Universal joint and method of making

{
  "publication_number": "US4371358A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Universal joint and method of making",
  "abstract": "A novel universal joint is made by forming a pair of elongated members, finishing the ends of said members to form bearing surfaces which are hard and smooth, and rigidly interconnecting the members between their ends to form a substantially cruciform spider structure which is subsequently assembled with the bearing surfaces of one member pivotally connected to the jaws of one clevis and with the bearing surfaces of the other member similarly connected to the jaws of another clevis, thereby completing a universal joint.",
  "claims": [
    "1. In a universal joint, an elongated, steel female member having a cylindrical central portion with a transverse cylindrical hole extending therethrough, said member having smaller-diameter cylindrical end portions coaxial with said central portion, said end portions being harder than said central portion and being finished to define smooth bearings, an elongated, steel male member with a central cylindrical portion complementary to and having a tight fit in said hole to define with said female member a cruciform spider consisting solely of said members, said male member having hardened cylindrical end portions finished to define smooth bearings coaxial with the central portion of the male member, the axis of the female member bearings being substantially normal to the axis of the male member bearings, said central portion of the female member being more ductile than its end portions to avoid cracking said central portion of the female member as the central portion of the male member is tightly fitted into said hole.",
    "2. A universal joint according to claim 1 wherein the central portion of the male member is brazed in the hole.",
    "3. A universal joint according to claim 1 wherein the fit of the central portion of the male member in said hole is along inteference threads of the respective members.",
    "4. In a method of making a universal joint, the steps of forming an elongated, steel female member with a larger-diameter cylindrical central portion and with spaced smaller-diameter cylindrical coaxial end portions coaxial with the central portion, hardening said end portions only, to form them into hard brittle bearings interconnected by the central portion which is more ductile, drilling a transverse cylindrical hole through the central portion with the axis of said hole substantially normal to the axis of said female member portions, forming an elongated, steel male member with coaxial cylindrical end portions and a central cylindrical portion coaxial therewith and complementary to said hole, hardening said male member end portions to form them into hard, brittle bearings, tightly fitting the male member central portion into said hole as the sole connection between said members without deforming either of them and without connecting either of them to any other structure, and then pivotally connecting bearings of a pair of clevises to the bearing of respective members without connecting the members to any other structure.",
    "5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the central portion of the male member is brazed to the female member in said hole.",
    "6. A method according to claim 4 wherein the fitting of the male member central portion is done by threading the members together along interference threads of respective members in said hole."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to universal joints as commonly used, for example, in steering mechanisms and power drive shaft connections and other industrial applications.\n\nAccording to prior art practice, such a joint has been made by forging a one-piece cruciform or spider member, then heat treating and grinding the ends of the member to form cylindrical bearings, and then pivotally mounting one pair of coaxial spider bearings in needle bearings within complementary openings of a clevis and mounting the other pair of coaxial spider bearings in needle bearings within complementary openings of another clevis to complete the universal joint.\n\nA major disadvantage of this prior art practice has been the expensive step of using a one-piece cruciform forging. According to the invention, it has been discovered that the cost of such a spider can be minimized by machining or cold heading a pair of elongated members from low carbon, soft steel bar stock, heat treating the ends of the members to case harden the ends, grinding the ends to form smooth, hard bearings, and rigidly interconnecting the members between their ends to complete the spider the bearings of which are subsequently pivoted to a pair of clevises to complete a universal joint.\n\nAccordingly a primary object of the invention is to minimize the cost of such a universal joint without any sacrifice in strength or dependability in service.",
  "cpc": [
    "F16D 3/40",
    "F16D 3/41",
    "Y10T 29/49945",
    "Y10T 403/32049",
    "Y10T 403/7003"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16D 3/40"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "HAMILTON PAX Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Charles E. Laue"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1980-06-13",
  "publication_date": "1983-02-01",
  "grant_date": "1983-02-01",
  "priority_date": "1980-06-13",
  "application_number": "US-15921180-A",
  "family_id": "22571567",
  "cited_by_count": 22,
  "citations": [
    "US420284A",
    "US1143659A",
    "US1143660A",
    "US2813409A",
    "US3103798A",
    "US3434196A",
    "GB1231499A"
  ]
}