Abstract: A universal joint includes a journal cross having cross arms and yokes and spline shafts. The universal joint according to the invention comprises oil controllers, each in the form of a cylindrical cup made of a porous plastic material arranged in an oil reservoir in an end of the cross arm and communicating with an oil supply aperture of the journal cross. The controllers control the supply of amounts of grease to the journal cross arm ends resulting from centrifugal force, filter foreign substances such as metal particles so as to prevent abrasion of lubricated parts, and prevent grease from falling down under influence of gravity to restrain it as much as possible when the universal joint is stopped, thereby enabling the lubrication to perform smoothly when the universal joint is restarted.

Abstract: Support means for trunnions in fork eyes of universal joints comprising a bearing bushing consisting of a generally cylindrical sleeve section and a bottom section closing one axial end of the sleeve section adapted to axially support the trunnion and a plurality of cylindrical rollers arranged in at least two side by side rows. The rollers engage and roll between outer races in the bore of the sleeve section and inner races on the trunnion. The sleeve section has a constant uniform diameter over its entire outer peripheral surface and has outer races formed in its bore section which are offset in steps radially inward towards the bottom section. The inner races are disposed in side by side array on the trunnion and of the same diameter without offset.

Abstract: Thin-walled bearing bushing produced in a drawing process for the support of pins in universal joints comprising an elongated generally cylindrical sleeve section and a bottom section forming an end closure at one axial end of said sleeve section, the juncture of the peripheral surface of said sleeve section and the outer axial end face of said bottom section defining an outer rim having at least portions of a small cross sectional radius (r), and means defining at least a pair of separate circumferentially extending spaced grooves in the bottom section adjacent said peripheral rim.

Abstract: In a universal joint having a trunnion cross including trunnions defining a centerline extending centrally therethrough and trunnion cross support members which include a yoke defining a yoke bore and a bearing bush received within the bore and receiving therein the trunnions, an improvement is provided in that the trunnion cross support members are formed with at least one conical surface configured to taper away from a plane containing the centerline of the trunnion in a direction outwardly from the center of the universal joint. Conical surfaces may be formed on opposite sides of the trunnion centerline to extend an angular distance circumferentially which is greater than twice the bending angle of the joint. The conical surfaces may be formed either on the walls of the yoke bore or on the bearing bush.

Abstract: Thin-walled bearing bushing produced in a drawing process for the support of pins in universal joints, consisting of a cylindrical sleeve section and a bottom section which closes this cylindrical sleeve section on one axial end whereby a peripheral rim with a small cross sectional radius is formed between the outside surface of the sleeve section and the outside surface of the bottom section, characterized in that a recess (9, 18, 22) is provided in one surface of the bottom section (6) radially inward of the peripheral rim (7) and axially impressed in said one surface.

Abstract: A universal joint is formed with trunnions extending into the bores of yokes with bearing bushes being interposed between the trunnions and the yokes. Each of the trunnions is formed with a bore extending internally into the trunnion generally coaxially with the central axis of the trunnion. The trunnion is formed with a wall thickness surrounding the bore and the bearing bush has a wall thickness surrounding the trunnion with the wall thickness of the trunnion being between one and three times the size of the wall thickness of the bearing bush. The trunnion bore may extend with a depth which is at least equivalent to the depth of a generally cylindrical bore within the bearing bush within which the trunnion is received and the central bore in the trunnion may be formed with a conical portion immediately contiguous with a cylindrical portion located inwardly from the conical portion. The conical portion may be formed to widen outwardly with an angle of between 0.5.degree. and 5.degree.