Ball joint assembly

Claim 1

A BALL JOINT FOR USE IN VEHICLE WHEEL SUSPENSION ASSEMBLIES TO SELECTIVELY CONNECT A VEHICLE WHEEL FOR PRINCIPAL TENSION OR COMPRESSION LOADING IN THE BALL JOINT, THE BALL JOINT INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING MEANS TO CONNECT IT TO ONE PART OF THE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY AND BEING INTERNALLY FORMED WITH SPACED SEMI-SPHERICAL BEARING SURFACES HAVING A RADIUS OF CURVATURE TAKEN FROM A COMMON CENTER, ONE OF SAID BEARING SURFACES HAVING AN APERTURE THERETHROUGH, A STUD IN SAID HOUSING FORMED WITH AN ENLARGED PORTION DEFINED BY OUTWARDLY CONVERGING ANNULAR SLOPING SEATS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A PARTING PLANE NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID STUD AND INTERSECTING THE COMMON CENTER FOR SAID HOUSING BEARING SURFACES, A PROJECTION EXTENDING FROM ONE SLOPING SEAT IN THE AXIS OF SAID STUD AND A SHANK PROJECTING FROM THE OTHER SLOPING SEAT IN THE AXIS OF SAID STUD, SAID SHANK AND AXIAL PROJECTION BEING THE SAME SIZE IN DIAMETER AND SAID SHANK EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HOUSING APERTURE AND HAVING AN EXPOSED END FOR CONNECTION TO ANOTHER PART OF THE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY, UPPER AND LOWER INTERCHANGEABLE BEARING MEMBERS ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID ENLARGED PORTION EACH HAVING AN INWARDLY DIRECTED SLOPING SURFACE COMPLEMENTAL TO AND ENGAGING SAID SLOPING SEATS AND EACH HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING TO RECEIVE RESPECTIVELY SAID AXIALLY EXTENDING PROJECTION AND SAID SHANK, AND ON WHICH SAID BEARING MEM-