Universal ball joint

A universal ball joint of the type described, comprising:

• first and second shaft means,
• one of said shafts including a housing and the other including a ball member received within said housing,
• retainer means received in said housing and operative to maintain said ball member fixed axially in said housing,
• bearing means supported by said housing and cooperating therewith to support the portion of the ball remote from the shaft to which it is affixed,
• said retainer including a conical bore through which the shaft attached to said ball passes,
• each of said ball and housing including axially extending grooves arranged in facing relation and forming a plurality of spaced chambers therebetween,
• each of said chambers receiving a driving pin each end of which is tapered by a predetermined amount,
• second bearing means, spaced from said first, and positioned between said retainer means and said ball element to form a support for said ball element,
• said driving pins forming the driving connection between said shafts and the degree of taper thereof being related to the relative articulation between said shafts, and
• seal means positioned between said retainer means and the shaft which passes through said retainer means to effect a seal in all positions of the said shaft relative to said retainer means.

A universal ball joint for use between a driving and driven member and wherein there is essentially no axial movement between the two, and wherein in the neutral position of the members there is a central axis comprising:

• first shaft means having spherical ball means on one end thereof, said shaft extending in a direction opposite of said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means,
• said receptacle means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• said ball means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis, and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• the grooves of said receptacle means and the grooves of said ball means cooperating to form a plurality of elongated axially extending chambers between said ball means and said receptacle means and which are oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• means to maintain said shafts essentially axially fixed with respect to each other, said means comprising:
• a retainer means cooperating with said second shaft means to maintain said ball means axially positioned in said receptacle means, said retainer means surrounding at least a portion of said first shaft, said retainer means including a conical bore whose taper is less than the maximum relative arcuate movement between said shafts,
• pins means received in said chambers and forming a driving connection between said shafts,
• each of said pin means being tapered a predetermined amount whereby there is relative arcuate movement between said shafts, and
• one of said shafts being driven and the other being a driving shaft.

A universal ball joint for use between a driving and driven member and wherein there is essentially no axial movement between the two, and wherein in the neutral position of the members there is a central axis comprising:

• first shaft means having spherical ball means on one end thereof, said shaft extending in a direction opposite of said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means,
• said receptacle means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• said ball means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis, and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• the grooves of said receptacle means and the grooves of said ball means cooperating to form a plurality of elongated axially extending chambers between said ball means and said receptacle means and which are oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• means maintain said shafts essentially axially fixed with respect to each other,
• pin means received in said chambers and forming a driving connection between said shafts, said pin means constructed of a material which wears before the material of the ball;
• each of said pin means being tapered a predetermined amount whereby there is relative arcuate movement between said shafts, and
• one of said shafts being driven and the other being a driving shaft.

A universal ball joint for use between a driving and driven member and wherein there is essentially no axial movement between the two, and wherein in the neutral position of the members there is a central axis comprising:

• first shaft means having spherical ball means on one end thereof, said shaft extending in a direction opposite of said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means, at least one of said first and second shafts including a reamer,
• said receptacle means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• said ball means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis, and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• the grooves of said receptacle means and the grooves of said ball means cooperating to form a plurality of elongated axially extending chambers between said ball means and said receptacle means and which are oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• means to maintain said shafts essentially axially fixed with respect to each other,
• pin means received in said chambers and forming a driving connection between said shafts,
• each of said pin means tapered a predetermined amount whereby there is relative arcuate movement between said shafts, and
• one of said shafts being driven and the other being a driving shaft.

A universal ball joint for use between a driving and driven member and wherein there is essentially no axial movement between the two, and wherein in the neutral position of the members there is a central axis comprising:

• first shaft means having spherical ball means on one end thereof, said shaft extending in a direction opposite of said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means,
• second shaft means cooperating with said first shaft means and including receptacle means for receiving said ball means, at least one of said first and second shafts includes a mill tool,
• said ball means including a plurality of spaced elongated axially extending grooves of arcuate cross section and of uniform depth along their axis and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis, and oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• the grooves of said receptacle means and the grooves of said ball means cooperating to form a plurality of elongated axially extending chambers between said ball means and said receptacle means and which are oriented in spaced parallel relation to said center axis,
• means to maintain said shafts essentially axially fixed with respect to each other,
• pin means received in said chambers and forming a driving connection between said shafts,
• each of said pin means tapered a predetermined amount whereby there is relative arcuate movement between said shafts, and
• one of said shafts being driven and the other being a driving shaft.