universal joint

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun A joint or coupling that allows parts of a machine not in line with each other limited freedom of movement in any direction while transmitting rotary motion.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A coupling that allows different parts of a machine not in line with each other some freedom of movement at the same time as transmitting rotary motion.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun coupling that connects two rotating shafts allowing freedom of movement in all directions