Patent ID: 8403763

Claim:
A universal joint comprising, in combination: a base including first and second ends spaced along a first axis, with the first end of the base including a peripheral wall defining a receiving recess, with the receiving recess including first and second compartments, with the peripheral wall including two aligned holes each extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the first axis, with the second end of the base including an engaging portion, with the second compartment located intermediate the first compartment and the engaging portion; a rotating member including first and second ends spaced along a second axis, with the first end of the rotating member including a pivotal portion received in the receiving recess of the base, with the second end of the rotating member including a coupling portion having square cross sections and spaced from the pivotal portion along the second axis, with the rotating member further including a conical interconnecting portion between the pivotal portion and the coupling portion, with the coupling portion including two opposite surfaces on opposite sides of the second axis, with the two opposite surfaces of the coupling portion having a width perpendicular to the second axis, with a groove extending through a center of the pivotal portion, with the groove including first and second sidewalls on an end thereof, with the groove farther including third and fourth sidewalls on another end thereof spaced from the end of the groove along the second axis, with the first and third sidewalls located on a first side of the second axis and spaced from each other by 90°, with the second and fourth sidewalls located on a second side of the second axis opposite to the first side of the second axis, with the second and fourth sidewalls spaced from each other by 90°, with the conical interconnecting portion having a minimum diameter adjacent to the coupling portion; and a pin extending through the holes of the peripheral wall of the base and the groove of the pivotal portion of the rotating member, with the pin and the groove allowing relative pivotal movement between the pivotal portion of the rotating member and the base about a pivot axis between first and second positions, with the pivot axis perpendicular to the first and second axes and passing through the center of the pivotal portion, with the first and second positions spaced from each other by 90°, with the pivotal portion extending into the first compartment and abutting with the second compartment at the interconnection with the first compartment during pivotal movement of the pivotal portion relative to the base.