US 3,970,179 AGranted

Die holder

OwnerJerome Friedmaninventor

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Abstract

A die holder comprising a housing in which is freely journaled a spindle, the spindle terminating in a free end portion capable of supporting a die. A collar is mounted upon the spindle and is associated with a position-referencing system which governs an at-rest position of the spindle relative to the housing. At least one shearable pin or lug fixedly secures the collar to the spindle, the lug having a shear-resistance below the bending and shear-resistance of the spindle, the collar and the housing so as to be capable of shearing in the presence of the application of an excessive torque to the spindle before any damage occurs to the remainder of the die holder. The die holder also includes a releasable spring-clutch device interposed between the spindle and housing for overcoming any rotary force exerted against the spindle tending to rotate the latter to its at-rest position before the die held by the die holder is fully released from a workpiece.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A die holder comprising:

a housing;
a spindle supported for rotation in and relative to said housing, said spindle terminating in a free end portion capable of supporting a die;
position-referencing means operatively associated with said housing and spindle for governing an at-rest position of said spindle, said position-referencing means including respective abutment means operatively associated with said spindle and housing for limiting rotation of said spindle to less than 360.degree. and resilient means for urging said spindle to a rotary position at which the respective abutment means of said spindle and housing are pressed against one another;
collar means for carrying the respective abutment means of said spindle in a path and at a position engageable with the respective abutment means of said housing, said collar means including an inner annular flange, said spindle including annular flange means disposed axially beyond said inner annular flange at an end portion of said spindle opposite said free end portion of said spindle, said annular flange means pressing axially against said inner annular flange to prevent axial separation of said collar means from said spindle and frictionally resist turning of said spindle relative to said collar means;
and shearable means for fixedly securing said collar means radially to said spindle to prevent the latter from turning relative to said collar means, said shearable means having a shear-resistance less than the bending and fracture-resistance of said spindle, housing, collar means and abutment means;
whereby, upon the application of an excessive torque to said spindle tending to rotate the latter to a position at which the respective abutment means of said spindle and housing contact one another substantially 360.degree. beyond said at-rest position of said spindle, said shearable means will shear at a circumferential parting line between said collar means and spindle to rotatably free said spindle from said collar means and thereby obviate damage to said spindle, housing, collar means and abutment means.

3 more elements

A die holder comprising:

a housing;
spindle means supported for rotation in and relative to said housing, said spindle means including a free end portion extending outwardly of said housing and capable of supporting a die;
position-referencing means operatively associated with said spindle means and housing for governing an at-rest position of said spindle means, said position-referencing means including respective abutment means operatively associated with said spindle means and housing for limiting rotation of said spindle means to less than 360.degree. and resilient means for urging said spindle means to a rotary position at which the respective abutment means of said spindle means and housing are pressed against one another;
releasable spring-clutch means interposed between said spindle means and housing for overcoming any rotary force exerted by said resilient means against said spindle means to restrain the latter against rotation to its said at-rest position, said spring-clutch means including a spiral-oriented spring surrounding and contacting the periphery of at least a portion of said spindle means, said spring having an orientation upon said spindle means such that any rotation of the latter to its at-rest position frictionally causes spring to circumferentially tighten and grip the periphery of said spindle means, and releasing means for at least slightly circumferentially enlarging said spring to free said spindle means for rotation to its said at-rest position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.