Abstract: In a method of preparing a low friction bearing having an inner bearing member, a housing and a low friction surface element therebetween, wherein the housing having an inner surface is constructed to surround the bearing member and said housing is comprised of a plurality of sections which cooperatively define the shape of the outer surface of the inner bearing element, the improvement comprising the steps:1. winding onto a mandrel a continuous strand of a bondable low friction thread comprised of low friction filaments and bondable filaments impregnated with a bondable resin which is in a solidified yet thermoplastic state;2. affixing the wound thread to the inner surface of at least one housing section;3. curing the resin to coalesce the threads and intergrate the turns of the threads to produce a low friction element; and4.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ball-and-socket joint particularly for use with pipe lines, which comprises a first coupling portion provided with a coupling rim and having a conical inner wall and a second coupling portion at least partly surrounding the first coupling portion and provided with a coupling rim and part of a spherical wall, the portions being connected with each other by means of a lock ring, the two coupling portions are separately made on a jig, the external dimensions of which correspond with the internal dimensions of the coupling portion concerned, for which purpose layers of crossing, continuous, resin-impregnated threads are wound around the jig, while said threads are at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the coupling portion concerned, in order to form the conical wall and the part of the spherical wall respectively.