Ball joint self-sealing bearing

Claim 2

A bearing insert for a ball and socket joint which comprises a pair of annular rings formed of a plastic having good bearing characteristics each ring having an inner spherical recess and having a continuous portion to overlie a portion of the ball of a joint between the equatorial portion and a pole portion, and second interrupted portions overlying equatorial portions of the ball, said second portions of said rings interdigitating to form a substantially continuous wall of bearing material around said ball, said second portions being shaped to lie in contact with a socket wall to form support for a ball in said socket, said second portions being shaped to interlock with eaCh other so as to prevent disassembly when pressed together.

Claim 3

A bearing insert as defined in claim 1 in which said second portions of said annular rings are substantially rectangular in shape with a curved contour to form spaced recesses around the rings to receive the second portions of an opposed ring in axial counterposition.

Claim 4

A bearing insert as defined in claim 1 in which said second portions of said annular rings are shaped to form a substantially sinuous frontal edge with projecting fingers shaped to fit interdigitally when in axial counterposition to form a spherical recess, said fingers extending over the equatorial area of said recess.

Claim 5

A bearing insert as defined in claim 2 in which said second portions are provided with axial slots to provide flexibility during formation, assembly and use of said rings.

Claim 6

A bearing insert as defined in claim 1 in which said continuous portions of each ring carries a resilient lip adjacent the open end of the ring extending in free state radially inward of the spherical recess to serve as a seal to exclude contaminants and retain lubricants.

Claim 7

A bearing insert as defined in claim 1 in which said continuous portion of each ring has formed integrally therewith a resilient lip adjacent the open end of the ring extending in free state radially inward of the spherical recess to serve as a seal to exclude contaminants and retain lubricants.

Claim 8

A ball and socket joint combination comprising: a. a socket member having a cylindrical recess open at at least one end, b. a ball positioned in said socket having a projecting stud at at least one end extending from said socket, c. a bearing insert in said socket comprising a pair of plastic shell members interdigitally joined to form a spherically shaped recess in which said ball is located, said joined shells having an equatorial portion surrounding the ball and in contact with the walls of said socket and having ensmalled ends to leave annular recesses at each end of said socket, and d. annularly shaped, lubricant-impregnated, elements of resilient material compressed into said annular recess, the interdigitally joined shells having portions interlocked with each other so as to prevent disassembly.

Claim 9

A ball and socket joint combination comprising: a. a socket member having a cylindrical recess open at at least one end, b. a ball positioned in said socket having a projecting stud at at least one end extending from said socket, c. a bearing insert in said socket comprising a pair of plastic shell members interdigitally joined to form a spherically shaped recess in which said ball is located, said joined shells having an equatorial portion surrounding the ball and in contact with the walls of said socket and having ensmalled ends to leave annular recesses at each end of said socket, and d. annularly shaped, lubricant-impregnated, elements of resilient material compressed into said annular recess, the interdigitally joined shells having portions interlocked with each other so as to prevent disassembly.

Claim 10

A ball and socket joint as defined in claim 7 in which each of said shell members has circumferentially spaced digital projections equatorially positioned on said ball and one or more openings in said projections to permit circumferential expansion and contraction of said projections when interdigitally interlocked.