BELLOWS SEAL FOR BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS

摘要

In a ball and socket joint comprising a ball and a socket in mutual swivelling sliding engagement with each other, the ball having a stud integrally formed at one end thereof and projecting outwardly through one end of the socket, the improvement consisting in forming the socket with a diverging frusto-conical flange extending in the direction of the stud and defining an integrally formed retention flange for a flexible oil-resistant seal having a bellows type body provided at one end with an annular band stretched over the periphery of the stud and at the other end with a reinforcing bead stretched over the retention flange. The reinforcing bead is substantially toroidal in shape and provides an elastic restraining force that grips firmly the retention flange without recourse to a spring ring or circlip.