MXPA99000737A - Chain with a rotational stop of quij blade - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tool for use with a manual or energized driver having a rotating drive shaft, said tool carrier comprising: a body member having a nose section and a tail section, said nose section having a axial hole formed therein and a plurality of angularly positioned conduits formed therethrough and intersecting said axial hole; a plurality of jaws slidably disposed in said angularly positioned conduits, each of said jaws having a tool engaging face formed on one side of the same and threads formed on the opposite outer surface thereof, a nut rotatably mounted on said body member, said nut having the threads defined on an inner circumferential surface thereof in contact with said threads on said jaws; of sleeve in the rotational drive coupling with dich a nut so that said sleeve is rotated with respect to said member, said jaws will therefore move, and a rotational stop defined between said nut and said jaws wherein upon reaching the jaws a predetermined position within said ducts, the additional rotation of said nut in an opening direction is avoided, said stop comprises a radially extending surface defining one end of said nut threads, said radially extending surface making contact with a lateral surface of one of said said

Description

CHUCK WITH A ROTATIONAL STOP OF QUIJADA BLADE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to chucks for use with augers or other impellers of pneumatic or electric energy. More particularly, the present invention relates to a chuck of the keyless type which can be tightened or released by hand.

Both the boosters of electric or pneumatic hand tools are well known in the art. American drill bits or metal drill bits are the best known tools used with such motor elements. However, the tools may also comprise screw motor elements, nut drives, rotary drills, grinding wheels, and other abrasion or cutting tools. Since the tool handles may be of variable diameter or a cross-section of multiple sides, the similar device bore is usually provided with an adjustable chuck over a relatively wide range to accommodate a wide range of tool bits. The chuck can be attached to the impeller through a tapered or threaded hole, any other suitable mechanism.

A variety of chuck types have been developed in which the gripping mechanism, such as a plurality of jaws, is actuated by the relative rotation between the body member and an annular nut. In chuck with oblique jaws, for example, the body member includes three conduits placed approximately at or 120o apart from one another. The conduits are configured so that their center lines are at a point along the axis of the chuck in front of the chuck body. The jaws are constricted and move within the conduits to grip a cilindri tool handle positioned approximately along the length of the chuck body. center shaft d chuck. The nut rotates around chuck shaft engages the threads on the jaws so that the rotation of the nut moves the jaws in any direction in the conduits. The body and the nut are configured so that rotation of the nut in one direction (closing direction) with respect to the body forces the jaws into a grip relationship with the tool handle, while rotation in the opposite direction (direction of opening) release the grip relation. Such chuck can be without guide s this is turned by hand. An example of such a chuck is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,125,673 commonly assigned to the assignee of the present application 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 the chucks having a plurality of jaws driven by a relative rotation between the nut and the body, the jaws include a thread part cut into the jaw. This threaded part generally has a flat surface at the leading edge thereof. With the chuck of the prior art, when the nut is rotated in the opening direction so that the jaws are urged to their fully retracted position (a position in which the tool engaging portions of the jaws are pulled out radially outward in their complete with respect to chuck shaft), the flat surfaces of the jaw threads are butted against a flat surface opposite the nut in a pure frictional engagement. The additional 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 the 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 on a tool. These forces can be relatively large if the jaws are excessively twisted in the opening direction where the opposite frictional forces are relatively large. In certain cases the jaws can actually join frictionally in the full retracted position.

OBJECTS AND SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION The present invention recognizes and refers to the foregoing and other considerations of the prior art of its method and constructions.

Therefore, 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 the attachment of the jaws and the nut.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part of the description that follows, or may be obvious from the description or may be learned through the practice of the invention.

According to the objects and purposes of the invention, a chuck is provided for use with manual or energized co-drivers, such as portable electric drills and the like, having a rotating drive shaft. The drill chuck is mounted to the drive shaft in any conventional manner, including the threaded fastener, the tapered holes, etc. The chuck includes a body member having a nose section and a tail section. The tail section has an axial hole formed therein for receiving a tool bit, and a plurality of angularly arranged conduits formed therethrough intersecting the axial hole. The chuck includes a gripping mechanism to hold a tool bit inserted into the chuck. The gripper mechanism preferably comprises a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in the angularly positioned conduits. The 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 the threads defined on an inner circumferential surface thereof in engagement with the threads on the jaws. A sleeve member is provided in a rotational drive hitch with the nut. When the sleeve is rotated with respect to the body member, the jaws will therefore be rotated.

