGURES 2 and 3, the mechanism components pertaining to agitation will be described. The mechanism 53 is provided with a support portion or housing '76 which encloses a reversible drive motor 78 in an upper portion thereof. A boss 8d formed on the support housing 76 serves to carry in press-lit relationship an elongated double or water pump bearing 82 which is also press-fit into a center opening 84 of an agitate drum 86. A drive pinion (not shown) serves to rotate the agitate drum -86 through an idler roller (not shown) whenever the operational direction of motor 78 is such as to set up an agitate action. Further, the agitate drum 86 is formed with a crank portion 88 which is relatively rotatably carried at the crank end 90 of a pulsator arm assembly shown generally at 92. Since the crank portion 88 of the agitate drum is carried in a ball bearing 94, whenever the agitate drum 86 is rotated, the axis of the bearing 94 precesses about the axis 3 of the agitate drum bearing82 and the pulsator arm assembly wobbles and rocks toreciprocate the agitateshaft.

The manner in which the prime mover system is connected for rotating the spin tu-b 34 is fully explained in the aforementioned copending application. However, for the purposes of this disclosure and with reference to FIGURE 2 the spin shaft 64 is shown concentric with the agitate shaft 62. At the lower end of the spin shaft 64 is a threaded portion 96 for receiving a spin drum 98 adapted to be threadedly engaged thereon and movable between upper and lower positions. In brief, the upper position serves to actuate a brake shown generally at 1011 to arrest the rotation of the spin tub at the conclusion of a centrifuging operation. The spin drum 98 is shown in its lower position against a stop 102 keyed as by a snap ring 104 to the bottom of the spin shaft. In this lower position the spin drum 98 serves to rotate the spin shaft 64 when the drum is rotated by an idler roller (not shown) in response to the reverse drive of the motor 78 To translate the rotative motion of the agitate drum 86 into the vertical reciprocation of the agitate shaft 62, a pulsator arm or rocker arm assembly 92 is utilized as set forth briefly hereinbefore. Referring to FIGURE 1 the pulsator arm assembly is shown comprised of an upper pulsator arm 11% and a lower pulsator arm 112 held together as by rivets or other suitable fastening means 114. The upper pulsator arm is formed at the crank end with a ball bearing receiving recess 1 16 and the lower arm 112 is formed with an oppositely related ball bearing receiving recess 118-the ball bearing 94 being sandwiched and retained therebetween. At the rocking end of the upper and lower arms the spherical ball socket is positioned. More particularly, the upper arm 110 is a formed with an embossment 121 which has an irregular shoulder 122 formed with three cam portions 124. For cooperating with the cam shouldered embossrnent 120 an upper spherical bearing ring 126 is adapted to fit within the underside of the embossment 120 in a manner to position mating cam surfaces 128 in relatively rotatable relationship to the cam surfaces 124 on the cam embossed shoulder above. Note in FIGURES 1 and 6 that the upper ring 126- has a struck out tang 1311 which engages one terminal portion or end 132 of a bearing tension spring 134. The bearing tension spring lies adjacent the top of the upper pulsator arm 111i and has its terminal portions 132 and 133 extending through a slot 138 in the side of the embossment 129. Since the spring end 133 bears against one end of the slot 138 and the spring end 132 bears against the upper bearing tang 130, the spring serves to bias the upper ring 126 counterclockwise (as seen in FIGURE 6) and relatively rotatably to the cams 124 embossed on the upper pulsator arm. 'The cams, when slidably engaged with each other, serve to force the upper ring socket 126 away from the upper pulsator arm or downwardly as seen in FIGURE 1. Oppositely disposed to the upper bearing ring 126 is a lower spherical bearing ring 146 having a socket portion 148 cradled in a fixed position on the lower pulsator arm 112 to receive the lower half of a spherical ball 162.

Completing the connection between the pnlsator arm assembly 92 and the agitate shaft 62 is a pulsator shaft spring 152 which has a threaded portion 154 threadedly engaged in the bottom 15% of a drilled-out socket 156 to secure the shaft spring 152 in a manner to permit lateral deflection of the lower end 160 of the spring. The spherical ball 162 is fastened to the lower end 161 of the shaft steel having a Rockwell number C43-48. The spring is zinc plated to a .00015 minimum thickness and has a chromate treatment, after which the spring is heat treated to remove hydrogen embrittlement. As seen in FIGURE 2, the lower end 161) of the spring 152 is deflected leftwardly when the pulsator arm assembly 92 is in its uppermost position. At the center position of pulsator arm the ball 162 is axially in line with the agitate shaft 62 and no deflection of the spring 152 will occur. Likewise at the lowermost point of travel for the rocking end 91, the spring end 160' will also be deflected leftwardly.

