Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-07-14
Auto Lesson No. 90
The Universal Joint.

There IS one unit OF the auiomo-
bile. which is little understood,
which is subject TO a great strain.
and which. because many drivers
d. not even know Of It's existence. IS
ven much neglected refer to the
universal Joint.
what is the purpose OF the uni-
yrIsal joint, or as % Be- -O'oftcu called
fur short The Universal"
The engine is non ylcldiugy bolt
oI 10 the frame Of theoCar. while tho
rear wheels, or rather. the rear axle,
is connected TO the frame by means
o. Yielding springs. Thus the posi-
ton % these two unitG With respect
o. one another. will C1hstanty be
changing. and the angle OF the pro-
p,ler shaft by which they are con-
uecied (tho clutch and transmission
coming between. however, Will con
b,4uuy change.
This means that the propeller
shtf must be coupled or Joined 10
the shaft of the power plant by some,
device for permitting the drive ot
the one by the other Co he through
az angle SO We have the universal
l.E|"H " hlllNlA III Ii IIN hf A'AANN'h 80 -
device for coupling two shafts. so
that the one shaft can drive the
O,Aer when % Is at an angle 90 &C.
Al cars have one universal, WINE
many have two. -
The Action and Design Of the Uni
Ncrsnl Joint.
Let us see how the universal Joint
iS designed. Let A Fig. / be one
shaft and b the other at an angie
thereto Let us next fasicn to
fOrk-Ilke arm q. and To- b another.
as b. ar We could now couple these
Eo Htrks together in some way 80
tha kffne shstt u could move up and
doTJ with the FORK u as pivot.
.Hd sideways. with the fork G. as
+I ht, our problem would be solved.
k fan be done by coupling them
.NaR spider. as shown in Fig 4.
PIGS ? and 3. the coupled uni
sl Joint Ia shown.
ohaerNing Fig. 2, you will no.
NVe mat the spider + il in a hori-
S"H'', poaluon. and that the fork
j. and shaft b have swiveled on lts
pins As the shafts mako a quarter
Of revolution the universal Will
take the position shown In Fig 3.
Here you will notice that the spider
has sYlveled on the fork c, and
Is now at an angle To the horizontal.
when tho shafts have made but
an eighth Of revolution, the pro-
prllcr shaft will have partly swiy-
'lsd on the spider. and the spider
Will have partly swlyeled on the fork
Ui the driving SHAFT. Thus you wiil
zee that by means OF this double
swivel the shaft VIII be driven even
whom at ap angle.
We're the propeller shaft positive.
ly connected TO the universal Joint.
then the rear axle. as II moves up
and down with respect To the frame,
would have to move through an arc
Of a circle, the center OF which is the
front universal In many cars. the
springs. torque arm or radius rods
are $50 designed that they will not
permit this. The propeller shaft Is
therefore connected to one OF the
unlNcrsalS In such a manner as to
he able to slide back and forth In
~, which IL usually done by having
ITS end square, and fitung II into
square hole In one OF the universals.
Ihls Is shawn In Fig. 8.
In tho Ford car, the radius rods
are go designed that, though the end
OF the propeller shaft Is square, 80
does not slide back and forth and the
pun passing through the hub OF the
nlVcrsdl and the shaft must not be-
~ out as it often is
Care of tho Universal.
In order to take care Qt the luhrl-