Method of forming seal securing portion on cup-shaped ball joint housing

Claim 1

An improved method for forming a cup-shaped ball joint housing with securing means for securing a sealing device to prevent entry of foreign matter, for a ball joint including a spherical end portion and a pin extending therefrom and a bearing casing for said spherical end portion, said housing being formed around said spherical end portion and provided with an opening through which said pin extends by inserting said spherical end portion into a substantially cylindrical blank and thereafter deforming said blank in a die arrangement, the improvement comprising the steps: providing said blank with an integral neck portion extending beyond the amount of blank required to form said housing, which neck portion forms said opening; providing said neck portion with an inner diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of of the blank adjacent thereto; providing said neck portion with a reduced outer diameter; and deforming the blank into said housing by directing forces inwardly radially of said spherical end portion adjacent said neck portion while refraining from applying direct force to said neck portion, whereby an outwardly extending collar is formed by said neck portion during formation of said housing, which collar defines a peripheral groove operable as said securing means for said sealing device.