Ball joint

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION IN A BALL JOINT HOUSING HAVING A GENERALLY ANNULAR SOCKET WITH A REDUCED DIAMETER NECK PORTION AT ONE END THEREOF, A STUD PROJECTING INTO SAID SOCKET THROUGH SAID NECK PORTION AND HAVING A SEGMENTAL SPHERICAL HEAD THEREON POSITIONED IN SAID SOCKET, AN ANNULAR PLASTIC SEAT MEMBER SUPPORTING THE STUD HEAD WITHIN THE SOCKET HAVING A GENERALLY SEGMENTAL TOROIDAL CONCAVE INNER SURFACE SURROUNDING AND DIRECTLY CONTACTING AND SUPPORTING THE HEAD AND A FLARED OUTER SURFACE FLARING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE NECK PORTION HAVING AN INTERFERENCE FIT WITH THE SOCKET WHEN ON SAID HEAD, A CLOSURE PLATE FOR SAID SOCKET SPACED FROM SAID HEAD AND HAVING A CIRCUMFERENCE IN LOOSE INTERFERENCE-FREE RELATION TO THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID SOCKET, AND MEANS SECURING SAID PLATE AGAINST SAID PLASTIC SEAT MEMBER AND COMPRESSING SAID SEAT AGAINST SAID NECK AND DEFORMING IT INTO TIGHT FIT AGAINST SAID HEAD, SAID PLASTIC SEAT MEMBER COMPRISING HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE AND SAID SEGMENTAL TOROIDAL CONCAVE INNER SURFACE HAVING A RADIUS OF CURVATURE ADJACENT THE TRANSVERSE DIAMETER OF THE HEAD WHICH IS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE RADIUS OF THE HEAD AND PROJECTED FROM A POINT SPACED FROM THE CENTER OF SAID SPHERICAL HEAD WHEREBY THE HEAD CONTACTS THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID BEARING ALONG SPACED ANNULAR LINES, THE SPACE PROVIDED BETWEEN THE OUTSIDE OF THE HEAD AND THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE PLASTIC BEARING MEMBER BETWEEN SAID SPACED ANNULAR LINES HAVING GREASE CONFINED THERIN.