F. GALL AND G. STOLLE.
WATER AND PRESSURE TIGHT BALL JOINT.
APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1914.
1,349,060.
Patented Aug. 10, 1920.
3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.
£63144 4% 6‘. STOLLE
F. GALL AND G. STOLLE.
WATER AND PRESSURE TIGHT BALL JOINT.
APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. I914.
1,349,060.
Patented Aug. 10, 1920.
3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.
ArraRn/[Y
>F. GALL AND G. STOLLE.
WATER AND PRESSURE TIGHT BALL JOINT.
APPLICATION FILED MAY20,1914.
' 1,349,060.!
Patented Aug. 10, 1920.
‘
3 SHEETS-SHEET 3-
Arron/vs)‘
UNITED STATES
PATENT .oFFlcE.
FRIEDRICH GALL AND GEORG STOLLE,_OF KIEL, GERMANY.
WATER AND PRESSURE TIGHT BALL-JOINT.
1,349,060.
Speci?cation of Letters Patent.
Patented Aug. 10, 1920.
Application ?led May 20, 1914. Serial No. 839,706.
To all whom it may concern :
,
packing in this form of construction, the
Be it known that we, FRIEDRICH GALL and ring inclosing the membrane is so formed
GEoRc S'roLLE, citizens of the German Em that the membrane lies on a snaky or sinuous
pire, residing at Kiel, in the Kingdom of path or the like on the spherical surface so
russia, Germany, VVerk Ravensberg, am that even under conditions of rotation all
Habsburger Ring, have invented certain parts of thepacking surfaces will be lubri
60
new and useful Improvements in Water and cated.
Pressure Tight Ball-Joints, of which the
Metal could of course in certain cases also
be used as a membrane when this would be
10 ~ This invention relates to improvements in} so- formed that it would lie against the abut 65
following is a speci?cation.
'
_
water-tight and pressure tight ball joints ting part in hollow form and would bend a
which are, for instance, necessary for the - greater or less degree depending on the pres»
combination of single members of an ar sure upon it.
mored diver’s- dress which must comply with
For the purpose of supporting the metal
15 conditions whereby they can act. as a free" membrane a second membrane‘ could be ar 70
ball joint (for hand and foot joints). or as ranged lying upon it formed of elastic ma’
a ball joint acting as;a pivot (in the case of terial such as, for instance, india rubber,
elbows,-~=thigh and knee joints). ' It is es-' which would keep the joint tight even at-low
sential in the use of these <ball joints that
20
‘they not only give complete security against
pressure, that is to say, at small depths of
submersion. This latter membrane can also 75
pressure and moisture but also give the be protected if desired by a metal ring lying
greatest degree'possible of free movement,
that is to say, thev joints must move without
25
. upon it.
The securing and pressure‘ of the mem
friction. Further, the joints must be pro= brane in this form of construction takes
tected against damage by outside in?uences place preferably by a compression ring in
in order to protect the diver when. sub
80
the form of an inclosing nut by the move
'
ment of which the packing pressure simul
In order to ful?l these requirements the taneously is transmitted over the whole pe
packing between the joint‘ parts is so ar riphery of the joint and is evenly distrib
merged.
-30
ranged that the packing surfaces expand, uted thereover. This arrangement allows
85
somewhat under increase of ‘pressure and also of an adjustment or screwing up of the
consequently the packing pressure increases. packing after the whole device has been as
As a packing member there can, for in .sembled.
.If the packing membrane is so arranged
stance, be arranged oh the spherical shell
85 forming the termination of one member a . on the ball joint that it extends over beyond 90
membrane in the form of a ring which abuts
. directly against the spherical surface of the
other jointed member. This membrane can
be made out of pure rubber or out of a like
40
the diameter of the spherical shell of the
other member of the joint, then the joint
will be held automatically together and it
. is possible for the ball socket to exert a ten
suitable material and can be secured by ' sionor pressure vertical to the plane of the
means of a special pressure ring and screw
95
membrane; further, the joint can after a '
or by means of'a correspondingly shaped in_ > membrane has been removed be easily taken
closing nut, the arrangement being such that one from the other and changed or replaced
it is impossible for the packing in either case‘ so that the diving dress ‘can be made suit
45 to become displaced.
'
able for divers of various sizes.
100
To increase the efficiency of the packing
The free movement of the joints is ob- and to prevent the locking of the same, the tained in that ball bearings are inserted bepacking is, when in use, greased or lubri tween the spherical surfaces of the joint
cated in known manner. In order to pro which lie in a ball cage limiting the bearing
50 vide a distribution of lubricant over all
zone of the balls.
