Quickly interchangeable chuck with mechanical power assist clamping capabilities

A quickly interchangeable clamping chuck including power assist clamping capabilities for use in a machine tool having a draw bar with a releasable gripping device which is reciprocable along a longitudinal axis, said chuck comprising:

• a body having inner and outer faces and a bore extending therebetween;
• means located adjacent said inner face of said body for aligning said chuck with said longitudinal axis;
• an axially movable member supported by said body for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto, wherein said movable member contacts a diaphragm which is axially flexible along said longitudinal axis;
• at least one workpiece clamping device connected to said movable member for receiving and clamping a workpiece, said workpiece clamping device comprising a plurality of radially movable jaws attached to said diaphragm;
• a clamping stud having inner and outer ends and connected to said movable member such that movement of said clamping stud in an inward direction along said longitudinal axis will correspondingly displace said movable member;
• and
• quick release means attached adjacent said inner end of said stud and extending inwardly from said inner face for receiving said draw bar gripping device, whereby an initial stroke of said draw bar clamps said chuck to said machine tool, and a further stroke of said draw bar along said longitudinal axis axially displaces said clamping stud and said movable member relative to said bore to further mechanically tighten said workpiece clamping device.

A quickly interchangeable clamping chuck including power assist clamping capabilities for use in a machine tool having a draw bar with a releasable gripping device which is reciprocable along a longitudinal axis, said chuck comprising:

• a body having inner and outer faces and a bore extending therebetween;
• means located adjacent said inner face of said body for aligning said chuck with said longitudinal axis;
• an axially movable member supported by said body for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto, wherein said movable member is attached to a clamp piston reciprocably supported at least partially within said body;
• at least one workpiece clamping device connected to said movable member for receiving and clamping a workpiece, said clamping device comprising a peripheral clamping wedge arrangement connected to said piston;
• a clamping stud having inner and outer ends and connected to said movable member such that movement of said clamping stud in an inward direction along said longitudinal axis will correspondingly displace said movable member;
• and
• quick release means attached adjacent said inner end of said stud and extending inwardly from said inner face for receiving said draw bar gripping device, whereby an initial stroke of said draw bar clamps said chuck to said machine tool, and a further stroke of said draw bar along said longitudinal axis axially displaces said clamping stud and said movable member relative to said bore to further mechanically tighten said workpiece clamping device.

A quickly interchangeable clamping chuck including power assist clamping capabilities for use in a machine tool having a draw bar with a releasable gripping device which is reciprocable along a longitudinal axis, said chuck comprising:

• a body having inner and outer faces and a bore extending therebetween;
• means located adjacent said inner face of said body for aligning said chuck with said longitudinal axis;
• an axially movable member supported by said body for longitudinal reciprocation relative thereto;
• at least one workpiece clamping device connected to said movable member for receiving and clamping a workpiece, said workpiece clamping device comprising means for radially clamping a workpiece, said clamping means normally biased to passively hold a workpiece in clamped position;
• a clamping stud having inner and outer ends and connected to said movable member such that movement of said clamping stud in an inward direction along said longitudinal axis will correspondingly displace said movable member;
• and
• quick release means attached adjacent said inner end of said stud and extending inwardly from said inner face for receiving said draw bar gripping device, whereby initial and further stroke of said draw bar along said longitudinal axis axially displaces said clamping stud and said movable member relative to said bore and powers said radial clamping means to actively further mechanically tighten said workpiece therewithin.