The foregoing structure is designed on one hand to operate in a manner to load or increase pressure on the ball 162 during agitate or wash action in order to minimize mechanism noise due to play or slap in the ball socket. On the other hand, when the mechanism is operated to spin the tub, the foregoing structure is designed to relieve the pressure on the ball 162 to reduce friction so that the spin shaft may be rotated relatively easily. A further advantage in reducing spin friction thusly is reflected in a lessening of the torque between the pulsate shaft 62 and the spin shaft 64 which could cause tearing of the flexible rubber bellows 67 which connects the shafts. Thus reducing friction on the ball 162 will prevent tearing of the bellows.

The operation of the variable grip ball socket will best be understood during the agitate portion of the Wash cycle with reference to the schematic representation in FIGURE 4. Representing the action of the upper pulsator arm and the upper bearing ring 126, the cam surfaces 124 and 128 on these elements are shown engaged. The bearing tension spring 134, having its ends fastened respectively to the tang 139 of the ring 126 and one end of the slot 138, serves to separate the tang from the slot end. This action tends to engage the cam surfaces 124 and 128 in an interfering manner and, assuming the upper pulsator arm 110 is fixed, the upper bearing ring 126 will be forced downwardly into engagement with the ball 162. Since the ball is cradled in the lower bearing ring 146, the entire sandwich or socket will tend to be under increased pressure, thereby eliminating play between the ball 162 and its juxtaposed ring elements 126 and 146. Thus during agitate the ball 162 will be held snugly and noise will be minimized.

Turning now to FIGURE 5 the operation of the variable grip ball socket will best be understood as it pertains to the spinning portion of the wash cycle. Identical parts carry the same reference numerals and it can be seen that as the ball 162 rotates during spin (see arrows), the ball drags on the upper bearing ring 126 and acts counter to the bias of the spring 134. This bias tends to disengage and separate the cam surfaces 124 and 128, thereby permitting the upper bearing ring 126 to move upwardly away from the ball 162 relative to the fixed lower ring 146 in which the ball is cradled. This release of the camming action tends to decrease the pressure on the ball 162. The pulsate shaft 62 is then free to rotate easily with the spin shaft 64 to which it is connected through the bellows.

It should now be seen that an improved agitate and spin mechanism has been provided wherein a ball socket connects the rocking end of a pulsator assembly to the agitate shaft, said socket being adapted in response to direction of mechanism rotation to firm the pressure on the socket during agitate and to release the pressure during spin.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination with an agitator and a spin tub, means for moving said agitator and rotating said tub, said means comprising a stationary support housing and a motor supported by said support housing, an agitate shaft connected to said agitator at the top thereof and having a yieldable portion at the bottom thereof, a spin shaft concentric with said agitate shaft and connected to said spin tub, a bellows having one end fastened to said agitate shaft and another end fastened to said spin shaft, said bellows being concentric with said shafts, an agitate drum rotata'bly supported on said support housing and having an angularly directed crank means, a spin drum carried on said spin shaft, a pulsator arm assembly having a rocking end universally movably connected to said yieldable portion and a crank end relatively rotatably connected to said crank means, said pulsator arm assembly having upper and lower juxtaposed arm portions, a first hearing at said crank end and a second bearing at said rocking end, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arrn portions, a first cam on said upper arm adjacent said second bearing, said second bearing including a spherical ball connected to said yieldable portion, a lower ball support ring attached to said lower arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, an upper ball support ring in juxtaposition to said lower ball support ring for bearingly retaining said ball on the other side thereof, said upper ball support ring interposed between said upper arm portion and said ball and having a second cam portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said upper arm portion and its other end connected to said upper ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions into engagement to force said upper ball support ring into tighter engagement with said ball when said agitate drum is rotated, said motor adapted to operate in a first direction for rotating said agitate drum and in a second direction for rotating said spin drum, said agitate drum rotating said crank end to cause said rocking end to move through an arc which fiexes said yieldable portion when said motor is adapted for operating in said first direction, said spin drum driving said spin shaft and said agitate shaft through said bellows when said motor is adapted for operating in said second direction, said driving of said agitate shaft counteracting the bias of said bearing tension spring to disengage said first and second cam portions and free said ball for movement with said agitate shaft.

