| 摘要 |
862,369. Ball-and-socket joints. THOMPSON PRODUCTS Inc. July 3, 1957 [July 10, 1956], No. 21068/57. Class 65(2). A pair of races 29, 31 (Fig. 2) forming a circular path for a plurality of ball bearings 30 is located between the head of the stud and the housing, the centre of the path lying within the axial length of the stud and the races being shaped to restrain the balls from movement radially outwards with respect to the path. The restraint of the balls is achieved by forming at least the major portions of the race surfaces so that they face each other in the direction of the axis of the joint. The head of the stud 22 comprises a spherical portion 27 and an annular bearing ring 33 carried on a cylindrical pilot bearing 34 and constructed of self-lubricating rigid material, e.g. powdered iron case hardened at its outer surface and impregnated with lubricant. In a modification, Fig. 3, the ball race 310 forms a substantially semispherical cup to which load is transmitted from the stud head 270 through a plastics liner 271. The bearing ring 330 is also of plastics material, e.g. polyethylene or a high molecular weight polyamide. In both embodiments a lubricant fitting 37 is provided. |
