Universal joint

In a Hooke's joint comprising two yoke elements, each having first and second arms, four bearing cups disposed within respective openings formed one in each of said arms, a connecting member having four trunnions, each trunnion received within a respective one of the bearing cups and retaining means provided on the yoke arms for retaining respective ones of the bearing cups within respective ones of said openings, the improvement wherein:

• the retaining means provided on said first arm of each yoke element comprises a first retaining element,
• an anchorage portion of said first retaining element is engaged with said first arm and is held in a fixed position with respect to said first arm,
• a constraining portion only of said first retaining element is engaged with the respective bearing cup,
• said constraining portion is spaced from said anchorage portion and is resiliently-displaceable relative thereto,
• the retaining means provided on said second arm of each yoke element comprises a second retaining element,
• an anchorage portion of said second retaining element is engaged with said second arm and is held in a fixed position with respect to said second arm,
• a respective one of said bearing cups is engaged with a constraining portion of said second retaining element, and
• said constraining portion of the second retaining element adjoins the anchorage portion thereof and is substantially immovable relative to said anchorage portion,
• whereby said first retaining element is adapted to bias the associated bearing cup in a direction inwardly of the cup and said second retaining element is adapted to function as a rigid stop positively to limit movement of the associated bearing cup in a direction outwardly of the joint but not to bias the bearing cup inwardly of the joint.