Method of assembling universal joint yoke and spider

Claim 1

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said synthetic, organic thermoplastic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyethylene and acetal resins.

Claim 4

The method of assembling a spider to a yoke comprising the steps of forming a unitary cross-shaped spider having first and second pairs of diametrically opposed legs arranged in a perpendicular relationship with the legs of said first pair each terminating in a trunnion of reduced diameter and each having an annular shoulder adjacent said trunnion, forming a yoke having integral ears with substantially parallel confronting inboard faces spaced apart substantially equally to the distance between said annular shoulders with one of said ears having a first bore with a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of one of said legs of said first pair but smaller than the distance between the ends of said second pair and an annular groove opening into said first bore and the other of said ears having a second bore with a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the other of said leGs of said first pair and a second annular groove opening into said second bore, said other ear having an integral flange having a surface coplanar with the parallel confronting inboard face on said other ear, said integral flange defining an aperture aligned with said second bore and having a diameter at least as large as the diameter of said trunnion on the other leg of said first pair but less than the maximum diameter of said shoulder on said other leg, inserting said one leg of said first pair into said first bore from the inboard face of said one ear until said trunnion on said other leg is freely movable into the space between said confronting faces, moving said trunnion on said other leg into the space between said confronting faces and inserting said trunnion on said other leg into said aperture and said second bore in said other ear until said annular shoulder on said other leg abuts said surface on said flange adjacent said aperture thereby forming a generally annular cavity defined by said trunnion, said flange, said second bore and said second annular groove and disposing said trunnion on said one leg in said first bore, disposing a washer in said first bore around said trunnion on said one leg and against said annular shoulder on said one leg, said washer substantially bridging the space between said trunnion on said one leg and said first bore centering said trunnion therein and forming a second generally annular cavity defined by said trunnion, said washer, said first bore and said annular groove, and molding a synthetic, organic thermoplastic polymeric material having good bearing characteristics in said cavities to form plastic bearing bushings for said trunnions on said legs of said first pair which pivotally secures said spider to said yoke.