Installation and retainer device for power steering pitman arm

Claim 1

In combination with a working shaft having a threaded bore in the one end, an installation and retainer cap assembly mounting and locking an annular collar member on the working shaft comprising: a body on the said retainer cap; a threaded shaft extending from the inner side of the body, said shaft being threadably received by said bore and axially advancing the retainer cap into the bore, said body being enlarged relative to said shaft; said annular collar member and said shaft having internal and external splines, respectively, the cooperating splines of said member and said working shaft being tapered involute splines which lock together, said cap providing full working and locking engagement between said splines; a recess in the end of the threaded bore substantially matching said body in size and receiving and accommodating at least a portion of said body and stabilizing the retainer cap during the axial advance into the bore; and an outer cap flange on the opposite axial side of said body from said threaded shaft and extending around the periphery of said body, the inside face of said cap flange selectively engaging the outside face of the annular collar member, the outside face of the cap being substantially flush with said outside face of the annular collar member during the engagement between the inside flange face and the outside collar face, whereby the clearance along the outside face of the annular member is not substantially adversely affected by the presence of said retainer cap.