Locking chuck

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a locking member which
• in a first axial position is rotatable with respect to said driver housing, and
• in a second axial position operatively engages said housing and said nut so that said locking member is rotationally held to said housing and said nut so that said nut is rotationally held to said housing,
• wherein said locking member is axially reciprocal between said first axial position and said second axial position;
• and
• a latching mechanism configured to retain said locking mechanism in said first axial position when said locking member is in said first axial position, and to retain said locking mechanism in said second axial position when said locking mechanism is in said second axial position, until application of an axial force exceeding a predetermined level,
• wherein said latching mechanism includes a detent mechanism, and
• wherein said detent mechanism includes a ball disposed in said body and urged radially outward therefrom by a spring, said locking member having a flange disposed on said locking member so that said flange is on one side of said ball when said locking member is in said first axial position and is on an opposite side of said ball when said locking member is in said second axial position, said ball preventing said flange from passing over said ball from said one side to said opposite side until application of said predetermined axial force.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatable mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a locking member which
• in a first axial position is rotatable with respect to said driver housing, and
• in a second axial position operatively engages said housing and said nut so that said locking member is rotationally held to said housing and said nut so that said nut is rotationally held to said housing,
• wherein said locking member is axially reciprocal between said first axial position and said second axial position;
• a clutch mechanism disposed operatively between said body and said nut,
• wherein said locking member is rotationally held to, and axially movable with respect to, said clutch mechanism in said second axial position, and
• wherein said clutch mechanism and said nut include respective engaging surfaces disposed so that said clutch mechanism and said nut are rotationally held to each other when engaged by a rotational force applied at said engaging surfaces by at least one of said clutch mechanism and said nut and so that said clutch mechanism is urged axially away from said nut upon application of said rotational force;
• and
• a biasing mechanism in operative communication with said clutch mechanism and opposing axial movement of said clutch mechanism away from said nut, said biasing mechanism being configured with said clutch mechanism to resist disengagement of said engaging surfaces until said rotational force exceeds a predetermined level.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• an axially reciprocal sleeve;
• and
• a clutch mechanism disposed operatively between said body and said nut,
• wherein said sleeve is rotationally held to, and axially movable with respect to, said clutch mechanism in at least one axial position of said sleeve, and
• wherein said clutch mechanism and said nut include respective engaging surfaces disposed so that said clutch mechanism and said nut are rotationally held to each other when engaged by a rotational force applied at said engaging surfaces by at least one of said clutch mechanism and said nut and so that said clutch mechanism is urged axially away from said nut upon application of said rotational force, and
• including a biasing mechanism in operative communication with said clutch mechanism and opposing axial movement of said clutch mechanism away from said nut, said biasing mechanism being configured with said clutch mechanism to resist disengagement of said engaging surfaces until said rotational force exceeds a predetermined level.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a first generally cylindrical sleeve mounted about said body and engaging said nut so that said first sleeve rotates with said nut;
• and
• a second generally cylindrical sleeve mounted about said body and axially reciprocal with respect thereto,
• wherein said second sleeve includes a first locking mechanism disposed on said sleeve so that said first locking mechanism, when said second sleeve is in a first axial position, engages said body so that said second sleeve is rotationally held to said body,
• wherein in said first axial position said second sleeve is rotatable with respect to said housing,
• wherein said second sleeve includes a second locking mechanism disposed on said second sleeve so that said second locking mechanism, when said second sleeve is in a second axial position, engages said first sleeve so that said second sleeve is rotationally held to said first sleeve,
• wherein when said second sleeve is in said second axial position said second sleeve is rotatable with respect to said body,
• wherein said second sleeve includes a third locking mechanism disposed on said second sleeve so that said third locking mechanism, when said second sleeve is in said second axial position, engages said housing so that said second sleeve is rotationally held to said housing, and
• wherein said second sleeve is axially reciprocal with respect to said body between said first axial position and said second axial position.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a clutch mechanism disposed operatively between said body and said nut;
• and
• a generally cylindrical sleeve axially reciprocal with respect to and disposed about said body, said sleeve
• in a first axial position being rotatable with respect to said body, and
• in a second axial position operatively engaging said housing and said clutch mechanism so that said sleeve is rotationally held to said housing and so that said sleeve is rotationally held to, and axially movable with respect to, said clutch mechanism;
• wherein said clutch mechanism and said nut include respective engaging surfaces disposed so that said clutch mechanism and said nut are rotationally held to each other when engaged by a rotational force applied at said engaging surfaces by at least one of said clutch mechanism and said nut and so that said clutch mechanism is urged axially away from said nut upon application of said rotational force;
• and
• a biasing mechanism in operative communication with said clutch mechanism and opposing axial movement of said clutch mechanism away from said nut, said biasing mechanism being configured with said clutch mechanism to resist disengagement of said engaging surfaces until said rotational force exceeds a predetermined level, and
• wherein said sleeve includes a locking mechanism disposed on said sleeve so that when said sleeve is in said second axial position, said locking mechanism engages said drill housing so that said sleeve is rotationally held to said drill housing.

