Abstract: A joint assembly has a member disposed within and movable relative to a housing from a first position through an intermediate position to a third position. A bearing member located between the movable member and the housing cooperates with the movable member and housing to provide a relatively low frictional force opposing movement of the movable member from the first position to the intermediate position. The bearing member also cooperates with the movable member and housing to provide a relatively large frictional force opposing movement of the movable member from the intermediate position to the third position. The bearing member preferably is laminated and has inner and outer surfaces formed of different materials.

Abstract: An improved pivot joint has a rotatable and tiltable stud. A rotational preload force is applied to the stud by a bearing which is circumferentially stressed in tension to apply a clamping force to the stud. This clamping force resists rotation of the stud relative to a housing until a predetermined minimum rotational force is applied to the stud. A tilting or sidewise preload force is applied to the stud by a resiliently compressible bushing which is disposed between the bearing and the housing. Since the tilting preload force is applied to the stud by the bushing, the bearing can be designed to provide an optimum rotational preload force without regard to tilting preload force design considerations. Similarly, the bushing can be designed to provide optimum tilting preload forces without regard to design considerations influenced by the rotational preload forces.

Abstract: An improved wear-indicating pivot joint includes a bearing assembly which supports a stud for both axial and rotational movement. The bearing assembly prevents sidewise tilting movement of the stud during axial and rotational movement of the stud about its own central axis. A wear take-up arrangement is provided to compensate for normal wear between a bearing surface and the stud. The wear take-up arrangement includes a spring which applies a force to a bearing member to continuously urge the bearing surface into engagement with the stud to hold the stud against sidewise tilting movement. However, upon the occurrence of excessive wear between the bearing surface and the stud, the bearing surface is ineffective to hold the stud against sidewise tilting movement to thereby signal the occurrence of excessive wear.

Abstract: An improved spring shackle assembly is utilized in an improved vehicle suspension system and includes a pair of socket assemblies which connect an end portion of a leaf spring with a mounting bracket. Each of the socket assemblies includes a rigid metal housing having an inner surface which defines a socket chamber in which a bearing liner is disposed. Each of the bearing liners encloses a spherical end portion of a ball stud. Each ball stud has a generally cylindrical shank which extends into an opening formed in an end portion of the spring. In order to tend to minimize the sideward load applied to the mounting bracket, the bearing liners have spherical surfaces which cooperate with the spherical head ends of the ball studs so that offsetting axial or sidewise forces are applied to the bearing liners by the ball studs. The socket assembly has a unitary construction to facilitate assembly and to minimize the chance for dirt and other foreign materials to enter the socket chamber.

Abstract: An improved ball and socket joint usable in a steering system includes a stud having an enlarged head or ball portion and a socket having a cavity closed by an end cap, the socket cavity being adapted to receive the stud head therein. An expander, such as a belleville spring, is resiliently compressed between the end cap and the head. The expander is the sole item interposed between the end cap and the head and serves the dual role of expander and supplemental seat for the head. The expander has a center opening, through which the head directly contacts the end cap and is pre-loaded by it. As the assembly sustains wear, the expander comes into play to maintain loading on the head and to keep the head seated on the expander. Problems of tolerance stackup are avoided by preloading the end cap directly by the head, and utilizing the expander as the supplemental seating means. By initially compressing the expander to a fully flattened state, travel of the expander to full relaxation is available to take up wear.

Abstract: An improved ball and socket joint assembly is effective to apply force to a steering system tending to return it to a straight ahead condition upon actuation of the steering system. The ball and socket assembly includes a rotatable ball which is disposed in a socket chamber. The ball is rotatably supported by a pair of seat members which engage opposite sides of the ball. A rod element extends through the center of the ball. A pair of sleeve members are urged into engagement with opposite end portions of the rod by biasing springs. Upon actuation of the steering system, the ball is rotated and the rod moves the sleeve members against the influence of the biasing springs. The force exerted on the end portions of the rod by the sleeve members applies a torque to the ball urging it back to its initial position.

Abstract: A dual seat ball joint having a socket housing with an interior cavity, a ball stud having the ball end received in the cavity, a load-carrying bearing having a surface mating with the ball end of the stud, a wear takeup bearing having a surface mating with a portion of the ball-ended stud and a spring to urge the wear takeup bearing against the ball end of the stud and towards the load carrying bearing with a predetermined clearance between the bearings to prevent wear takeup past a given point.

Abstract: A pivot joint or socket assembly, especially suited for use at the pitman or idler arm ends of centerlinks or in the pitman or idler arm assemblies of centerlink type steering linkages, has a pin or stud and a socket or housing forming a linkage connection which will provide rotational movement about an axis that may be tilted to a limited degree to accept variations in the linkage alignment and has a resilient wear take-up bushing which will compensate for wear and maintain the joint components in good bearing relationship throughout a long wear life.

Abstract: An improved spring shackle assembly is utilized in an improved vehicle suspension system and includes a pair of socket assemblies which connect an end portion of a leaf spring with a mounting bracket. Each of the socket assemblies includes a rigid metal housing having an inner surface which defines a socket chamber in which a bearing liner is disposed. Each of the bearing liners encloses a spherical end portion of a ball stud. Each ball stud has a generally cylindrical shank which extends into an opening formed in an end portion of the spring. In order to tend to minimize the sideward load applied to the mounting bracket, the bearing liners have spherical surfaces which cooperate with the spherical head ends of the ball studs so that offsetting axial or sidewise forces are applied to the bearing liners by the ball studs. The socket assembly has a unitary construction to facilitate assembly and to minimize the chance for dirt and other foreign materials to enter the socket chamber.