Chuck having jaw counterbalance mechanism
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorErwin F'Geppert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A chuck or coupling for connecting a rotary shaft to variable diameter work ieces; the work piece can be a pulley, shaft, bar stock or other mechanism required to be gripped by a chuck. The chuck structure comprises radially movable jaws slidably mounted on a rotary base or chuck body, together with a counter-balance for each jaw. Each counterbalance is located on a diametrical line passing through the associated jaw, whereby the jaw and counterbalance are subjected to oppositely directed radial forces during high speed rotation of the chuck structure. Centrifugal force is utilized to increase the gripping force of each jaw on the work piece.
Claims9
A chuck structure comprising a base adapted to be rotated around a central axis;
- work gripper jaws slidably mounted on said base for radial adjustments toward and away from said central axis;
- a counterbalance for each jaw;
- each counterbalance being slidably mounted on the base for movement along a diammetrical line passing through the associated jaw and the central axis;
- and tensioned connector means joining each jaw with its counterbalance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.