Clamping shaft

A clamping shaft for clamping a surrounding socket or socket-like component comprising:

• a shaft characterized by a tubular body at the opposite ends of which are trunnions to permit rotation of said shaft, said tubular body being provided with radially spaced longitudinal slots through which physical communication is established between the exterior and interior of said tubular body;
• expansion wedges supported within said tubular body for movement between retracted positions, within said tubular body, and extended positions in which said wedges extend through said slots for clamping engagement with said surrounding socket component;
• spring means engageable with said expansion wedges biasing said wedges toward said retracted positions;
• a connecting rod concentrically supported within said shaft and having sloping surfaces thereon engageable with corresponding sloping surfaces on said expansion wedges for effecting said movement of said expansion wedges in response to axial movement of said connecting rod;
• and
• means carried by said shaft for effecting said axial movement of said connecting rod including a pneumatic motor to which compressed air may be supplied for rotation thereof and translating means connecting said pneumatic motor and said connecting rod, said translating means converting rotational movement of said pneumatic motor to axial movement of said connecting rod.