2. In combination with an agitate shaft and a spin shaft in concentric relationship with each other and yieldably keyed together, means for reciprocating said agitate shaft and rotating said spin shaft, said means comprising a stationary support housing and a reversible motor supported by said support housing, an agitate drum rotatably supported on said support housing in driven relationship to said motor'when said motor is operating in a first direction and having an angularly directed crank means, a spin drum carried in spaced relationship to said agitate drum and concentrically on said spin shaft in driven relationship to said motor when said motor is operating in a second direction, a pulsator arm assembly having a rocking end and a crank end relatively rotatably connected to said crank means, said pulsator arm assembly having upper and lower juxtaposed arm portions, a first bearing at said crank end and a second hearing at said rocking end, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arm portions, a first cam on said upper arm portion adjacent said second bearing, said second bearing including a spherical ball connecting said rocking end to said agitate shaft, a lower ball support ring attached to said lower arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, an upper ball support ring in juxtaposition to said lower ball support ring for bearingly retaining said ball on the other side thereof in sandwiched relationship, said upper ball support ring interposed in relatively rotatable relationship between said upper arm portion and said ball and having a second cam portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said upper arm portion and its other end connected to said upper ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions relatively rotatably into engagement to force said upper ball support ring away from said upper arm portion and into tighter engagement with said ball when said agitate drum is driven, said ball rotatably relatively slidably engaging said upper ball support ring in a manner to counteract the bias of said bearing tension spring and disengage said first and second ca-m portions to free said ball for rotation with said agitate shaft when said spin drum is driven.

3. In combination with an agitate shaft and a spin shaft in concentric relationship with each other and keyed together, means for reciprocating said agitate shaft and rotating said spin shaft, said means comprising a stationary support housing and a motor supponted by said support housing, an agitate drum rotatably supported on said support housing in driven relationship to said motor when said motor is operating in a first manner and having an angularly directed crank means, a spin drum carried in spaced relationship to said agitate drum and concentrically on said spin shaft in driven relationship to said motor when said motor is operating in a second manner, a pu'lsator arm assembly having a rocking end and a crank end relatively rotatably connected to said crank means, said pulsator arm assembly having first and second juxtaposed arm portions, a first hearing at said crank end and a second hearing at said rocking end, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arm portions, a first cam on said first arm portion adjacent said second bearing, said second bearing including a spherical ball connecting said rocking end to said agitate shaft, a first ball support ring attached to said second arm portion for beaningly retaining said ball on one side thereof, a second ball support ring in juxtaposition to said first ball support ring for 'bearingly retaining said 'ball on the other side thereof in sandwiched relationship, said second ball support ring interposed in relatively rotatable relationship between said first arm portion and said ball and having a second cam portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said first arm portion and its other end connected to said second ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions relatively ro-tatably into engagement to force said second ball support ring away from said first arm portion and into tighter engagement with said ball when said agitate drum is driven, said ball engaging said second ball support ring in a manner to counteract frictionally the bias of said bearing tension spring and disengage said first and second cam portions to free said ball for rotation with said agitate shaft when said spin drum is driven.

4. In combination with a first shaft and a second shaft in concentric relationship with each other and connected together, means for reciprocating said first shaft relative to said second shaft and for rotating said first and second shafts, said means comprising a stationary support housing and a prime mover supported by said suppont housing, a first drum rotatably supported in fixed relationship relative to said support housing in driven relationship to said prime mover when said prime mover is operating in a first manner and having an angularly directed crank means, a second drum carried in spaced relationship to said first drum and concentrically on said second shaft in driven relationship to said prime mover when said prime mover is operating in a second manner, a pulsator arm assembly having a rocking end and a crank end relatively rotatably connected to said crank means, said pulsator arm assembly having an arm portion, a first hearing at said crank end and a second bearing at said rocking end, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arm portion, a first cam on said arm portion adjacent said second bearing, said second bearing including a spherical ball connecting said rocking end to said first shaft, a first ball support ring fixed relative to said arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, a second b-all support ring in juxtaposition to said first ball support ring for bearingly retaining said 7 ball on the other side thereof in sandwiched relationship, said second ball support ring interposed in relatively rotatable relationship between said arm portion and said ball and having a second cam portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said arm portion and its other end connected to said second ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions relatively rotatably into engagement to force said second ball support ring away from said arm portion and into tighter engagement said ball when said first drum is driven, said ball engaging said second ball support ring in a manner to counteract the bias of said bearing tension spring and disengage said first and second cam portions to free said ball for rotation with said first shaft when said second drum is driven.

5. A prime moving system for a clothes washer having a vertically reciprocable agitator shaft and comprising an agitate drum rotatable about a fixed axis parallel to the axis of said agitator shaft and having a crank port-ion with "an axis at an angle to the axis of said drum, means for rotating said agitate drum, a pulsator arm assembly for translating the rotation of said agitate drum into the reciprocation of said agitator shaft, said pulsator arm as sembly having upper and lower juxtaposed arm portions and first and second bearings at opposite ends of said arm portions, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arm portions whereby said second bearing moves through an are which intersects the axis of said agitator shaft when said agitate drum is rotated and said arm portions are prevented from rotating, a first cam portion on said upper arm portion adjacent said second bearing, said second bearing including a spherical ball, a lower bail support ring attached to said lower arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, an upper ball support ring in juxtaposition to said lower ball support ring for bearingly retaining said ball on the other side thereof, said upper ball support ring interposed between said upper arm portion and said ball and having a second cam portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said upper arm portion and its other end connected to said upper ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions into engagement to force said upper ball support ring into tighter engagement with said ball when said agitate drum is rotated, and a yieldable spring shaft connecting said spherical ball to said agitate shaft for compensating for said 'arcuate movement of said second bearing.

