Cardan transmission shaft, in particular of telescopic type, with protective sleeve and protective boots for the end forks

A telescopic type Cardan shaft, comprising:

• a telescopic shaft;
• an end fork forming a Cardan joint, said end fork having an annular channel formed in a base thereof, the base of said end fork forming a tubular component in which said telescopic shaft is inserted;
• a diametral pin connecting said shaft to said end fork;
• a protective telescopic sleeve around said shaft;
• a protective boot for protecting said end fork;
• a sliding block, said protective telescopic sleeve and said protective boot being supported by said sliding block with said sliding block being slidable in said annular channel formed in the base of said end fork, the base of said end fork being formed with a circular cross-section extending essentially as far as arms of the fork, said annular channel for said sliding block being recessed in the base at a location adjacent to the arms of the fork, and said annular channel being formed between the arms of the fork and said diametral pin.

A telescopic type Cardan shaft, comprising:

• a telescopic shaft with shaft segments;
• end forks, each of said end forks respectively forming part of a respective Cardan joint, each end fork having an annular channel formed in a base thereof, the base of each of said end forks forming the respective tubular component in which the telescopic shaft segment is inserted;
• a protective telescopic sleeve around said shaft;
• protective boots for protecting said end forks of said shaft, said protective boots each including a flexible skirt with an inner flange, a rigid annular component having a collar for engagement on the tubular component of said sleeve, a front wall with an end rim disposed outwardly of said flexible skirt, said rigid annular component forming an external support for said flexible skirt, and a flat ring element forming said sliding block, said inner flange and said flat-ring element being fixed against said front wall, said protective telescopic sleeve and said protective boot being supported by said sliding block with said sliding block being slidable in said annular channel formed in the base of each of the end forks, the base of each of the end forks being formed with a circular cross-section extending essentially as far as arms of the respective fork, said annular channel for said sliding block being recessed in the base at a location adjacent to the arms of the fork.