| 摘要 |
740,736. Ball and socket joints. THOMPSON PRODUCTS, Inc. Oct. 19, 1953 [May 14, 1953], No. 28856/53. Class 65 (2). [Also in Group XXII] A ball-and-socket joint comprises a housing 10 and a ball-ended stud 12 which projects into the housing through a substantially circular aperture 11 opening laterally into the housing, the size of the aperture being only slightly greater than the ball of the stud; and the ball is retained within the housing substantially concentrically with respect to the axis of the aperture by means of an adjustably-positioned seating member 21 which presses the ball against a concave segmental-spherical seating member 18 arranged so as to be movable transversely of the axis of the aperture into and out of a ball-retaining position. To assemble the joint, an abutment 15 is fixed in the housing by tongues 16 pressed from the latter, and the seat 18 is positioned in contact with the abutment, but inclined thereto, to permit the ball end being inserted into the housing. The seat is then pivoted to a position wherein it interlocks with the abutment and also blocks the aperture 11 to prevent withdrawal of the ball end. Seat 21 is then inserted through the open end of the housing and is held in adjusted position by a screwed plug 22. To form the aperture 11, the housing is provided with an axially extending slot slightly shorter in length than the diameter of the finished aperture and having only a very narrow width. The slot is then outwardly swaged by means of an expanding die, preferably actuated from within the housing, to form a substantially tubular opening having a reinforced peripheral edge 13. |
