Self-Locking Hollow Shaft Clamping Mechanism

Abstract

This invention concerns a clamping device for firmly holding a part to be clamped at a clamping recess in which the clamping device is arranged. The clamping device comprises a collet with a first external protrusion for engagement with an internal recess in an inner peripheral area of the part that is to be clamped and with a second external protrusion for engagement with an internal recess in an inner peripheral area of the clamping recess. At least one of the first external protrusion or the second external protrusion comprises a first external taper or a second external taper for pulling the part to be clamped axially into the clamping recess by a radial outward movement of the collet or a section of the collet and an operation stud including an external tapered section for effecting the radial outward movement of the collet. The connection between the operation stud and the collet is self-locked and pre-loaded after a clamping movement of the operation stud in axial direction that locks and pre-loads the external taper of the operation stud and the collet or a part between the collet and the operation stud with each other. The invention includes a method for a part to be clamped in a clamping recess.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.