Ball and socket joint assembly

In a ball and socket joint assembly including a ball, a cylindrical housing adapted to contain said ball, said housing defining an axis, and having first and second axially spaced ends, said housing comprising a radially extending annular first seat between said ends, said housing containing said ball between said first end and said first seat, said first seat facing said end, an elongated ball stud fixed to said ball, said stud extending outwardly through said first end of said housing, first and second axially opposed socket bearings rigidly supported within said housing and adapted to position said ball for limited oscillatory movement of said ball, and means disposed between said first seat and said first socket bearing for providing an internal axial preload on said first socket bearing against said ball and, in turn, on said ball against said second socket bearing;

• an improvement wherein said housing comprises first and second adjoining coaxial interior bores, each of said bores communicating with an axially fixed, nonadjustable annular member extending radially between said bores and defining an aperture therethrough, said member defining said first seat, and wherein said means for providing said internal preload comprises a conical spring washer having a central aperture comprising an annular second seat, and wherein said aperture of said annular member is concentric with, but sized equal to or smaller than, said aperture of said washer, said first socket bearing formed of an extrudable plastic composition and comprising a concave seat bounded by an annular rim, said rim comprising a chamfered annular extremity, wherein said rim becomes flattened against said second socket bearing upon preloading of said joint assembly.