Quick-release jaws with a single-piece bearing chuck
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsBrian J Crowley, Charlie S Carmoney, Thomas H Dejonghe, Thomas M Grobbel, William R Stickney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A workholding chuck can use actuating members that pivot within a non-split unitary front bearing. The non-split unitary front bearing can include pockets in its central bore that can allow a spherical section of an actuator arm to be inserted into the bearing. The spherical section can include radially recessed areas to facilitate the insertion into the bearing. The jaws can be retained to the actuator arms through the use of a quick-release assembly. The quick-release assembly allows the jaws to easily and quickly be changed to allow the chuck to grasp different workpieces.
Claims14
A workholding chuck assembly for holding a workpiece, the chuck assembly comprising:
- a housing having a front face;
- a plurality of actuator arms in said housing, said actuator arms having a first end portion extending from said front face and operable to receive a workpiece retaining jaw thereon, a second end portion in said housing and an intermediate portion between said first and second end portions, said intermediate portion including a semi-spherical section having at least two semi-spherical surfaces with radially recessed surfaces therebetween;
- a plurality of non-split unitary bearings having a bore therethrough, each of said bearings being disposed around said semi-spherical section of said intermediate portion of an associated one of said actuator arms, each bore having an engaging surface that engages with said semi-spherical surfaces and at least two radially recessed pockets;
- and
- at least one actuator coupled to said second end portions and operable to drive pivotal movement of said actuator arms in said bearings to retain and release a workpiece.
A workingholding chuck retro-fit kit comprising:
- an actuator arm having a first end portion operable to receive a workpiece retaining jaw thereon, a second end portion operable to be coupled to a chuck actuating member, and an intermediate portion between said first and second end portions, said intermediate portion including a semi-spherical section having at least two semi-spherical surfaces with radially recessed surfaces therebetween;
- and
- a non-split unitary bearing having a bore therethrough with an engaging surface and at least two radially recessed pockets, said bearing being disposable around said semi- spherical section of said intermediate portion of said actuator arm with said bore engaging surface engaging with said semi-spherical surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.