Wear indicating joint assembly

Claim 2

A joint construction comprising a housing, a stud member having a shank projecting from the housing and a head in the housing, bearing means supporting the head in the housing, wear takeup means in the housing engaging the stud head, a rigid stem on said wear takeup means projecting from the housing, a lubricant fitting removably mounted on the housing freely receiving the rigid stem and providing a lubricant passage around the stem, and said fitting when mounted on the housing protecting said stem and sealing the housing and when removed from the housing exposing said stem for a reading of the wear conditions of said bearing means and stud head.

Claim 3

The joint construction of claim 1 wherein the lubricant fitting has a grease gun receiving nozzle, a spring loaded ball closes said nozzle, and the rigid stem on the wear takeup means is surrounded by a groove receiving lubricant from the fitting.

Claim 4

The joint construction of claim 1 wherein the wear takeup means is a one-piece member with a head having a recess receiving the head of the stud, a boss portion depending from said head, and said rigid stem depends from said boss portion.

Claim 5

A ball and socket joint construction comprising a housing having a ball seat therein at one end thereof, a stud having a ball end seated on said ball seat and a shank extending from the housing, a spring seat in said housing, a wear takeup spring urging said spring seat against the ball end of the stud to urge the ball end of the stud into bearing engagement with said ball seat, a rigid stem on said spring seat extending freely through the end of the housing opposite said ball seat, a lubricant fitting removably mounted on said opposite end of the housing embracing said rigid stem in spaced relation therewith and providing a lubricant passageway around said stem communicating with the interior of said housing to supply lubricant from the fitting to the ball seat, the ball end of the stud, and the spring seat, said lubricant fitting when mounted on said opposite end of the housing sealing said housing and when removed from said housing exposing said stem, and said stem having a length projecting beyond the housing before the joint components reach a worn-out condition and being retracted into the housing by said spring when the joint components are worn out.

Claim 6

A ball and socket joint construction comprising a housing having a ball seat therein at one end thereof, a stud having a ball end seated on said ball seat and a shank extending from the housing, a spring seat in said housing, a wear takeup spring urging said spring seat against the ball end of the stud to urge the ball end of the stud into bearing engagement with said ball seat, a rigid stem on said spring seat extending freely through the end of the housing opposite said ball seat, a lubricant fitting removably mounted on said opposite end of the housing embracing said rigid stem in spaced relation therewith and providing a lubricant passageway around said stem communicating with the interior of said housing to supply lubricant from the fitting to the ball seat, the ball end of the stud, and the spring seat, said lubricant fitting when mounted on said opposite end of the housing sealing said housing and when removed from said housing exposing said stem, and said stem having a length projecting beyond the housing before the joint components reach a worn-out condition and being retracted into the housing by said spring when the joint components are worn out.

Claim 7

The ball and socket joint of claim 4 wherein said opposite end of the housing is a closure disk and the lubricant fitting is threaded into said disk.

Claim 8

The ball and socket joint construction of claim 4 wherein said opposite end of the housing is a metal cup receiving the spring seat and wear takeup spring and the lubricant fitting is threaded into the bottom of said cup.

Claim 9

In a joint construction having a housing, wearable components in the housing, wear take-up means for said components, and a rigid wear indicator readable from outside of the housing, the improvement of a removable lubricant fitting threaded into the housing freely receiving the rigid wear indicator and sealing the housing while providing a lubricant passageway around the rigid wear indicator communicating with the wearable components in the housing, and said fitting being removable from the housing to expose the rigid wear indicator for a reading of the wear conditions of the wearable components in the housing.

Claim 10

In a joint construction having a housing, wearable components in the housing, wear take-up means for said components, and a rigid wear indicator readable from outside of the housing, the improvement of a removable lubricant fitting threaded into the housing freely receiving the rigid wear indicator and sealing the housing while providing a lubricant passageway around the rigid wear indicator communicating with the wearable components in the housing, and said fitting being removable from the housing to expose the rigid wear indicator for a reading of the wear conditions of the wearable components in the housing.