'
parts of the packing surface in an efficient
In the case of ball joints having a pivotal
manner in the casein which one jointed mounting in which a movement of the mem- .
member rotates on the other in the plane of ‘bers of the armored diver only takes place
the membrane, the relative‘position of the in one plane, in order to obtain in the case
55 members being otherwise the same as the
of a bending movement a very small rela 119
1,349,060
tive movement of the surfaces of the joint, 'ment showing the protecting inclosures for
a hollow body is provided which is inclosed the protection of the single joints of an
by the spherical parts‘ of the joint moving
armored diver.
i
The members a and b of a diving armor
forms the zone of action of the ball and are to be connected together in any known
which is mounted to be movable on a com manner in spherical shells such as 0 and d.
relatively to one another, which hollow body
In the case of freely movable ball joint,
mon joint pivot. The spherical shells of
the jointed members are packed against this Figs. 1 and 5, these spherical shells c and d
hollow body in the manner described above engage one another so that they are dis?
10 and they move over the outer surfaces of
placed relatively to on'eanother in the case
segment shaped ball cage at suitable places.
The hollow spherical member is preferably
15' provided with projections which limit the
relative movement of the hollowv body rela
tively to the spherical parts.
In order to protect against damage the
ball joints which connect together the single
20 members of the armored diver, the joints are
surrounded by inclosures which prevent
damage of the parts of'the joint from out
or the like can be arranged on one of the
75
‘the hollow spherical body, ball bearings be of a ball joint movement. In order tolimit
ing interposed, which latter are carried by a the scope of movement a projecting ring'e
spherical members for instance at against
which projecting ring the upper spherical
vided on the spherical shell 0 at the outer
end which is illustrated on an enlarged scale
in_Fig. 2 and which is, for the purpose of
inclosing the portion 9 forming the packing
side sources. These inclosures are prefer between the members a and b. This member
ably formed as spherical segments or as 9 can for instance be formed of a ring of
25 parts of such and are so secured to the joint pure rubber or other suitable material and
parts to be protected that they move .upon in the form of construction shown in secured
one another. Consequently it is rendered upon the ring f by means of an outer metal
possible'to use an inclosure as a projection ring 71. As may be seen from Fig. 2 the
'80
80
shell 0 abuts in its limiting positions. In
the form of construction of the ball joint
according to Figs. 1 and 2 a'ring f is pro
limitingv the movement of the joint in the membrane 9 abuts directly against the spher
case of freely movable joints such, for. in ical surface d so that its front or bottom
edge bears against the surface (Z while the
stance, as for hand and foot joints. _'
In the case of ball jointshaving a pivotal top edge recedes from the said surface and
mounting which rotates about a ?xed axis, is practically flush with the inner edge of
for instance in the case of thigh or kneejoints, the ring or ?ange f, while itsvrear edge ex
tends backward somewhat such a distance
that it is held by the ring 7‘. The front se
arranges movable intermediate inclosures on curing ring h also lies at such a distance
the pivots of the. joint which are movably away from the spherical surface d that the
135 it is possible to arrange even more than two
90
95
100
inclosures one upon .the other in that one
arranged relatively to the inclosure secured water under pressure can act directly
upon the joint members.
,
The present invention will be more par
ticularly , described with reference to the
against the membrane and under increase of
105
pressure- can press this latter more securely
against the spherical surface (Z lying under
forms of construction illustrated by way of it without causing the membrane to become
example in the accompanying drawings, in displaced. To increase‘ this effect the mem
brane itself can also, as shown by Fig. 2. .110
which :-—
.
-
.
a
Figure 1 vshows a fragmental vertical cen be bent forward.
The membrane 9 and the front surface of
tral section of a form of construction of a
55
60
ball provided with a device according to the the ring 7‘ may, as shown in Fig. 2, for in
stance, be bent in a snaky or sinuous shape
present invention.
Fig. 2 shows a fragmental vertical cen in order to provide an e?icient lubrication 115
tral section of the packing of a joint accord along the packing ?eld, even whenthe mem
ber a is turned on the member I) entirely
ing to Fig. 1 on a large scale.
Fig. 3 shows a fragmental vertical cen about its longitudinal axis.
In the constructional form shown in Figs.
tral section of a-second form of construc
3 to 5 the securing of the membrane is ob 120
tion of a freely movable ball joint; while
Figs. 4: and 5 show fragmental sections on tained by means of an inclosing nut formed
a large scale of‘two forms of construction of as a pressure ring z' which is screwed on to
the end of the spherical shell (Z which is
the packing.