6. A prime moving system for an appliance having a reciprocable shaft and comprising a drive drum rotatable about a fixed axis parallel to the axis of said shaft and having a crank portion with an axis at an angle to the axis of said drum, means for rotating said drum, n reciprocator arm assembly for translating the rotation of said drum into the reciprocation of said shaft, said reciprocator arm assembly having an arm portion and first and second bearings at opposite ends of said arm portion, said first bearing having an axis perpendicular to said arm portion whereby said second bearing moves through an are which intersects the axis of said shaft when said drum is rotated and said arm portion is prevented from rotating, a first cam portion on said arm portion adjacent said second bear-ing, said second bearing including a spherical ball,

"a first ball support ring in fixed relationship to said arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, a second ball support ring in juxtaposition to said first ball support ring for bearingly retaining said ball on the other side thereof, said second ball support ring interposed between said arm portion and said ball and having a second c am portion adjacent said first cam portion, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said second arm portion and its other end connected to said second ball support ring and adapted to bias said first and second cam portions into engagement to force said second ball support ring into tighter engagement with said ball when said drum is rotated, and a yieldable member connecting'said spherical ball to said shaft for compensating for said arcuate movement of said second bearing.

7. A variable grip ball socket comprising a ball alternately subjected to first and second movements, a bearing for engaging said ball during said movements and having a first cam, a support for retaining said bearing in engagement with said ball and having a second cam, and means connected between said support and said bearing for biasing said first cam into engagement with said second cam for moving said bearing into tighter engagement with said ball when said ball is subjected to said first movement, said ball when subjected to said second movement frictionally engaging said bearing to counter-act the bias of said biasing means for disengaging said first and second cams.

S. A variable grip ball socket comprising upper and lower juxtaposed arm portions and a hearing at one end of said arm portions, 2. first cam" portion on said upper arm portion adjacent said bearing, said bearing including a sperical ball subjected to first and second movements, a lower ball support ring attached to said lower arm portion for bearingly retaining said ball on one side thereof, an upper ball support ring in juxtaposition to said lower ball support ring for bearingly retaining said ball on the other side thereof, said upper ball support ring interposed between said upper arm portion and said 'ball and having a second cam portion directed oppositely to said first cam portion and relatively rotatable thereto, a bearing tension spring having one end connected to said upper arm portion and its other end connected to said upper ball support ring and adapted to rotate said first cam portion into engagement with said second cam portion to force said upper ball support ring into tighter engagement with said ball when said ball is subjected to said first movement, said ball when subjected to said second movement frictionally engaging said upper ball support ring in the direction of said second movement to counteract the bias of said spring for disengaging said first and second cams.

9. A variable grip ball socket comprising a ball alternately subjected to first and second movements, means for engaging said ball during said movements including a bearing means and a first cam means fixed for movement with said bearing means, means for retaining said bearing means in engagement with said call including a sup port means and a second cam means fixed relative to said support means, and means connected between said support means and said first cam means for biasing said first cam means into engagement with said second cam means for moving said bearing means into tighter engagement with said ball when said ball is subjected to said first movement, said ball when subjected to said second movement frictionally engaging said bearing means to counteract the bias of said biasing means for disengaging said first and second cam means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,821,877 Bawne Sept. 1, 1931 2,167,174 Flumerfelt July 25, 1939 2,758,685 Sisson Aug. 14, 1956

Claims (1)

1. 9. A VARIABLE GRIP BALL SOCKET COMPRISING A BALL ALTERNATELY SUBJECTED TO FIRST AND SECOND MOVEMENTS, MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID BALL DURING SAID MOVEMENTS INCLUDING A BEARING MEANS AND A FIRST CAM MEANS FIXED FOR MOVEMENT WITH SAID BEARING MEANS, MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID BEARING MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BALL INCLUDING A SUPPORT MEANS AND A SECOND CAM MEANS FIXED RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS, AND MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID FIRST CAM MEANS FO BIASING SAID FIRST CAM MEANS INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SECOND CAM MEANS FOR MOVING SAID BEARING MEANS INTO TIGHTER ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BALL WHEN SAID BALL IS SUBJECTED TO SAID FIRST MOVEMENT, SAID BALL WHEN SUBJECTED TO SAID SECOND MOVEMENT FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING SAID BEARING MEANS COUNTERACT THE BIAS OF SAID BIASING MEANS FOR DISENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND CAM MEANS.

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