The chuck according to the invention also includes a rotational stop mechanism or device defined between the nut and the jaws where upon reaching the jaw a predetermined position within the conduits which generally corresponds to the fully open position of the jaws, is avoided additional rotation of the nut in the open direction. This rotational step comprises a radially extending surface defining the end of the nut threads. This radially extending surface contacts a lateral surface of one of the jaws when all the jaws are in their fully retracted open position. The lateral surface of the jaw which comes into contact with the radially extending surface may be a lateral surface defining the end of the jaw threads or the beginning of the jaw blade tool engaging face.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lateral surface of the jaw comprises a circumferential surface extending between the threads and the opposing tool engaging face.

The radially extending surface on the nut preferably comprises a radial wall defining the end of the last nut thread. This radial wall can also extend tangentially in relation to the rotational axis of the nut.

In a preferred embodiment, the lateral surface of the jaw comprises an arcuate circumferential surface. In this embodiment, the radially extending surface of the jaw may comprise a correspondingly arcuate surface.

Other objects, features and aspects of the present invention are discussed in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a partial and longitudinal cross sectional view of a chuck according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the lines indicated in Figure 1 Figure 3 is a partial and alternate transverse sectional view taken along the lines indicated in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the nut taken along the lines indicated in Figure 3; Y Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rotational top according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INCORPORATIONS Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention and is not intended to be a limitation of the invention. invention. In fact it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations in the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the illustrated features described as part of an embodiment may be used on another embodiment to give even a further embodiment. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Referring to Figure 1 in particular, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the form of an oblique jaw chuck. It should be understood, however, that this illustration is provided by way of explanation of the invention only and that the invention is applicable to any suitable chuck in which the gripping mechanism, such as a jaw, is driven through the relative rotation. of a nut in the body of the chuck The chuck 10 includes a sleeve member 36, a body member 12 and a gripper mechanism generally indicated with the number 50. In the embodiment illustrated, the gripper mechanism 50 includes a plurality of jaws 22. The body 12 is generally cylindrical in shape, comprising a nose or front part 14 and a tail or rear section 16. An axial hole 18 is formed in the front section 14. The axial hole 18 is sized somewhat larger than the tool handle larger than the portabroc 10 is designed to accommodate. A threaded hole 52 is formed in the tail section 16 and is of a standard size to coincide with the drive shaft of an activated manual driver, for example, a hole having a spindle. The holes 44 and 46 can communicate in a central region of body 12. While the threaded hole 52 is illustrated in the figure, such an orifice can be replaced with a tapered orifice of a standard size to match a tapered drive shaft or Any suitable connection mechanism Various means and devices are known in the art to hold the tool holders to drive shafts or spindles and any such means are within the spirit scope of the invention.

The conduits 20 are formed in the body 1 to accommodate each jaw 22. Three jaws are employed each jaw is separated from the adjacent jaw by an arc d approximately 120o. The shaft 54 of the conduits 20 is angled with respect to the chuck shaft 56 and intersects the chuck shaft at a common point in front of the chuck body 12. Each jaw 22 has a tool engaging face or part 24, which is generally parallel to the drill chuck ej 56, on a surface thereof and the threads 2 on the outer or opposite surface. The threads 28 can be constructed with any suitable inclination.

The body member 12 includes a thrust ring member 58 which in a preferred embodiment can be an integral part of the body 12. In an alternate embodiment the thrust ring 58 can be a separate component of the body member 12.

The chuck 10 may also include a set of bearings 60, for example, the sheave and the rod illustrated in Figure 1.

The chuck 10 also includes an annular nut 30. The nut 30 can be a one-piece nut l which includes the threads 32 for the threaded engagement with the threads 28 on the jaws 22. The nut 30 is placed around the body 12 and is of a threaded contact with the jaws 22 so that the nut is rotated with respect to body 12, the jaws will be advanced or retracted with respect to their respective conduits 20.

The outer circumferential sleeve surface 36 may be twisted or may be provided with longitudinal ribs, or any other configuration to allow the user to grasp the sleeve securely. The sleeve 36 can be made of a structural plastic such as a polycarbonate, a filled polypropylene, for example, a nylon filled glass, or a mixture of structural plastic materials. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the materials from which the sleeve 36 is manufactured will depend on the end use of the chuck and the discussion given above provides by way of example only.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the sleeve 36 is secured axially with respect to the body 1 by a nose piece 62 which is pressed on the front section 14 of the body 12. The nut 30 is held in place by the ring Retention 64. The ring? Retention 64 is an annular cone that is pressed on the front section 14 and the coupling nut 30. The dogs? drive 66 defined in the sleeve 36 are received by the grooves 68 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to rotationally fix the sleeve 36 to the nut 30.

