Quick-release jaws with single-piece bearing chuck
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsBrian J. Crowley, Charlie S. Carmoney, Thomas H. Dejonghe, Thomas M. Grobbel, William R. Stickney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A workholding chuck can use actuating members that pivot within a non-split unitary front bearing. The non-split unitary front bearing can include pockets in its central bore that can allow a spherical section of an actuator arm to be inserted into the bearing. The spherical section can include radially recessed areas to facilitate the insertion into the bearing. The jaws can be retained to the actuator arms through the use of a quick-release assembly. The quick-release assembly allows the jaws to easily and quickly be changed to allow the chuck to grasp different workpieces.
Claims29
1-9. (canceled)
A workholding chuck assembly for holding a workpiece, the chuck assembly comprising:
- a housing having a front face;
- at least one actuator arm in the housing, the actuator arm having a first end portion extending from the front face;
- at least one workpiece retaining jaw;
- and
- at least one quick-release assembly having at least one retaining member operable to selectively secure the jaw to and allow removal of the jaw from the actuator arm through non-removing movement of a component of the quick-release assembly coupled to the retaining member.
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22-28. (canceled)
A workingholding chuck retro-fit kit comprising:
- an actuator arm having a first end portion operable to receive a workpiece retaining jaw thereon and a second end portion operable to be coupled to a chuck actuating member;
- a workpiece retaining jaw;
- and
- a quick-release assembly having at least one retaining member operable to selectively secure the jaw to and allow removal of the jaw from the first end portion of the actuator arm through non-removing movement of a component of the quick-release assembly coupled to the retaining member.
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34-37. (canceled)
A system, comprising:
- a quick-release jaw mount, comprising:
- a jaw retainer having a first range of movement in a radial direction between a released position and a retained position relative to a workpiece retaining jaw and a jaw actuator arm;
- and
- a retainer actuator having a second range of movement to bias the jaw retainer along the first range of movement, wherein the retainer actuator is not separable during the second range of movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.