Chucks or sockets – Socket type – Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-06
2001-07-17
Bishop, Steven C. (Department: 3722)
Chucks or sockets
Socket type
Obliquely guided reciprocating jaws
C279S140000, C279S902000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260857
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The marketplace currently offers two primary types of drill chuck mechanisms for retaining drilling and driving tool bits. The traditional or “incremental” design typically consists of a mechanism that houses three adjustable jaws which protrude at an angle into a bore. An external sleeve is coupled to the jaws via internal gear teeth. When a tool is inserted into the bore, the sleeve is rotated by a user. As the sleeve is rotated in one direction, the jaws are forced towards the center of the bore to clamp a tool bit. When the sleeve is rotated in the opposite direction, the jaws are opened. This chuck style is able to accommodate a variety of tool sizes and shapes, however, changing a tool bit takes time.
It has long been recognized that the ability to quickly change tool bits in the spindle of a power tool is an advantageous feature. Construction workers and carpenters regularly change drill bits in numerous types of construction projects, often when the worker is in a position where it is difficult to change the bit, such as on a ladder. To change a drill bit, the carpenter must loosen the chuck, remove the old bit from the chuck, insert the new bit and tighten the chuck.
A second, more recent approach to chuck design allows for tools to be exchanged in a “quick-change” manner. Examples of quick-change mechanisms such as this are explained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,900,202 and 5,013,194, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. Quick-change chucks typically require the use of tools that have shanks that are of a consistent size (typically, ¼″ hex shank), and usually have hexagonal cross sections. This style of chuck does not allow for accommodating a variety of tool shank sizes.
The traditional three-jaw approach accommodates tools with round shanks and a range of different diameters and the more recent “quick-change” chucks allow for switching bits in a timely manner. None of the designs for chucks, however, combine these two features and accommodate the “quick change” style tool shanks as well as the flexibility of accommodating variable shank sizes using an “incremental” approach.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a chuck for a tool bit which is mounted to a drive shaft of a rotational driving tool. The chuck comprises a spindle with a power end and a hub end. A forward face is disposed on the hub end and a bore extends into the hub end from the forward face. The bore has an inner end for receiving a shank of the tool bit. An annular thrust washer is fixed to the spindle. A sleeve is disposed around and rotatably connected to the hub end of the spindle. The sleeve has a spindle side wall and an outer side wall, with a space defined between the sleeve and the thrust washer. Adjustable jaws protrude through aligned holes in the spindle and into the bore at an acute angle, with an opening defined between the jaws. The jaws threadably engage the sleeve, so that rotating the sleeve about the hub causes the adjustable jaws to translate between an open position and a closed position. The open position occurs when the jaws are radially retracted from the bore and the closed position occurs when the jaws are radially extended into the bore. An elastic member is coupled to the sleeve to bias the jaws towards a closed position and maintain the space between the thrust washer and the sleeve. Overcoming the bias force of the elastic member eliminates the space between the thrust washer and the sleeve.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 31755 (1984-12-01), Wanner et al.
patent: 81260 (1868-08-01), Davis
patent: 1602708 (1926-10-01), Russell
patent: 2350565 (1944-06-01), Mills
patent: 2370487 (1945-02-01), Poutie
patent: 2736562 (1956-02-01), Blackburn
patent: 2767992 (1956-10-01), Emrick
patent: 2807473 (1957-09-01), Kiehne
patent: 2926020 (1960-02-01), Dayton et al.
patent: 3255792 (1966-06-01), Beck
patent: 3367727 (1968-02-01), Ward et al.
patent: 3583715 (1971-06-01), Jahrl
patent: 3945653 (1976-03-01), Falchle
patent: 4209182 (1980-06-01), Sheldon
patent: 4290617 (1981-09-01), Yoshida
patent: 4381116 (1983-04-01), Futter
patent: 4434859 (1984-03-01), Rumpp et al.
patent: 4577875 (1986-03-01), Miyakawa
patent: 4594036 (1986-06-01), Hogenhout
patent: 4629375 (1986-12-01), Lieser
patent: 4692073 (1987-09-01), Martindell
patent: 4900202 (1990-02-01), Wienhold
patent: 5013194 (1991-05-01), Wienhold
patent: 5417527 (1995-05-01), Wienhold
patent: 6135462 (2000-10-01), Robison
Wienhold James L.
Wienhold Thomas J.
Bishop Steven C.
Kinney & Lange , P.A.
Wienhold James L.
LandOfFree
Quick-change three-jaw drill chuck does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Quick-change three-jaw drill chuck, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Quick-change three-jaw drill chuck will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2478286