It should be understood, however, that various means may be used to rotationally secure the sleeve 36 to the nut 30. For example, the nut 30 may be adjusted to pressure in the sleeve 36 or may be co-molded directly with the sleeve 36. Any and all the means for rotationally fixing the sleeve and the nut are within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Because the sleeve 36 is rotationally fixed to the nut 30, the rotation of the sleeve 36 with respect to the body 12 also rotates the nut 30 with respect to the body. The rotation of the nut 30 moves the jaws 2 axially within the conduits 30 due to the contact of the nut threads 32 and the jaw threads 28. The direction of the axial movement of the jaws 22 will depend on the rotational direction of the sleeve 36 and the nut 30 with respect to body 12. If a tool such as a drill bit is inserted into the hole 18, the sleeve and the nut can be rotated about such chuck shaft 56 in a closing direction so that the jaws 22 they move to a closed position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 where the surfaces engaging the tool 24 of the jaws 2 engage with the tool. Rotation about axis 56 in the opposite or opening direction moves the jaw axially back out of the closed position to an open position as illustrated in the solid lines in Figure 1.

A chuck 10 according to the present invention includes a rotational stop device or mechanism generally indicated as the element 38 in Figure 1. The jaws 22 move to their fully retracted open position as indicated in Figure 1, the jaws 22 and the nut 30 will tend to join frictionally if it is not by the rotational stop device or mechanism 38. Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 to 5, the rotational top mechanism 38 includes a radially extending wall or surface 40 that essentially defines the end of the screw threads 32. For example, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the radially extending surface 40 extends radially inward with respect to the chuck shaft 56 and defines the end of the last thread 48 of the nut 30. The plane of the radially extending surface 40 is indicated by the line 43 illustrated in Figure 5. A flat surface or generally 41 is defined on one side to radially extend the surface 40 within the inner circumference of the nut 30.

In operation, a nut 30 is rotated in an opening direction and the jaws 22 are threaded retracted within the conduits 20. When the jaws 2 reach their full retracted position, the radially extending surface 40 will come into contact with a lateral surface 42 of a jaw 22. The lateral surface 42 extends generally from the face contacting the tool 24 to the beginning of the threads of the jaw 28 as can be seen particularly in Figure 5. The lateral surface 42 may have a radial component, as illustrated in Figure 5, since the jaws 12 are commonly machined as semi-circular components. In this aspect, the radially extending surface 40 may have a complementary shape such as to make contact essentially with the lateral surface 42 in an even manner. Therefore, it should be understood that the lateral surface 42 must extend radially to the extent necessary to make radial contact with the extending surface extending 40 defined in the threads 32 of the nut 30. For this reason, it is relatively It is simple to define the lateral surface 42 as part of the jaw supply at the beginning 46 of the tool engaging surface 24. The only requirement is that the lateral surface 42 extends at least as much as the surface 40 extends radially. The side surface 42 will rotationally move along the n-threaded or planar surface 41 before contacting the surface 40. Thus, the flat surface 41 has at least the same distance or radial depth of the axis 56 as the valleys. the nut threads 32.

In the illustrated embodiment, the radially extending surface 40 is configured as a wall defining the last thread 48 of the jaw threads 32. However, it should be appreciated that the radially extending surface 40 may have any shape or shape as to make contact with a side surface 42 of a jaw 22 once the jaws reach their fully retracted position. For example, the surface 4 may comprise a ball, pin or insert device and the like. The only requirement is that the surface 40 extends radially from the thread 32 to engage a lateral surface of a jaw 22 to prevent further rotation of the nut 30 with respect to all the jaws. In this way, it should be appreciated that the rotational arresting device according to the invention acts only on a single quiche that comes into contact with the radially extending surface 40. In this way, it is not necessary to define the stops for each one of the jaws. As long as the jaws maintain their alignment and threaded engagement with the nut 30, the same jaw 22 should contact radially with the radially extending surface 40 at all times. In this manner, it will be preferred to specifically define a jaw 22 with a defined or more pronounced lateral surface to essentially ensure even contact and n junction with the radially extending surface 40. For example, a flat radial non-radial surface 42 can be defined on one of the jaws to make contact with a wall plan essentially radial 40. Any number of variations can be made in this aspect.

