Ball-jointed bearing arrangement of the piston heads in an axial piston machine

Claim 1

A bearing arrangement for a drive flange in an axial piston machine, said arrangement comprising: (a) a plurality of pistons and piston heads mounted in an axial piston machine, said plurality of pistons defining a first rotational axis, a rotational path about said axis, and a plurality of reciprocating axes which intersect said rotational path; (b) a drive flange for an axial piston machine, said flange having a plurality of recesses formed therein, with a single recess for each piston head; (c) a plurality of bearing cups, with a single bearing cup interposed between each of said piston heads at its cooperating recess, each of said bearing cups being loosely fitted into and supported by said drive flange while providing a wear resistant surface for its cooperating piston heads; (d) means for securing said loosely fitting bearing cups in said recesses and counteracting rotational forces imparted to said cups by said piston, said means including a first and second opposed protuberance for each bearing, with said protuberances being aligned along a pair of cords which intersect the rotational path defined by the rotation of said piston heads, said means also including a plurality of grooves formed in said drive flange for receiving each of said protuberances;