Quick-action chuck for drilling and milling tools

Claim 1

A QUICK ACTION CHUCK MECHANISM FOR DETACHABLY MOUNTING A TOOL HOLDER IN A MACHINE TOOL HAVING A HOUSING AND A LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE TOOL CARRYING SPINDLE IN SAID HOUSING, SAID SPINDLE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL BORE, A CHUCKING MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID LONGITUDINAL BORE FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN FRONT AND REAR POSITION, SAID CHUCKING MEMBER HAVING A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL FRONT END PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE REAR END PORTION OF THE TOOL HOLDER WHEN THE LATTER IS INSERTED FOR USE, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY MOVABLE DETENT MEMBERS MOUNTED IN SAID FRONT END PORTION, SAID DETENT MEMBER ABUTTING AT THEIR OUTER ENDS AGAINST THE WALL OF SAID LONGITUDINAL BORE WHEN THE CHUCKING MEMBER IS IN THE REAR POSITION TO CAUSE SAID DETENT MEMBERS AT THEIR INNER ENDS TO ENGAGE A PERIPHERAL GROOVE ON THE REAR END PORTION OF THE TOOL HOLDER AND THEREBY COUPLE THE LATTER TO SAID CHUCKING MEMBER, SAID LONGITUDINAL BORE HAVING AN ENLARGED BORE PORTION TO ALLOW SAID DETENT MEMBERS TO MOVE RADIALLY OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID GROOVE WHEN SAID CHUCKING MEMBER IS IN THE FRONT POSITION TO PERMIT SAID TOOL HOLDER TO BE REMOVED, RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS CARRIED ON SAID CHUCKING MEMBER ADJACENT THE REAR END OF SAID SPINDLE TO HOLD SAID CHUCKING MEMBER IN THE REAR POSITION, AN AXIALLY IMMOVABLE MEMBER ON SAID HOUSING ADJACENT THE REAR END PORTION OF SAID SPINDLE AND SAID RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS, AND MEANS OPERABLE BY SAID AXIALLY IMMOVABLE HOUSING PORTION UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SPINDLE TO THE REARMOST POSITION TO RELEASE SAID RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS TO PERMIT SAID CHUCKING MEMBER TO MOVE TO THE FRONT POSITION.