Joint with a combined seal and bushing

Claim 1

A joint with a combined seal and bushing, comprising a cylindrical member, a bushing on said cylindrical member and terminating in an end surface, two pivotal members piloted on said cylindrical member and said bushing and extending radially outwardly therefrom and being pivotal relative to each other and spaced apart, one of said pivotal members having a circular counterbore facing said bushing end surface and with said counterbore having a base surface parallel to and spaced from said bushing end surface, and an elastomeric combined seal and bushing member disposed in said counterbore and having two cylindrically-shaped portions of different diameters and concentrically disposed and nested together with one thereof telescoped inside the other, and with both said portions having a flat annular surface on each axial end thereof and extending along respective planes transverse to the cylindrical axis of said portions and with the two said annular surfaces of each said portion being in respective abutment with said bushing end surface and said counterbore base surface, said elastomeric member being compressed between said two pivotal members and being of an axial length to present a bushing therebetween and thereby maintain the space between said two pivotal members and thus avoid wear and noise creation therebetween, and said elastomeric member having an elastomeric web integral with its said two cylindrically-shaped portions and being compressed therebetween to urge said portions radially away from each other and into snug contact with the other three said members for forming seals thereat.