Method of forming a ball and socket joint

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD OF FORMING A BALL AND SOCKET JOINT INCLUDING FORMING AN APERTURE IN A SUPPORTING MEMEBER HAVING A GRADUALLY INCREASING DIAMETER FROM EACH END TOWARD ITS CENTER, DISPOSING A FIRST BEARING MEMBER IN ONE END OF THE APERTURE HAVING AN INNER BEARING SURFACE CONFORMING TO THE BALL SURFACE, SUPPORTING THE BALL WITHIN THE APERTURE SPACED A PREDETERMINED NOMINAL CLEARANCE DISTANCE FROM THE FIRST BEARING SURFACE, FORCING A SECOND BEARING MEMBER FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE APERTURE BETWEEN THE BALL AND THE APERTURE WALL TO PROVIDE A SECOND BEARING SURFACE CONFORMING TO THE BALL SURFACE, AND RELEASING THE BALL TO PERMIT IT TO CENTER ITSELF WITHIN THE BEARING SURFACES IN ROTATABLE RELATION THEREWITH. ADDITIONAL METHODS OF MAKING SUCH A BALL AND SOCKET JOINT ARE DISCLOSED, BUT THE ABOVE RECITED BASIC METHOD IS PREFERRED. THE APERTURE FORMED IN THE SUPPORT MAY BE EITHER SPHERICAL OR OF TWO FRUSTO-CONICAL SECTIONS, AND IN THE REPFERRED FORM IS PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE OR LIP EXTENDING RADIALLY INWARDLY OF THE APERTURE.

Inventors

• 👤 Norman R Kilgour

Bibliographic Details