Collet

A collet, comprising:

• a clamping head having a front side, having interior gripping surfaces in a longitudinal zone of the clamping head for gripping a workpiece, and having an exterior surface in the form of a frustum located at least partially in the same longitudinal zone as the gripping surfaces and diverging toward the front side of the clamping head, the clamping head being divided into individual gripping jaws, at least in the longitudinal zone of the gripping surfaces, by radially- and axially-extending longitudinal slits circumferentially distributed about the clamping head;
• a clamping tube separably couplable with the clamping head and having means on an end of the clamping tube facing away from the clamping head for fastening the clamping tube to an apparatus for use;
• elastic means in the longitudinal slits between the gripping jaws of the clamping head;
• and
• means for coupling together the clamping head and the clamping tube positively in the axial direction and releasably in the radial direction, the coupling means comprising circumferentially spaced first axial projections on the clamping head and circumferentially spaced second axial projections on the clamping tube, the first and second axial projections being mutually engageable in claw-like fashion, circumferential groove segments provided in the engaging first and second axial projections and forming a common circumferential groove when the first and second axial projections are mutually engaged, and a coupling ring inserted in the circumferential groove, the coupling ring being divided at at least one circumferential location.