Improvements in or relating to universal joints and to shaft assemblies including the same
414,923. Universal joints. UNIVERSAL PRODUCTS CO., Inc., 6455, Kingsley Avenue, Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.A.- (Assignees of Warner, A. A.) Oct. 17, 1933, No. 28713. Convention date, Oct. 31, 1932. [Class 80 (ii).] A torque-transmitting line of shafting, more particularly for a motor-vehicle, comprises a driving-shaft 5, protruding from a gear-casing 3 and having slidably splined thereon a sleeve 8, carrying a universal joint 14, the pivotal centre of which is inward of the end of the shaft 5. This arrangement reduces overhang of the joint beyond the shaft-bearing 4 and reduces the tendency of the splined-joint to bind. The universal-joint is connected by a unitary propeller-shaft 27 with a universal joint 29 fixedly secured to a driven-shaft 31 by a nut 32. The universal-joint 14 comprises diametricallyopposite trunnions 12 on the sleeve 8, engaging a surrounding rectangular intermediate member 14, which carries trunnions 15, supported in a fork 18 welded to the propeller-shaft 27. The splined-joint of the sleeve 8 is lubricated from the gear-casing 3, which has a sealing-washer 9, the sleeve having a screwed sealing-cap 20. The relative axial movement of the shaft 5 and sleeve 8 creates a pumping-action and circulates the lubricant. To relieve excess pressure in the cap 20, lubricant can return to the gearcasing either through a central axial bore in the shaft 5, through the base of the splines, or through a space 26 provided by omitting a spline-tooth.