Securing mechanism, particularly for blood separation centrifuges and the like

A chuck for rotating around a rotation axis XA a centrifugal separation bowl, the chuck comprising a vat-shaped body for receiving a lower end portion of the separation bowl, the lower end portion secured in the chuck with a peripheral rim of the chuck surrounding an outer flank of the separation bowl, wherein the chuck includes at least one clutching system to cooperate with the flank of the separation bowfin securing the separation bowl to the chuck, wherein the clutching system comprises:

• (i) a channel formed in the chuck body, the channel having an arcuate path within the peripheral rim of the chuck;
• and
• (ii) a chain of translatory bodies arranged within the channel, the chain of translatory bodies including a proximal translatory body in the chain and a distal translatory body in the chain, whereby a force acting on the proximal body and directed outwardly of the rotation axis XA is transmitted through the chain of translatory bodies to the distal translatory body in the chain to urge the distal translatory body inwardly towards the rotation axis XA to clutch the outer flank of the separation bowl, whereby the separation bowl is secured to the rotary chuck.