Swiveling ball joint assembly for grinding head assembly

Abstract

A swiveling ball joint assembly set into a center of a driver plate to be used with a grinding head includes a rigid housing having a socket and a flange extending outwardly. An elongated shaft defines a rotational axis having a ball end enclosed within the socket and a coupling end to be connected with a spider arm. A bearing is concentrically aligned with the rotational axis and rotatably attached to the elongated shaft. A mounting hole to allow connection by fastener to a driver to translate rotational motion from the spider arm to the driver. A protective boot extends from the socket to a shelf to prevent foreign material from contaminating the socket.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A swiveling ball joint assembly, comprising:
 a rigid housing having a socket and a flange, the flange extending outwardly from the socket to define a flange plane;   an elongated shaft defining an axis of rotation and having a ball end and a coupling end, the ball end enclosed within the socket and the coupling end extending in a direction substantially normal to the flange plane; and   a bearing concentrically aligned with the rotational axis and rotatably attached to the shaft between the ball end and the coupling end, wherein the bearing is operable to allow the flange to rotate with respect to the bearing.   
     
     
         21 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising two or more flanges extending outwardly from the socket. 
     
     
         22 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the flange comprises at least one mounting hole. 
     
     
         23 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the rigid housing further comprises a shelf located between the ball end and the coupling end of the elongated shaft. 
     
     
         24 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the bearing abuts the shelf. 
     
     
         25 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , further comprising a means for preventing foreign material from contaminating the socket. 
     
     
         26 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the contamination prevention means comprises a protective boot. 
     
     
         27 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the protective boot extends from the socket to the shelf. 
     
     
         28 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the protective boot circumvolves at least a portion of the elongated shaft. 
     
     
         29 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the protective boot comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         30 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the coupling end further comprises a means to connect to a drive arm. 
     
     
         31 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the bearing is configured to be set into a bearing housing on the drive arm. 
     
     
         32 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the drive arm connection means comprises a threaded end. 
     
     
         33 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the threaded end has a non-circular configuration at an end distal to the bearing. 
     
     
         34 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the coupling end has a length approximately equal to the height of the socket. 
     
     
         35 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the socket is configured to be set into a center of a driver plate. 
     
     
         36 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the bearing is configured to allow the driver plate to rotate with respect to a drive arm. 
     
     
         37 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the coupling end further comprises a means for receiving the bearing. 
     
     
         38 . The swiveling ball joint assembly of  claim 35 , wherein the bearing receiving means comprises an elongated end having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of an aperture defined through the bearing.