Fig. 6 shows a fragmental vertical central formed with a ?ange 7c and screw threaded.
Instead of- the india rubber membrane 9 125
section of a ball joint having a pivotal
mounting according to the present inven-‘ according to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, a metal mem
tion; while
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show side elevations of a
66
joint of this type in various positions.
Fig. 10 is a front elevation of. £1.11. arrange
‘ brane'l- may be used as shown in Figs.‘ 3
and 4 by way of example, upon which pref
' erably a rubber membrane m bears; a metal
protecting ring being placed over the rubber
130
1,349,060
8
membrane m ~itself. .The combined mem form of a ring inclosing the body 8 and
brane abuts against a projecting part 0 on bearing against this without pressure.
the ?ange is and bears at an inclination upon.‘ Two projections u are arranged at each
the spherical shell d so that between it and side of the body 8 which cooperate with
shoulders a on the ‘eyelet bearings r of the
low space is left into which the packing can spherical shells. These shoulders 11 are ar 70
the part of the ?ange lying beneath it a hol
be pressed by screwing down the pressure ranged correspondingly to the sharply cut
The combined membrane will then away sides of‘ the spherical shell. An abut
‘ ring.
have in cross-section a form similar to that ment action is thereby provided in that. as
10
shown in Figs. 3, and 4, slightly enlarged, seen in Fig. 6 the parts themselves of the
the section of the membrane, or packlng spherical shells abut against'one another.
75
ring, appearing like a bent beam. The part The stated projections to can, of course,lalso
of the compression ring which extends be be arranged on the shells.
yond the ?ange is so formed that it presses I The sequence of-operation when a joint is
15
on the middle part of the membrane and moved can be seen from Figs.7 to 9. Fig. '7 is 80
_ consequently exerts a bending pressure. vBy va fragmentary side elevation corresponding
screwing up the ring m to a greater or'less to Fig. 6 and shows the joint in the end posi—
degree it is .possible to adjust the curvature ' tion in which the joint members 0 and (Z
to which the packing is bent and conse-. abut against one another._ The projections
20
quently the pressure of the. packing on the?
surface. ‘Also ‘of course the‘ curvature of
u then rest von the shoulders 12 on one side 85
of the eyelets r by which the movement of
the bend of the packing will be in?uenced the spherical member s is limited. At the
by the water pressure itself so that the re
quirements which the
25
are fully met.
‘
beginning of the bending" movement in
packing has to‘ ful?l ' which, forv instance, the upper member a
. "
' moves toward the right while the lower 6
, In order to render possible an easy move-v
remains in its position, the member a will
ment of the members even .at high pressures move simultaneously with the spherical body
there‘
preferably arranged between the 8 toward the right as this moves about its
spherical shells c and a? a ball'bearing cage - pivot q and will then come into the position
30
10 having any desired number'of balls, which shown in Fig. 8, until the projection u on
cage will form a ball bearing zone.
40
the one side meets the shoulders v on the
In order that the jointed members will be ‘other side, whereupon the spherical member
held together without auxiliary means and s is heldfrom‘further relative movement to
further will take up tension in the axial the part 6!. Consequently the spherical shell
direction, the arrangement is so .provided 0 slides farther over the spherical bearing
that the packing lies just beyond the middle zone 8 until it meets the other spherical shell
plane of the inner sphere.
.
(1. Consequently the bending movement is
In dismantling the joint it is, of ‘course, completed when the'parts will have taken
necessary to free the membrane, whereupon up the position shown in Fig. 9.
the joint parts can be easily detached from
lVhen turning backward 'the spherical
one
another.
'
i
member s will be taken by the spherical shell
100
105
In the case of the ball joints having piv until the projection u on the other side meets
otal bearings (Figs. 6 and 9), the spherical the shoulder a of that side.
.
shells .0 and cl of the members a and b are
45
50
On a further movement the upper shell
connected togetherv with the assistance of 0 will again slide over the guide member 8
pins 9 which pass through eyelets 1" on the until the limit position is reached.
' spherical shells o and cl. A hollow spherical
The movement can, of‘ course, also take
member s is mounted upon these pins 9 the place in that in the beginning of the bend
outside surface of which forms a ball bear ing movement each spherical shell moves
110
the extended position, Figs. 6 and 7, a free when it is caused to do so by action of the
ing Zone, and this'adjusts itself such that in while the common guide member only moves
115
corglnegction is obtained between the links a projections.
