Gkn Transmissions Limited

Bertram J Palmer

Leslie G Fisher

Herbert K Steuer

An assembly of a bearing unit with inner and outer members and rolling elements between them and a universal joint member, with a retaining element which has been deformed to hold the members together and removal of which to permit dismantling of the assembly leaves at least one of the members undamaged and fit for further service. Torque transmission between the members may be by way of tapered splines.

Bearing and universal joint assembly

A method of, and apparatus for, friction welding two components such as universal joint members to the ends of a shaft, wherein the shaft is held stationary while the components are rotated against its ends to produce welding conditions, and then released as welding pressure is applied while the components are braked. Allowing the shaft to rotate with the end component during formation of the welds avoids weld quality problems occurring due to the formation and tearing apart of a succession of welds during the time which would be taken for the end components to come to rest if the shaft were held stationary.

Friction welding

An assembly of a universal joint member and a shaft formed of fibre reinforced synthetic resin material is made by establishing an adhesive connection between the shaft and a connecting member, and subsequently welding the connecting member to the universal joint member. The connecting member may be adhered to the shaft by incorporating it in the structure of the shaft as the shaft is manufactured.

Shaft and universal joint assembly

A transmission means for drive by a prime mover, particularly the engine of an automobile, comprising a torque converter for direct drive by the prime mover, a continuously variable speed belt drive comprising a belt or chain entrained around two variable pitch pulleys driven directly by the torque converter and a change-direction gearing driven by the belt drive and driving a rotary output, e.g. the road wheels of an automobile, the gearing having a neutral state in which the output is disconnected from the belt drive.

Variable speed transmission means

In a Hooke's joint comprising two yoke elements interconnected by a connecting member, the connecting member has trunnions received in respective bearing cups which are fitted in apertures formed in the arms of the yoke elements. Each arm of each yoke element has a retaining element to retain the associated bearing cup in the opening of the arm. The retaining element on one arm of each yoke element is adapted to bias the associated bearing cup towards the centre of the joint; whereas the retaining element on the other arm of the yoke element is adapted to function as a rigid stop to limit movement of the associated bearing cup away from the centre of the joint but not to bias the bearing cup inwardly of the joint.

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Birmingham, United Kingdom

Bertram J Palmer