Ball joint

Claim 2

A ball joint comprising a housing having a socket portion, an opening for said socket portion, a stud having a shank and a first spherical portion adjacent said shank and in said socket portion, said stud extending out of said socket through said opening, said stud having a second spherical portion adjacent said first spherical portion and within said housing, a plate engaging said second spherical portion, a pusher element engaging said plate on the side thereof opposite from the side engaging said second spherical portion, resilient means biasing said pusher element toward said second spherical portion and toward said opening, said pusher element forcing said plate toward said second spherical portion, said plate being adapted to move toward said opening as said first spherical portion and said socket wear, and reTaining means in said socket portion extending into the path of said movement of said pusher element to limit the amount of its movement toward said opening, while allowing said plate to move past said retaining means and thus exhibit looseness if the wear on the first spherical portion and said socket exceeds a predetermined amount.

Claim 3

A ball joint as set forth in claim 1 further including a cover, a lubrication fitting extending through an opening in said cover and secured at one end to said plate, said fitting, cover, resilient means, pusher member and plate being held together by said fitting and forming a subassembly.

Claim 4

A ball joint as set forth in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a ring member, said ring member including a first generally cylindrical portion and a second generally radially extending portion, said generally radially extending portion forming an opening which is larger than the external dimension of said pressure plate, said pusher element having an external dimension which is larger than the internal dimension of said generally radially extending portion and an internal dimension which is smaller than the external dimension of said pressure plate.

Claim 5

A ball joint as set forth in claim 3 further including a cover, a lubrication fitting extending through an opening in said cover and secured at one end to said plate, said fitting, cover, resilient means, pusher member and plate being held together by said fitting and forming a subassembly.

Claim 6

A ball joint comprising a housing having a curved socket portion and a cylindrical portion extending from said socket portion, said socket portion having an opening therein, a stud extending through said opening and having a shank on the outside of said housing and a ball on the inside of said housing, said ball including a first generally hemispherical portion attached to said shank and a second generally hemispherical portion, extending from said first generally hemispherical portion, said first generally hemispherical portion being located in said socket portion and said second generally hemispherical portion being located in said cylindrical portion, a pressure plate engaging said second generally hemispherical portion, a pusher member adjacent said plate, resilient means adjacent said pusher member, closure means compressing said resilient means between said pusher member and said closure means, said compressed resilient means biasing said pusher member against said pressure plate and biasing both said pusher member and said pressure plate toward said second generally hemispherical portion and said opening, said pusher member and said pressure plate being adapted to move toward said opening as said first generally hemispherical portion and said socket portion wear, retaining means in said cylindrical portion located a predetermined distance from said pusher member, said retaining means extending into the path of movement of said pusher member to limit the amount of its movement toward said opening.

Claim 7

A ball joint comprising a housing having a curved socket portion and a cylindrical portion extending from said socket portion, said socket portion having an opening therein, a stud extending through said opening and having a shank on the outside of said housing and a ball on the inside of said housing, said ball including a first generally hemispherical portion attached to said shank and a second generally hemispherical portion, extending from said first generally hemispherical portion, said first generally hemispherical portion being located in said socket portion and said second generally hemispherical portion being located in said cylindrical portion, a pressure plate engaging said second generally hemispherical portion, a pusher member adjacent said plate, resilient means adjacent said pusher member, closure means compressing said resilient means between said pusher member and said closure means, said compressed resilient means biasing said pusher member against said pressure plate and biasing both said pusher member and said pressure plate toward said second generally hemispherical portion and said opening, said pusher member and said pressure plate being adapted to move toward said opening as said first generally hemispherical portion and said socket portion wear, retaining means in said cylindrical portion located a predetermined distance from said pusher member, said retaining means extending into the path of movement of said pusher member to limit the amount of its movement toward said opening.

Claim 8

A ball joint as set forth in claim 5 wherein said retaining means comprises a ring-shaped member having a cylindrical portion and an inwardly and radially extending blocking portion, said cylindrical portion of said ring-shaped member having a press fit within said cylindrical portion of said housing, said generally radially extending portion forming an opening which is larger than the external dimension of said pressure plate, said pusher element having an external dimension which is larger than the internal dimension of said generally radially extending portion and an internal dimension which is smaller than the external dimension of said pressure plate.