GB2320921A

GB2320921A - Drill bit dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2320921A
Application number: GB9700156A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward John O'connor
Original assignee: CONNOR EDWARD JOHN O
Current assignee: CONNOR EDWARD JOHN O
Priority date: 1997-01-07
Filing date: 1997-01-07
Publication date: 1998-07-08
Also published as: GB9700156D0

Abstract

A drill bit dispenser comprises an inner drum 6 for receiving drill bits in individual compartments and connected to an outer control casing 7, and a cylinder 15 having an aperture 9 for alignment with a drill bit to be dispensed, the drill bits being spring-biassed towards the aperture 9. The dispenser may be attached to a drill body.

Description

DRILL BIT DISPENSER This invention relates to the accessing and loading of drill bits for hand held drills.

The use of hand held drills with keyless chucks for commercial and domestic DIY work is widespread and well established.

However the use of a hand-held drill often necessitates accessing and changing the drill bit held by the chuck which due to ordinary storage and access systems is time-consuming, slow, and often leads to bits being lost or misplaced, or simply inaccessible due to a change in work position for example up a ladder. The present invention seeks to address this problem by providing a drill dispenser optionally attached to the drill and allowing quick and easy access to changes in the course of use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a chambered drill-bit dispenser optionally attachable to a drill body wherein the drill bits are accurately contained within an inner incrementally revolvable chambered cylinder sprung loaded and accurately slidably movable along a central spindle, and via integral springs and push rods or the like controllable from the exterior to dispense a single chosen drill bit for use via an angledfaced clutch-aperture in a second forward outer cylinder fixedly connected to the central spindle. Such clutch-aperture being alignable with a given drill chuck by eye or integral alignment locking device and shaped to compliment the drill chuck profile to achieve a close male-female fit when pressed together. In addition the said clutch-aperture alone or in combination with a modified drill chuck having a patterned or coated face such as to exert a clutch-plate friction grip and/or interconnection when pressed into contact with the drill chuck. Such system ensuring the clutchaperture may grip and clamp the drill chuck rendering it stationary wherein the drill motor may be activated and forcedly close upon or release a drill bit slidably entered into the chuck jaws. The unit being then slidably returnable to the ready position via a central spindle return spring.

In addition the present invention provides that where the unit is attached to a drill body via an optional clamp or similar means of secure attachment or constructed so as to be an integral part of the drill body/chuck housing the unit may utilise tension-sprung joints and swivel joints to ensure dependable auto-chuck alignment and return to rest operations and have several optional rest positions and also operate as a grip or handle when not in use being at all times optionally detachable and usable independently or as one of several drill dispensers dedicated to different drill sets or as a single multi-drill dispenser. In addition such dispensing unit as herein described being adaptable for use with key operated chucks via a variable profile and/or facing on the clutch-aperture in accordance with the design of a given drill chuck or housing.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 Shows the dispenser in orthographic projection attached in place on a drill body.

Figure 2 Shows the complete drill dispenser unit unattached and in semiorthographic projection (A) and with the outer control cylinder cut away (B).

Figure 3 Shows the drill dispenser in semi-orthographic projection with successive section views revealing the inner revolving chamber.

Figure 4 Shows the drill dispenser in semi-orthographic exploded proJectlon .

Figure 5 Shows the drill dispenser attached to the drill body and via the arrow one range of swivelable motion on a pivotal bracket into usable position.

Figure 6 Shows the drill dispenser in place attached to the drill body and via the arrows demonstrates the sequential steps by which a drill bit is loaded into the drill chuck and the unit returned to ready position. In addition it shows the means by which the aperture may engage, clamp and secure the chuck to allow the drill motor to open and close the chuck jaws.

Figure 7 Shows via the arrows the drill dispenser returned to a stand-by position.

Referring to the drawings the drill dispenser comprises a unit 1 (Figure 1) optionally attached to a drill body 2 via a swivel arm 3 and clamp 4 which is raisable from a rest/storage position (Figure 5/A) into active position (Figure 5/B) and alignment with the drill chuck 5. Whereupon the inner drill-bit drum 6 may be revolved via the connected outer control casing 7 such that a chosen drill bit 8 aligns with the clutch-aperture 9 in the fixed cylinder face 11 of the fixed spindle cylinder 15 and simultaneously with the drill chuck 5. The outer control casing of the dispenser 7 is then pressed forward as indicated by the arrows in Figure 6 sliding the connected inner drum 6 forward along the central spindle 12 such that the chosen drill bit passes through the clutch-aperture 9 and into the mouth of the drill chuck 5. Simultaneously, pressure from the clutch-aperture 9 applied against the hand tightenable drill chuck or housing 5 holds the chuck stationary thereby permitting the activated drill motor and chuck jaws 5 to close on the protruding drill bit 8. Forward pressure on non-selected drill bits is alleviated via take-up springs/push rods 10 against the fixed cylinder face 1 1 of the fixed spindle cylinder 1 5. After loading and gripping of the drill bit 8, a release of pressure on the outer control cylinder 7 allows the unit to return via the return spring 10 along the central spindle 12 to it's start position (as shown by the arrows in Figure 6) and via the swivel arm 3 to a rest/storage position (Figure 7) during which manoeuvre the drill bit escape slot 1 4 in the top of the fixed spindle cylinder 1 5 permits the chosen drill bit 8 to remain in the drill chuck as the unit swivels downwards. Removal of the drill bit is achieved by reversing the above sequence. In addition the unit 1 may be detached from the swivel arm 3 and hand held and used without any fixed attachments, such aligning of the clutch-aperture 9 and the drill chuck 5 being then achieved by eye.

Claims

1 A chambered drill-bit dispenser optionally attachable to a drill body with drill bits accurately contained within an inner incrementally revolvable chambered cylinder slidably movable along a central spindle, and via integral springs and push rods or the like controllable from the exterior to dispense a single chosen drill bit via an angled-faced clutch-aperture in a forward outer cylinder fixedly connected to a central spindle. Such clutchaperture being alignable with a given drill chuck by eye or integral alignment locking device and shaped to compliment the drill chuck profile and alone or in combination with a modified drill chuck having a patterned or coated face such as to exert a clutch-plate friction grip and/or interconnection when pressed into contact with the drill chuck thus gripping/clamping the drill chuck and rendering it stationary whilst an activated drill motor may then forcedly close upon or release a drill bit slidably entered into the chuck jaws. The unit being then slidably returnable to the ready position via a central spindle return spring.

2 A chambered drill bit dispenser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the clutch-aperture may be so designed as to exert pressure on the drill chuck/body from the side, top and bottom in addition to laterally.

3 A chambered drill bit dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the unit is attached to a drill body via an optional clamp or similar means of secure attachment or constructed so as to be an integral part of the drill body/chuck housing.

4 A chambered drill bit dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and claim 3 wherein the unit when attached to a drill may utilise tension-sprung joints and swivel joints to ensure dependable auto-chuck alignment and return to rest operations and have several optional rest positions and also operate as a grip or handle when not in use.

5 A chambered drill bit dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and claim 3 and claim 4 wherein the unit when attached to a drill body is at all times optionally detachable and usable independently or as one of several drill dispensers dedicated to different drill sets or as a single multi-drill dispenser.

6 A chambered drill bit dispenser as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and claim 3 and claim 4 and claim 5 wherein such dispensing unit as herein described may be adapted for use with key operated chucks via variable profile castellations and/or clutch facing on the clutch-aperture in accordance with the design of a given drill chuck or housing.

7 A chambered drill bit dispenser substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-7 of the accompanying drawings.