A manual or powered driver, said driver comprising:

• a housing;
• a rotatable drive shaft extending from said housing;
• and
• a chuck, said chuck including
• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a first sleeve;
• and
• a second sleeve,
• wherein each of said first sleeve and said second sleeve defines a gripping surface thereon,
• wherein, in a first state, said first sleeve is rotationally held to said body and said second sleeve is rotationally held to said nut and is rotatable with respect to said housing and with respect to said body, and
• wherein one of said first sleeve and said second sleeve is axially reciprocal between said first state and a second state in which said one of said first sleeve and said second sleeve is rotationally held to said nut and said housing and is rotatable with respect to said body.

A manual or powered driver, said driver comprising:

• a housing;
• a rotatable drive shaft extending from said housing;
• and
• a chuck, said chuck including
• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• an axially reciprocal sleeve;
• and
• a clutch mechanism disposed operatively between said body and said nut,
• wherein said sleeve is rotationally held to, and axially movable with respect to, said clutch mechanism in at least one axial position of said sleeve, and
• wherein said clutch mechanism and said nut include respective engaging surfaces disposed so that said clutch mechanism and said nut are rotationally held to each other when engaged by a rotational force applied at said engaging surfaces by at least one of said clutch mechanism and said nut and so that said clutch mechanism is urged axially away from said nut upon application of said rotational force, and
• including a biasing mechanism in operative communication with said clutch mechanism and opposing axial movement of said clutch mechanism away from said nut, said biasing mechanism being configured with said clutch mechanism to resist disengagement of said engaging surfaces until said rotational force exceeds a predetermined level.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a locking member which
• in a first axial position is rotatable with respect to said driver housing, and
• in a second axial position operatively engages said housing and said nut so that said locking member is rotationally held to said housing and said nut so that said nut is rotationally held to said housing;
• and
• a clutch disposed operatively between said nut and said locking member,
• wherein said locking member is axially reciprocal between said first axial position and said second axial position,
• wherein said clutch includes a first engagement surface that engages a second engagement surface that rotationally drives one of said nut and said locking member, said first engagement surface and said second engagement surface being disposed with respect to each other so that, upon application of a rotational force between said nut and said locking member, said first engagement surface and said second engagement surfaces bias said clutch and said one of said nut and said locking member axially away from each other, and
• wherein said clutch includes a spring that biases said first engagement surface against said second engagement surface so that said clutch and one of said locking member and said nut rotate together until, upon application of said rotational force at a predetermined level, said first engagement surface and said second engagement surfaces pass over each other.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a housing and a rotatable drive shaft extending therefrom, said chuck comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section configured to mate with said drive shaft so that said body rotates with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of angularly disposed passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws slidably positioned in each of said angularly disposed passageways, each of said jaws having a jaw face formed on one side thereof and threads formed on the opposite side thereof;
• a nut rotatably mounted on said body in engagement with said threads on said jaws so that rotation of said nut moves said jaws axially within said passageways;
• a locking member which
• in a first axial position is rotatable with respect to said driver housing, and
• in a second axial position operatively engages said housing and said nut so that said locking member is rotationally held to said housing and said nut so that said nut is rotationally held to said housing,
• wherein said locking member is axially reciprocal between said first axial position and said second axial position;
• and
• a clutch disposed operatively between said nut and said one of said first sleeve and said second sleeve, said clutch being configured to permit relative rotation between said nut and said one of said first sleeve and said second sleeve upon application of a predetermined rotational force between said nut and said one of said first sleeve and said second sleeve.