Weiss Joint

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The Weiss joint comprises two identical ball yokes, each positioned by four balls. The yokes are centered using a central ball with a hole. Torque is transmitted via two balls in circular tracks while the other two preload the joint to eliminate backlash when load direction changes. It differs from the Rzeppa joint as it uses tightly fitted balls between coupling halves without a cage, and its center ball rotates on a pin within the outer race as a locking mechanism. When shafts are aligned at 180 degrees, the balls lie in a plane perpendicular to the shafts; any driven shaft movement causes balls to move half the angular distance, ensuring they remain in the plane bisecting the drive angle. Note that dimensions are approximate and higher quality animations can be viewed here: http://imgur.com/a/SNhzk.