Gould Inc.

Harold L Kaufman

Daniel S Snyder

A ball joint construction having a ball-stud member with a ball portion and a shank portion and an open-ended socket member into which the ball portion is inserted. An elastomeric covering is permanently bonded to both the ball member and a part of the shank portion to provide increased bond life and strength and then deformed for inserting in the open end of the socket thereby resiliently interconnecting the socket and ball members. An additional rib or lip of elastomer is provided on the covering of the ball adjacent the shank which collapses into a continuous multiple curved pattern during insertion into the socket. The rib provides for increased life of the elastomer by improved surface tension parameters and also keeps stones and other debris out of the open-ended portion of the socket. A further bonding between the socket and elastomer after insertion provides a completely bonded system capable of accepting very substantial angular movement without slippage or pullout. A lip is preferably formed by coining over the edge around the open end of the socket for further increasing the strength against stud pullout.

Growing community of inventors

Port Clinton, OH, United States of America

Harold L Kaufman