Chucks or sockets – Compensation for eccentricity
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-25
2001-03-27
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Chucks or sockets
Compensation for eccentricity
C279S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206382
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chucks and, more particularly, to an equalizing power chuck.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, power chucks are used to hold a work-piece. Typically, these power chucks are mounted on a rotatable spindle of a machine tool. Commonly, the power chuck has a body and an axially disposed actuator mounted for reciprocation therein. The power chuck also has a plurality of axially extending rocker arms with work engaging jaws spaced radially equidistantly around the actuator and mounted for rocking movement to engage and disengage the work-piece.
An improved power chuck was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,833, issued Feb. 9, 1993, to Kenneth Cross and Ralph J. Gonnocci and U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,242, issued Apr. 25, 1995, to Ralph J. Gonnocci. The disclosed power chucks include a body, a plurality of work engaging jaws and a plurality of swivel mountings connecting the rocker arms to the body. However, these power chucks only had three rocker arms and work engaging jaws to engage the work-piece, which move simultaneously to engage the work-piece. If the work-piece is out-of-round, one or two of the jaws may apply more clamping pressure than the remaining jaw and, thus, lacks sensitivity in clamping of a work-piece in the chuck.
Another type of chuck known as an equalizing chuck has been provided with six rocker arms and work engaging jaws to engage the work piece. Such an equalizing chuck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,538, issued Aug. 24, 1999, to Ralph J. Gonnocci. The disclosed equalizing chuck includes a body, six work engaging jaws, six rocker arms, a reciprocal actuator and six wedge-shaped segments slidably secured to the actuator to move the jaws relative to each other and exert an equalized pressure on the work-piece. However, it is desired to reduce the number of parts and grip the work-piece with pairs of jaws simultaneously with more power.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide an equalizing power chuck with increased sensitivity during clamping of a work-piece in the chuck.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a power chuck with pairs of work engaging jaws that equalize pressure when engaging a work-piece simultaneously.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is an equalizing power chuck including a body, a plurality of work engaging jaws, and a plurality of rocker arms carrying the jaws. The rocker arms extend axially along an axis and have a mounting portion at one axial end for the jaws and an end portion at the other axial end. The equalizing power chuck also includes a plurality of swivel mountings connecting the rocker arms to the body, a plurality of slide members receiving the end portions of the rocker arms, a reciprocal actuator disposed centrally of the rocker arms, and a plurality of carrier members secured to the actuator. Each of the carrier members operatively cooperate with a pair of the slide members such that reciprocatory movement of the actuator moves the carrier members and correspondingly the slide members to move pairs of the jaws simultaneously relative to each other to engage a work-piece therebetween and allows the pairs of the jaws to pivot until a pressure exerted on the work-piece by the jaws is equalized.
One advantage of the present invention is that an equalizing power chuck is provided with a plurality of work engaging jaws such that pairs of work engaging jaws are moved simultaneously to engage a work-piece. Another advantage of the present invention is that the equalizing power chuck has a carrier member for each pair of work engaging jaws to allow the pressure applied to the work-piece to be equalized for increased sensitivity during clamping of a work-piece.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Bliss McGlynn P.C.
Carter Monica S.
Wellington A. L.
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