Chucking device for mounting a tool on a machine tool and clamping device for the shrink-fit clamping of tools

A chucking device for mounting a tool in a tool mounting, said chucking device comprising:

• an expandable shrink section expandable between at least an expanded and non-expanded state;
• said shrink section having a shrink cavity and a lead-in portion, said lead-in portion having a lead-in cavity;
• wherein when said shrink section is in said non-expanded state, said tool fits into said lead-in cavity but not said shrink cavity;
• and
• wherein when said shrink section is in said expanded stated, said tool fits into said shrink cavity.

A method of mounting a tool in a tool mounting, said method comprising:

• providing a tool mounting have an expandable shrink section, said shrink section being expandable between at least an expanded and non-expanded state and having a lead-in portion;
• inserting said tool into said lead-in portion of said tool mounting when said shrink section is in said non-expanded state;
• expanding said shrink section;
• and
• inserting said tool from said lead-in section into said tool mounting while said shrink section is in said expanded state.

A clamping device for clamping a tool in a shrink-fit relationship with a machine tool, said clamping device comprising:

• a chucking device having a mounting section for mounting the chucking device on said clamping device, said chucking device further including a thermally expandable shrink section having a holding section formed and sized to receive a shank of the tool in a shrink-fit relationship, wherein the shrink section comprises an outer end formed and sized as a lead-in section for receiving and centering the tool shank when said shrink section is not in a thermally expanded condition;
• a receiving device for receiving said chucking device;
• and
• wherein said lead-in section is sized to release said tool shank and to guide said tool shank into said receiving section when said shrink section is thermally expanded.