Keyless chuck with backup key operation

A chuck comprising:

• an axially bored chuck body with a forward end and a rear end, and a plurality of jaw passages formed therein inclined axially forward to intersect said axial bore in an angularly spaced arrangement;
• a plurality of jaws with gear teeth formed thereon and slidably positioned in said jaw passages;
• a circumferential groove formed in said chuck body about a longitudinal axis of said chuck body intersecting said jaw passages so as to expose said gear teeth;
• a generally cylindrical tightening knob with a gripable outer surface rotatably attached about said forward end of said chuck body and a planar ring gear formed on a face thereof and an internal threaded ring having rotational dependence with said jaw teeth to enable sliding movement of said jaws within said jaw passages with enough force to grip a tool bit for operational rotation when said tightening knob is hand rotated about the axis of said chuck body with respect to said chuck body;
• and
• a cylindrical tail piece fixedly attached to the rear section of said chuck body with a rotatable pinion gear accessibly housed therein and adapted to rotate in response to rotation of said planar ring gear;
• wherein said pinion gear defines a recess adapted to receive a matingly formed key device for enabling rotation of said pinion gear.

A chuck capable of fully tightening it's jaws around a tool bit with or without the use of a key comprising:

• an axially bored chuck body with a forward end and a rear end and a plurality of jaw passages formed therein and inclined axially forward to intersect said axial bore in an angularly spaced arrangement;
• a plurality of jaws with gear teeth formed thereon and slidably positioned in said jaw passages;
• a circumferential groove formed in said chuck body about a longitudinal axis of said chuck body intersecting said jaw passages so as to expose said gear teeth;
• a cylindrical tightening knob with a gripable outer surface rotatably attached about said forward end of said chuck body with a rotatable pinion gear accessibly housed therein and an internal threaded ring having rotational dependence with said jaw teeth to enable sliding movement of said jaws within said jaw passages with enough force to grip a tool bit for operational rotation when said tightening knob is rotated by hand about the axis of said chuck body with respect to said chuck body;
• and
• a cylindrical tail section fixedly attached to the rear section of said chuck body with a planar ring gear formed on a face thereof matingly engaged with said pinion gear and adapted to rotate in response to rotation of said pinion gear;
• wherein said pinion gear defines a recess adapted to receive a key device for enabling rotation of said pinion gear.

A chuck comprising:

• a axially bored chuck body with a forward end and a rear end and a plurality of jaw passages formed therein and inclined axially forward to intersect said axial bore in an angularly spaced arrangement;
• a plurality of jaws with gear teeth formed thereon and slidably positioned in said jaw passages;
• a circumferential groove formed in said chuck body about a longitudinal axis of said chuck body intersecting said jaw passages so as to expose said gear teeth;
• a cylindrical tightening knob with a gripable outer surface rotatably attached about said forward end of said chuck body with a first planar ring gear formed on a face thereof and an internal threaded ring having rotational dependence with said jaw teeth to enable sliding movement of said jaws within said jaw passages when said tightening knob is rotated about the axis of said chuck body with respect to said chuck body;
• a cylindrical tail section fixedly attached to the rear section of said chuck body with a second planar ring gear formed on a face thereof, and
• a floating ring situated between said tightening knob, and said tail section wherein said floating ring accessibly houses a rotatable pinion gear that defines a recess adapted to receive a key device for enabling rotation of said pinion gear;
• wherein said pinion gear is simultaneously engaged with said first and said second planar ring gears and is adapted to rotate coincident with rotation of said first planar ring gear, said second planar ring gear or both first and second planar ring gears when rotated in opposite angular directions.

A chuck comprising:

• a axially bored chuck body with a forward end and a rear end and a plurality of jaw passages formed therein and inclined axially forward to intersect said axial bore in an angularly spaced arrangement;
• a plurality of jaws with gear teeth formed thereon and slidably positioned in said jaw passages;
• a circumferential groove formed in said chuck body about a longitudinal axis of said chuck body intersecting said jaw passages so as to expose said gear teeth;
• a cylindrical tightening knob with a gripable outer surface rotatably attached about said forward end of said chuck body with a first planar ring gear formed on a face thereof and an internal threaded ring having rotational dependence with said jaw teeth to enable sliding movement of said jaws within said jaw passages when said tightening knob is rotated about the axis of said chuck body with respect to said chuck body;
• a cylindrical tail section fixedly attached to the rear section of said chuck body with a second planar ring gear formed on a face thereof;
• and
• a floating ring situated between said tightening knob, and said tail section wherein said floating ring is adapted to receive a keyed device therein with a profile that matingly corresponds to said first planar ring gear and said second planar ring gear and align it into simultaneous meshing engagement with said first planar ring gear and said second planar ring gears;
• wherein rotation of said keyed device is coincident with rotation of said first planar ring gear and said second planar ring gear when planar gears are rotated in opposite angular directions with respect to each other.

A drill chuck comprising:

• a axially bored chuck body with a forward end and a rear end and a plurality of coaxially arranged jaw passages formed therein and inclined axially forward to collectively intersect said axial bore;
• a plurality of jaws with gear teeth formed on a proximal section thereon and slidably positioned in said jaw passages;
• a circumferential groove formed in said chuck body about a longitudinal axis of said chuck body intersecting said jaw passages so as to expose said gear teeth;
• a cylindrical tightening knob with a gripable outer surface rotatably attached about said forward end of said chuck body with a planar ring gear formed on a face thereof and an internal screw ring having rotational dependence with said jaw gear teeth to enable sliding movement of said jaws within said jaw passages with enough force to grip a tool bit for operational rotation when said tightening knob is hand rotated about the axis of said chuck body with respect to said chuck body;
• and
• a cylindrical tail section fixedly attached to the rear section of said chuck body with a rotatable pinion gear accessibly housed therein and engaged to said planar ring gear on said tightening knob;
• wherein said pinion gear defines a recess adapted to receive a key device for enabling rotation of said pinion gear.