According to the present invention. all the
All the spherical surfaces of the joint‘ ball joints can be provided with protective
an
.
55 have a common center so that the spherical
parts 0 and d inclosing the-spherical mem
inclosures as may be seen in Fig. 10. The 120
free ball joints W and X show two sheet.
ber s slide in their movement over the mem
ber s. In order to render the movement as
metal caps w vw’, w an’ overlapping each other
easy as possible a .ball bearing zone formed
60 of a ball cage 12 is provided between each
of the bodies 0 and s, and similarly (Z and s.
The packing of the members a and 'Z) rela
tively to the body .9 is effected in a manner
similar to that above described by means of
ments. The caps w and as consequently are
and arranged in the form of spherical seg
carried by one member and the caps w’ and 125
a" are secured on the other member, and it
-will be evident that when the ball joints
move a limiting projection action can be ob
tained by means of these protective shells.
'65 the membrane packing t which ‘is ‘in the In the case of the pivot joint such as the
130
I
,
a, .
I
‘
"1,849,080
u ‘_
-
.
elbow joint Y, a double protective cap y’ is, closing parts; and a freely movable cage
for instance, arranged on the side farthest holding said balls.
6. A joint for the ends of members of div—
away from the body.‘ One cap '1 has its
sphere of protective action mostly'on the ing armor comprising partial spherical por
outside and this, as may be seen from the
10
20
M25
tions on the members, the outer members of 70,
drawing, incloses the whole joint and is se which extend beyond the central zone of the
cured to the lowermost member. vThis form inner members enveloped by them, and elas
is necessary owing to the peculiar shape of tic packing rings carried by said outer mem
the joint taken by way of example.
. bers and engaging the outer surface of said
The thigh and knee joints Z and J are also inner members in a zone of smaller diameter
arranged in the form of pivot ‘joints in than the central zone and more outwardly
which the arrangement is so disposed that than the central zone of the inner member,
to each ofthe spherical arts of both jointed whereby when the ring is removed the inner
members one each of t e pair of spherical member may be removed.
7. A joint for the ends of the members of
shells a z’ and similarly y" forming a
diving
armors consisting of two outer spheri
spherical zone, is secured, while under these
two a third cap 22 and similarly j2 is ar-' cal portions, a third spherical portion upon
ranged on the joint pivots g which, to pre which the outer portions move, a common
vent its tilting down, is secured to the cap 2’ pin around which the portions turn and
or similarly j’ by means‘of a small chain or packings between the outer and inner por
_
the like. During‘ the movement the caps 2’ tions.’
8. A joint for the ends of the members of
and similarly j j’ are displaced relatively to
the inclosure 22 and similarly 9'2; in certain diving armors consisting of two outer spheri
cases the arrangement can, of course, be such cal portions, a third spherical portion upon
that the three inclosures are moved one upon
the other.
'
I
85
pin around which the portions turn and
30
35
ing armor comprising partial spherical por
' 40.
80
which the outer portions move, a common 90
packings between the outer and inner por
1. A joint for the ends of members of div tions, and means whereby the inner spheri
ing armor comprising partial spherical por cal portions are carried along by the motion
tions on the members partially enveloping ‘of the outer spherical portions.
9. A oint for the ends of the members of
one another and packing rings of sinuous
diving
armors consisting of two outer spheri
form engaging the outer surfaces of the in
cal
portions,
a third‘ spherical portion upon
ner spherical parts.
,
/'
2. A joint for the ends of members of div~ which ‘the outer portions move, a common
‘We declare that what we claim is :—
75
I
tions on the members partially enveloping
one another, packing rings of metal out~
wardly bent at their base engaging the outer
surfaces of the inner spherical parts, and
pin' around which the portions turn and
packings between the outer and inner por
tions and shoulders provided to [the inner
spherical portions against which the outer
portions strike when in motion, thereby car
I
anti-friction bearings arranged between the rying along the inner portions.
10. A. 'oint for the ends of the members of
\opposite outer and inner surfaces of said diving
armors consisting of two outer spheri
partially inclosing parts.
