Chuck with torque indicator

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a drive shaft, said chuck comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft of the driver and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein;
• b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore;
• c. a nut rotatably mounted about said body and in driving engagement with said jaws so that rotation of said nut in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said nut in an opening direction moves said jaws away from the axis;
• d. a first ring, and
• e. a second ring that rotates relative to said nut over a limited arc,
• wherein one of said first ring and said second ring defines a ratchet and the other of said first ring and said second ring defines at least one deflectable pawl that is biased toward and engaging said ratchet,
• wherein
• when said chuck is in a first state in which said jaws are not clamped onto a shank of a tool said first ring and said second ring are rotationally coupled to each other in both said opening and said closing directions such that said first ring and said second ring are rotatable about said body, and
• when said chuck is in a second state in which said jaws clamp onto the shank of the tool said second ring is rotatable relative to said first ring in at least said closing direction causing an audible click.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a drive shaft, said chuck comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft of the driver and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein;
• b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore, said jaws defining a tool engaging surface on one side thereof and threads on an opposite side;
• c. a nut rotationally mounted on said body and defining threads on an inner circumference thereof, said nut being in threaded engagement with said jaws such that rotation of said nut causes said jaws to move with respect to said body;
• d. a generally cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted about said body and in driving engagement with said nut so that rotation of said first sleeve in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said first sleeve in an opening direction moves said jaws away from the axis;
• e. a first ring defining at least one pawl thereon, and
• f. a second ring that is rotatable relative to said nut over a limited arc and that defines a plurality of teeth thereon, said at least one pawl being biased toward said plurality of teeth so that,
• when said chuck is in a first state in which said jaws are not clamped onto a shank of a tool, said first ring and said second ring are rotationally coupled to each other in both said opening and closing directions such that said first ring and said second ring are rotatable about said body, and
• when said chuck is in a second state in which said jaws clamp onto the shank of the tool, said second ring is rotatable relative to said first ring in said closing direction causing an audible click but is rotationally fixed to said first ring in said opening direction.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a drive shaft, said chuck comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft of the driver and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein;
• b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore;
• c. a nut rotatably mounted about said body and in operative communication with said jaws so that rotation of said nut in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said nut in an opening direction moves said jaws away from the axis;
• d. a generally cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted about said body and in driving engagement with said nut;
• e. a plurality of equally spaced recesses that travel with one of said nut and said body;
• and
• f. at least one deflectable pawl that travels with the other of said nut and said body, said at least one deflectable pawl being biased toward and continuously received in one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses when said at least one deflectable pawl is rotated in both said closing direction and said opening direction about said body,
• wherein movement of said at least one deflectable pawl from said one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses to an adjacent one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses corresponds to a predetermined input torque on said nut that results in a predetermined output gripping force between said plurality of jaws that is sufficient to secure a tool in said chuck for expected normal operation without the tool slipping relative to said plurality of jaws, and
• wherein movement of said at least one deflectable pawl to said adjacent one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses causes a first audible click indicating said predetermined output gripping force.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a drive shaft, said chuck comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft of the driver and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein;
• b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore;
• c. a nut rotatably mounted about said body and in operative communication with said jaws so that rotation of said nut in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said nut in an opening direction moves said jaws away from the axis;
• d. a plurality of equally spaced recesses that travel with one of said body and said nut, and
• e. at least one deflectable pawl biased toward and continuously engaging one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses when said at least one deflectable pawl is rotated in both said closing direction and said opening direction about said body, said at least one deflectable pawl traveling with the other of said body and said nut,
• wherein an annular distance between said one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses and an adjacent one of said plurality of equally spaced recesses corresponds to a predetermined input torque required on said nut to result in a corresponding predetermined output gripping force between said plurality of jaws that is sufficient to secure a tool in said chuck for expected normal operation.

A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a drive shaft, said chuck comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft of the driver and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein;
• b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore;
• c. a generally cylindrical sleeve rotatably mounted about said body and in driving engagement with said jaws so that rotation of said sleeve in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said sleeve in an opening direction moves said jaws away from the axis;
• and
• d. a first ring operatively disposed between said jaws and said body, and
• e. a second ring that rotates relative to said sleeve over a limited arc,
• wherein one of said first ring and said second ring defines a ratchet and the other of said first ring and said second ring defines at least one deflectable pawl that is biased toward said ratchet,
• wherein
• when said chuck is in a first state in which said jaws are not clamped onto a shank of a tool said first ring and said second ring are rotationally coupled to each other in both said opening and said closing directions such that said first ring and said second ring are rotatable about said body, and
• when said chuck is in a second state said second ring rotates relative to said first ring in at least said closing direction.