END CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH BALL HEAD CAPTIVE IN SOCKET BEARING AND SHELL HOUSING AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY

摘要

A captive ball and socket joint where thesocket is made from bearing material which isencased in a metal shell, thereby forming a socketaround the ball head an t;he end of a ball stud. Themetal shell is cup-shaped and lass its base wallapertured so that the ball formed with internalwrenching socket is accessible through the aperturewhen the ball and the bearing socket are placed intothe cup-shaped shell. A flat steel connector lug ispierced with an opening and the wall of the metalcup-shaped shell is secured within the opening bywelding. The edge portion of the shell is deformedto render the ball and socket captive in assemblywith the lug. The hole in the base wall of theshell permits access for insertion of a rotary drivetool to engage a formation in the ball component torotate the ball component and secure it to a machineelement such as a brace or bracket. The bearingsocket can be one or two pieces and can be made frommetal bearing material or a plastic bearingmaterial. The method of assembling the jointenvisages use of techniques to avoid destruction ofthe characteristics of the bearing material.