Universal joint construction with releasable parts

Claim 2

A releasable universal joint construction comprising a tubular housing, a socket member of resilient material resiliently engaged in said housing and having at least one open end defining a joint pin head insertion opening, the interior of said socket member defining a ball engagement surface of generally spherical form, said socket member having an integral annular radially projecting collar portion defined by an annular groove in said socket member contiguous with the end of said Ball engagement surface so as to be separate from said engagement surface and surround the joint pin insertion opening and being of a wall thickness in the vicinity of said collar to permit the collar and the wall to be displaced inwardly in said housing, and a joint pin having a generally spherical ball head of a diameter larger than the insertion opening of said socket member and engaged on the ball engagement surface thereof within said socket member, said collar being deflectable in the insertion direction upon insertion of a ball head extending radially inwardly below said ball head when the ball is in a fully engaged position on the ball engagement surface of said socket member.

Claim 3

A releasable universal joint construction comprising a tubular housing, a socket member of resilient material resiliently engaged in said housing and having at least one open end defining ajoint pin head insertion opening, the interior of said socket member defining a ball engagement surface of generally spherical form, said socket member having an annular projecting collar portion surrounding the joint pin insertion opening and being of a wall thickness in the vicintiy of said collar to permit the collar and the wall to be displaced inwardly in said housing, and a joint pin having a generally spherical ball head of a diameter larger than the insertion opening of said socket member and engaged on the ball engagement surface thereof within said socket member, said collar being deflectable in the insertion direction upon insertion of a ball head and extending radially inwardly below said ball head when the ball is in a fully engaged position on the ball engagement surface of said socket member, said socket member having a terminal end spaced inwardly from said tubular housing adjacent the insertion opening end to define an annular space between said socket member and said housing to accommodate expansion of the socket member at such location upon insertion and removal of a ball head therefrom.

Claim 4

A releasable universal joint construction comprising a tubular housing, a socket member of resilient material resiliently engaged in said housing and having at least one open end defining ajoint pin head insertion opening, the interior of said socket member defining a ball engagement surface of generally spherical form, said socket member having an annular projecting collar portion surrounding the joint pin insertion opening and being of a wall thickness in the vicintiy of said collar to permit the collar and the wall to be displaced inwardly in said housing, and a joint pin having a generally spherical ball head of a diameter larger than the insertion opening of said socket member and engaged on the ball engagement surface thereof within said socket member, said collar being deflectable in the insertion direction upon insertion of a ball head and extending radially inwardly below said ball head when the ball is in a fully engaged position on the ball engagement surface of said socket member, said socket member having a terminal end spaced inwardly from said tubular housing adjacent the insertion opening end to define an annular space between said socket member and said housing to accommodate expansion of the socket member at such location upon insertion and removal of a ball head therefrom.

Claim 5

A releasable universal joint construction, according to claim 2, wherein said socket member has an exterior conically tapered wall tapered inwardly toward the ball receiving opening, said tubular housing including an inturned flange portion located directly beneath said collar and bounding an opening which is larger than the largest dimension of said ball head.

Claim 6

A releasable universal joint construction, according to claim 2, wherein said tubular housing includes an end adjacent the ball receiving opening with a substantially horizontally extending flange bounding an opening below the socket member opening for the receipt of a ball head, said collar projecting inwardly into the opening directly above the flange, said socket member being spaced inwardly from the interior wall of said housing adjacent said collar portion.

Claim 7

A releasable universal joint construction, according to claim 4, wherein said resilient socket member includes a closed end forming a cover.

Claim 8

A socket housing construction for a releasable universal joint, comprising an outer tubular housing portion, a socket member of resilient material resiliently engaged within said housing and having at least one open end defining a joint ball head insertion opening, said housing having an inturned portion surrounding the insertion opening, the interior of said socket member defining a ball engagement surface of generally spherical form and the exterior of said socket member being spaced inwardly from the interior wall of said housing adjacent the ball head receiving opening and having an inwardly extending collar bounding the ball head receiving opening and supported on the inturned portion of said housing.

Claim 9

A socket housing construction for a releasable universal joint, comprising an outer tubular housing portion, a socket member of resilient material resiliently engaged within said housing and having at least one open end defining a joint ball head insertion opening, said housing having an inturned portion surrounding the insertion opening, the interior of said socket member defining a ball engagement surface of generally spherical form and the exterior of said socket member being spaced inwardly from the interior wall of said housing adjacent the ball head receiving opening and having an inwardly extending collar bounding the ball head receiving opening and supported on the inturned portion of said housing.