Chucks or sockets – Socket type – Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws
Utility Patent
1998-01-30
2001-01-02
Bishop, Steven C. (Department: 3722)
Chucks or sockets
Socket type
Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws
C279S048000, C279S052000, C279S056000, C279S059000, C279S069000, C279S123000, C279S902000
Utility Patent
active
06168170
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to chucks for use with drills or other electric or pneumatic power drivers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a chuck of the keyless type which may be tightened or loosened by hand.
Both hand and electric or pneumatic tool drivers are well known in the art. Twist drills are the most common tools used with such drivers. However, the tools may also comprise screw drivers, nut drivers, burs, grinding stones, and other cutting or abrading tools. Since the tool shanks may be of varying diameter or multi-sided cross section, the drill or like device is usually provided with a chuck adjustable over a relatively wide range for accommodating a wide range of tool bits. The chuck may be attached to the driver by a threaded or tapered bore, or any other suitable mechanism.
A variety of chuck types have been developed in which a gripping mechanism, such as a plurality of jaws, is actuated by relative rotation between a body member and an annular nut. In an oblique jawed chuck, for example, the body member includes three passageways disposed approximately 120° apart from each other. The passageways are configured so that their centerlines meet at a point along the chuck axis forward of the chuck body. The jaws are constrained by and movable within the passageways to grip a cylindrical tool shank disposed approximately along the chuck's centerline axis. The nut rotates about the chuck's axis and engages threads on the jaws so that rotation of the nut moves the jaws in either direction in the passageways. The body and nut are configured so that rotation of the nut in one direction (closing direction) with respect to the body forces the jaws into gripping relationship with the tool shank, while rotation in the opposite direction (opening direction) releases the gripping relationship. Such a chuck may be keyless if it is rotated by hand. One example of such a chuck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,673 commonly assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Various configurations of keyless chucks are known in the art and are desirable for a variety of applications.
In chucks having a plurality of jaws driven by relative rotation between the nut and the body, the jaws include a threaded portion cut into the jaw. This threaded portion generally has a flat surface at the forward edge thereof. With prior art chucks, when the nut is rotated in the opening direction so that the jaws are driven to their fully retracted position (a position where the tool engaging portions of the jaws are drawn to their fullest radially outward position with respect to the chuck axis), the flat surfaces of the jaw threads abut against an opposing flat surface of the nut in a pure frictional engagement. Further rotation of the nut increases the frictional force between the opposing surfaces until further rotation in the opening direction is inhibited. However, the frictional forces also resist subsequent rotation of the nut in the closing direction, and the operator typically must overcome these forces if the chuck is to be closed to grip upon a tool. These forces can be relatively great if the jaws were torqued excessively in the opening direction wherein the opposing frictional forces are relatively great. In certain instances, the jaws can actually become frictionally bound in the fully retracted position.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing considerations, and others, of prior art constructions and methods.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved chuck.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a chuck having a rotational stopping mechanism to prevent binding of the jaws and nut.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In accordance with the objects and purposes of the invention, a chuck is provided for use with manual or powered drivers, such as portable electric drills and the like, having a rotatable drive shaft. The chuck is mounted to the drive shaft in any conventional manner, including threaded attachment, tapered bores, etc. The chuck includes a body member having a nose section and a tail section. The nose section has an axial bore formed therein for receipt of a tool bit, and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough that intersect the axial bore. The chuck includes a gripping mechanism for holding a tool bit inserted into the chuck. The gripping mechanism preferably comprises a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in the angularly disposed passageways. Each jaw has a tool engaging face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof. A nut rotatably mounted on the body member has threads defined on an inner circumferential surface thereof in engagement with the threads on the jaws. A sleeve member is provided in driving rotational engagement with the nut. When the sleeve is rotated with respect to the body member, the jaws will thus also be rotated.
The chuck according to the invention also includes a rotational stop mechanism or device defined between the nut and the jaws wherein upon the jaws reaching a predetermined position within the passageways that generally corresponds to the fully opened position of the jaws, further rotation of the nut in the opening direction is prevented. This rotational stop comprises a radially extending surface that defines the end of the nut threads. This radially extending surface contacts a side surface of one of the jaws when all of the jaws are in their fully opened or retracted position. The side surface of the jaw that comes into the contact with the radially extending surface may be a side surface that defines the end of the jaw threads or the beginning of the jaw blade tool engaging face.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the side surface of the jaw comprises a circumferential surface that extends between the threads and the opposite tool engaging face.
The radially extending surface on the nut preferably comprises a radial wall that defines the end of the last nut thread. This radial wall may also extend tangentially relative to the rotational axis of the nut.
In a preferred embodiment, the side surface of the jaw comprises a curved circumferential surface. In this embodiment, the radially extending surface of the jaw may comprise a correspondingly shaped curved surface.
Other objects, features, and aspects of the present invention are discussed in greater detail below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2075031 (1937-03-01), Emrick
patent: 4775159 (1988-10-01), Manshitz
patent: 5913524 (1999-06-01), Barton
patent: 3628798 (1988-03-01), None
Aultman William H.
Barton Christopher B.
Miles Kevin C.
Bishop Steven C.
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Power Tool Holders Incorporated
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