<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">A knowledge of ball joints has been applied to the development of a novel improvement in their application to front suspensions.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Two functionally different units have been created from the “full ball” type of joint, which has been applied in the past to both upper and lower sockets: <ol class="list nostyle"> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">1.</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A lower socket, hanging on the stud, carries the load on a loose ring of balls and provides a free turning motion for steering.</div></li> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">2.</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">An upper socket, provided with a spring-loaded clutch, dampens the steering motion, and those vibrations resulting from the gyroscopic thrusts of the front wheel.</div></li></ol></div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Mr. Booth’s paper delves into the historic background behind the idea of applying ball joints to front suspensions in order to combine suspension and steering action at one point into a neat package. It emphasizes the ability of ball joints to prevent suspension stiffness that results from misalignment.</div></div>