Importance

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Abstract

An improved universal ball joint especially adapted to be used in the transmission of high torque, as in oil field use, includes a driving and driven shaft. One of the shafts, which may be the driving shaft includes a spherical ball received in a housing provided in the other shaft, which may be the driven shaft. The opposed surfaces of the ball and housing include axially extending grooves of essentially the same depth and length forming therebetween a plurality of chambers. Each chamber receives a pin which is tapered at each end and which forms the driving connection between the shafts. The shafts and the ball may include a bore for flow of fluid through the assembly, the ball being sealed in the ball chamber by seals to provide a sealed ball chamber which may be filled with lubricant, the ball being seated on a bearing and retained in the chamber by a retainer member which prevents relative axial movement between the shafts. Various forms are described including arrangements for flexible drill strings, reamer/stabilizer combination, mill tool combination and an arrangement for use in converting eccentric rotation to concentric rotation for use in a downhole motor.

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First Claim