A universal joint, universal coupling, U-joint, Cardan joint, Hardy-Spicer joint, or Hooke's joint is a joint or coupling in a rigid rod that allows the rod to 'bend' in any direction, and is commonly used in shafts that transmit rotary motion. It consists of a pair of hinges located close together, oriented at 90° to each other, connected by a cross shaft.
Read more about Universal Joint: History, Equation of Motion, Double Cardan Shaft, Double Cardan Joint, Thompson Coupling
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—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)