Maremont Corporation

Alliedsignal Inc.

Tommy G Wood

James B Chamberlin

Theodore J Joy

Wallace T Colcord

Stan J Lovendoski

Gary R Gunn

Gary Weber

A captive ball and socket joint where the socket is made from bearing material which is encased in a metal shell, thereby forming a socket around the ball head on the end of a ball stud. The metal shell is cup-shaped and has its base wall apertured so that the ball formed with internal wrenching socket is accessible through the aperture when the ball and the bearing socket are placed into the cup-shaped shell. A flat steel connector lug is pierced with an opening and the wall of the metal cup-shaped shell is secured within the opening by welding. The edge portion of the shell is deformed to render the ball and socket captive in assembly with the lug. The hole in the base wall of the shell permits access for insertion of a rotary drive tool to engage a formation in the ball component to rotate the ball component and secure it to a machine element such as a brace or bracket. The bearing socket can be one or two pieces and can be made from metal bearing material or a plastic bearing material. The method of assembling the joint envisages use of techniques to avoid destruction of the characteristics of the bearing material.

End connector assembly with ball held captive in socket bearing and

The pressure-producing device (10) comprises a housing (30) which is slidable relative to a stationary piston (60), the housing (30) movable within a substantially blind bore (12) to effect the pressurization of fluid. A body (14) containing the blind bore (12) includes a retention member (22) located adjacent an end opening (16) of the blind bore (12). The pressure-producing device (10) is received within the blind bore (12) wherein a closed end (32) with a seal (44) thereabout defines with an end of the blind bore (12) a pressurizing chamber (50). The piston (60) is received slidably and sealingly within an interior opening (39) of the housing (30) and extends from an end opening (34) thereof in order to engage the retention member (22) and position stationarily the piston (60). The housing (30) and piston (60) are displaced away from one another by a pressurized medium within the housing (30 ). The piston's (60) stationary position enables the housing (30) to slide within the blind bore (12) and effect the pressurization of fluid received within the chamber (50).

Pressure-producing device

Growing community of inventors

Conway, SC, United States of America

Tommy G Wood