Pivotal connection without clearance, especially for measuring instruments

Claim 1

A pivotal connection for effecting limited swinging between a first member and a second member, said connection comprising a. a central core adapted to be rigidly connected to said first member, b. two side cores, one on each side of said central core, said side cores both being adapted to be rigidly connected to said second member, and said central core and said two side cores having bores which are axially aligned along a pivotal axis; c. at least two elastic tongues connecting each of said side cores to said central core, said tongues twisting in response to radial rotational movement between said central core and said side cores about said pivot axis, and d. means for preventing relative axial movement between said side cores and for limiting the radial movement of said tongues during twisting thereof, said means including a stiffening pin passing through the bores of said central and side cores, said pin being spaced from said tongues and from said central core during normal operation of said connection but abutting said tongues to limit the inward radial movement thereof when said tongues are twisted more than a given amount.