Drill chuck key
OwnerMike Doolittleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drill chuck key includes a bevel gear that is connectable with a collar of a drill to tighten or loosen the jaws of the drill and a mechanism for operating that bevel gear as the key is moved. The mechanism permits the tightening or loosening operation to be carried out using the same movement of the key, and prevents over- or under- tightening of the drill jaws. One form of the mechanism includes a double pawl engaging ratchet wheels one of which has at least one trip dog thereon so that identical oscillating motion of the key will impart tightening to the drill jaws and can also loosen those jaws. Another form of the mechanism includes epicyclic gearing.
Claims3
A chuck key for tightening and loosening a drill chuck comprising:
- A) a central hollow, cylindrical body having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral wall connecting said top surface to said bottom surface, said central body having a center and a diameter extending through said center;
- B) two handles, each connected at a proximal end thereof to said central body peripheral wall and having a distal end spaced from said peripheral wall, said handles being axially aligned with each other and with said central body diameter;
- and
- C) a drill chuck operating mechanism including
- (1) a reversing mechanism housed within said hollow circular body and including
- (a) a first gear connected to said central body for movement therewith,
- (b) a second gear mounted in said central body, and
- (c) means for engaging said first gear with said second gear to drive said second gear in conjunction with said first gear,
- (2) a selection switch connected to one of said first and said second gears, and
- (3) a bevel gear attached to at least one of said first and second gears for movement therewith and located at said central body center.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.