Universal joint for fluid conduit - has tubular connectors with spherical sliding portions sealed by bellows

摘要

The universal joint for a fluid conduit comprises a pair of tubular connectors (1,2) with cylindrical end portions (3) sealingly secured to the conduit. A bellows (4) is sealingly secured within the tubular connectors, which have spherically shaped portions (6,7) fitting one within the other outside the bellows. It has a load transmitting sleeve (8), and two pairs of pivots (9,10) at right angles to each other, with one pair (9) connecting the sleeve and the outer connector portion (6), and the other pair connecting the sleeve and the inner connector portion (7). The sleeve may be a close sliding fit in the inner connector portion or intermediate the connector portions or on the outer connector portion. Slots (11) are provided in the connector portions as required.