Ball joint fixing for control rod - has housing secured to rod by friction welding and conical centring portion

摘要

The ball-joint comprises a ball-ended boss fitting in the cup of a bearing housing with a protrusion for securing to a rod. The bearing housing (10) is secured to the rod by friction-welding, and there is a shoulder (22) on the protrusion (20) to absorb axial thrust. There is also a conical portion (23) on the protrusion, to centre the housing in the friction-welding machine. The shoulder can be at right angles to the protrusion axis, and it and the conical portion can be formed by an annular groove, or by a flange on the protrusion.