Ball lock clamping devices

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING TOGETHER AND LOCKING TWO, FIRST AND SECOND, INTERFITTING COAXIAL TUBULAR MEMBERS AGAINST A SEPARATING RESISTANCE, COMPRISING: FIRST AND SECOND INTERFITTING COAXIAL TUBULAR MEMBERS, AND ANNULAR ROW OF BALLS MOUNTED BETWEEN THE MEMBERS AND RETAINED IN A ROTATABLE CAGE WHICH PERMITS THE BALLS TO ROLL IN PART SPIRAL PATHS, AN ANNULAR THREADED NUT HAVING A BALL CONTACTING SURFACE MOUNTED ON SAID FIRST MEMBER AROUND THE ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID MEMBER SO AS TO BE AXIALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE THERETO TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE CAGE AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BALLS, SAID FIRST MEMBER HAVING AN ABUTMENT SURFACE WHICH CO-OPERATES WITH THE BALL CONTACTING SURFACE OF SAID NUT TO IMPART A ROLLING MOTION TO THE BALLS ALONG A PART SPIRAL PATH, SAID SECOND MEMBER HAVING A LOCKING RECESS WITH A PART CONICAL SURFACE ENGAGEABLE BY THE BALLS DURING SAID ROLLING MOTION INITIALLY TO DRAW THE MEMBERS AXIALLY TOGETHER AND THEN TO LOCK THEM TOGETHER AS THE BALLS ENTER THE RECESS.