3. A joint for the ends of members of div cal portions, a third spherical portion upon
ing armor comprising partial spherical por which the outer portions move, a common
95
100
105
110
tions on the members partially enveloping pin around which the portions turn and
packings
between
the
outer
and
inner
por
oneanother, packing rings of sinuous form
engaging the outer surfaces of the inner tions, shoulders provided to‘the inner spheri
spherical parts, and anti-friction bearings cal portions against which the outer portions
arranged between the opposite inner and strike when in motion, thereby carrying
50
along the inner portions and shoulders pro
4. A joint for the ends of members of div vided to the pin joints against which the
ing/I armor comprising partial spherical por shoulders of the inner spherical portions
tions on the members partially enveloping strike when in motion, thereby stopping said
outer surfaces of said enveloping parts.
one another, metal'packing rings on the outer .inner portions
11. A joint for the ends of members of a
5.5 members engaging the outer spherical sur diving armor for considerable pressures
faces of the inner parts, a rubber packing
ring adjacent said metal packing ring, and a comprising an inner hemispherical portion
and an outer hemispherical portion par
metal guard for said rubber ring. 7
tially
enveloping the said inner portion, a
. 5. A joint for the ends of members of div
supporting ?ange extending inward from
6.0 ing armor comprising partial spherical por the outer hemispherical portion toward the
tions on‘ the members partially enveloping
one another, packing rings engaging the inner hemispherical portion but leaving a
outer ‘surfaces of the inner spherical parts, clear frictionless annular space between the
ball bearings arranged between the opposite inner face of the'?ange and the inner hemi
outer and inner surfaces of said partially in spherical portion, a packing ring placed on
115
120
125
130
1,849,060 7‘
a
.
the, said supporting ?ange and subjected veloping the inner member but leaving a‘
principally to pressure acting in a direction clear space between all parts of its inner
15
20
tangential to the surface of the inner hemi
spherical member, the one edge only of the
inner face of the packing ring abutting
against the surface of the said inner hemi
surface and the external surface of the inner
member, a packing ring, an annular sup
porting surface on the outer member for 50
spherical portion, the said clear frictionless
annular space'left by the inwardly extend
ing ?ange being small enough to prevent the
packing ring from being forced in by the
outside pressure between the inner edge of
sure‘ ring for exercising pressure on the
packing ring in a direction tangential to the
surface of the inner memberPthe packing
ring being composed of a ring of packing
material and a ring of stiffening material,
the ?ange and the surface of the inner hemi these rings lying one upon the other in dif
spherical portion, and ball bearings in the f'erent parallel planes, the pressure ring
space between the inner and outer hemi~ bearing upon the ring of stiffening material
spherical portions.
'
'
and the dimensions of the rings being such
l2. Avjoint for diver’s armor comprising that the inside circumference of the ring
a ball memberJ a hemispherical socket, a' ofpacking material is pressed against the
packing ring attached to the said socket, and surface of the inner member, while the outer
bearing balls, the socket enveloping the said; margin of the packing ring is pressed down
‘ball member, but engaging its periphery upon the supporting surface, the middle an
only through the medium of an edge, of the nular portion of the ring being bent concave
said packing ring, and through the said thereby, substantially as described.v
bearing balls;
25
supporting’ the said packing ring, a pres
’
'
v
supporting surface on the outer member for
?ange on the said socket, and a pressure
ring pressing against the said protecting
supporting the said packing ring, means for ring in a direction tangential to the surface
exercising pressure on the ring in a direc of the said ball, and pressing the inner cir
tion approximately tangential or parallel cumference of the said rings of packing ma
35 to the surface of the inner member, so that
terial against the surface of the ball while
the inner 'margin of the ring is pressed bending down, the middle annular portion
against the external surface of the inner of the whole packing ring.
member, while the outer margin of the ring
In testimony whereof we a?ix our signa
bears against the supporting surface and tures in presence of two witnesses.
40 -the middle annular portion of the ring is
FRIEDRICH G‘ALL.
bent concave by the said pressure, substan
GEORG STOLLE.
tially as described.
14. A ball and socket joint for deep diver’s
Witnesses:
,
armor comprising a hemispherical inner
45
member, a hemispherical outer member 'en
60
65
15. In a deep diver’s armor, a joint com
13. A ball and socket joint for deep diver’s prising a ball, a socket enveloping the ball,
armor comprising a hemispherical inner a ?at packing ring composed of a ring of
member, a hemispherical outer member en" stiff elastic packing material, a superim
veloping the inner member but leaving a posed ring of comparatively soft packing
clear space between all parts of its inner material and a stiff protecting ring super
surface and the external surface of the in imposed upon the soft ring, a supporting
30 ner member, a ?at packing ring, an annular
55
JULIUS ROUKE,
KARL FRIEDRICH FREUGUT.
70