It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, any manner of rotational stop device can be configured to project radially from the end of the nut threads to contact one of the jaws when the jaws reach their fully retracted position. It is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as they fall within the aspect and spirit of the clause clauses annexed and their equivalents.

Claims (14)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A tool holder for use with a manual or energized impeller having a rotary drive shaft, said tool carrier comprises: a body member having a nose section and a tail section, said nose section having axial hole formed therein and a plurality of angularly positioned conduits formed therethrough intersecting said axial hole; a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in said angularly positioned conduits, with one of said jaws having a tool engaging face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite outer surface thereof; a nut rotatably mounted on said body member, said nut having the threads defined on an inner circumferential surface thereof in contact with said threads on said jaws; a sleeve member in the coupling rotates driving with said nut so that said sleeve is rotated with respect to said member, said jaws will move so much; Y a rotational stop defined between said nut said jaws wherein on reaching the jaws a predetermined position within said ducts, the additional rotation of said nut in an opening direction is avoided, said top comprises a radially extending surface defining an end of said nut threads, said radially extending surface makes contact with a lateral surface d of said jaws.

2. The chuck as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said lateral surface d said jaw define one end of said jaw threads.

3. The chuck as claimed in clause 2, characterized in that said lateral surface d said jaw extends between said threads and a beginning of the tool engaging face.

4. The chuck as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said radially extending surface comprises a wall defining one end of at least one nut thread.

5. The chuck as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said radially extending surface also extends tangentially in relation to the rotational axis of said nut.

6. The chuck as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said said jaw side surface comprises a curved surface, said radially extending surface comprising a curved surface q complements said jaw.

7. A chuck for use with a manual or energized impulse that has a drive spindle, chu chuck includes: a generally cylindrical body, said body having a front section and a rear section, said rear section being adapted to match said drive shaft of said impeller; a gripping mechanism operable to a closed position wherein said gripping mechanism axially rotatably retains a tool with respect to said body, and an open position wherein said gripping mechanism releases said tool retained there; an annular nut positioned around said body and having the threads in a threaded contact with said gripping mechanism so that the rotation of said nut around the body in a closing direction drives said gripping mechanism to said closed position and the rotation of said mechanism; said nut in an opening direction drives the grip mechanism to the open position; Y a rotational stop configured between said nut and said gripping mechanism, said rotational stop comprises a radial surface defined in said nut threads which avoids a further rotation of said nut in said opening direction on said radial surface which makes contact with the mechanism of said nut. grip

8. The drill chuck as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that said rotational stop comprises a radial wall defining one end of said nut threads.

9. The chuck as claimed in clause 8, characterized in that said radial wall is defined within said nut threads without extending axially beyond said nut threads.

10. The chuck as claimed in clause 7, further characterized in that it comprises a sleeve member received on and rotatable in relation to said body said sleeve being in rotational contact with said nut so that the rotation of the sleeve relative to said body rotates said nut in relation to the body.

11. The drill chuck as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that said front section of said body has an axial hole formed therein and a plurality of ducts angularly positioned therethrough intersecting said hole in said forward section.

12. The drill chuck as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that said gripper mechanism includes a plurality of jaws with said jaw positioned within each of said ducts, each of said jaws having a jaw face positioned radially inwardly over one side thereof and said threads of quijad define an opposite side thereof.

13. The chuck as claimed in clause 12, characterized in that said rotational stop makes contact with a single jaw.

14. The chuck as claimed in clause 13, characterized in that said jaw has a generally arcuate surface extending between said jaw threads and said jaw face, said rotational stop contacting said jaw on said arcuate surface said rotational stop it has a complementary arched surface generally matching that of the jaw. E S U M E N A chuck is provided for use with either a manual or energized driver, such as an auger. The chuck has a body member with conduits angularly formed therethrough. A plurality of jaws are slidably positioned within the angularly positioned ducts, the grip of the jaws on a tool sleeve inserted into the body member. A nut is rotatably mounted on the body member having the nut threads defined on an inner circumference thereof in contact with the jaw threads. The sleeve member is in rotational drive contact with the nut so that when the sleeve is rotated with respect to body member, the jaws also move within the conduits. A rotational stop is defined between the nut and the jaws where, upon reaching the jaws a predetermined position within the ducts, additional rotation of the nut in an opening direction is prevented. The top comprises a radially extending surface defining one end of the nut threads. The radially extending surface makes contact with a lateral surface d of at least one of the jaws.