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US3712386A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Pneumatic hand tool having automatic collet and brake

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-03-01
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Granted: 1973-01-23
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Expires: 1991-03-01
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Abstract

Abstract An improved pneumatic hand tool having an automatic collet and brake arrangement is described. The tool includes an air motor for rotatably driving a spindle on the end of which is located a collet for gripping the shank of a tool implement it is desired to rotate. A collet draw bar extends from the rear end of the collet axially through the spindle beyond the air motor and terminates in an enlarged portion which is adapted to be engaged by a piston. The piston is constrained for axial movement within a cylinder at the end of the air motor and, in response to the application of fluid pressure thereto, engages the collet draw bar and drives the collet outwardly from the spindle in order to open the same for reception of the shank of the tool. The tool includes a multi-port valve which selectively directs fluid either to the air motor for rotating the spindle or to the piston for opening the collet. A compression spring is also provided for urging the piston into frictional engagement with the end of the draw bar whenever air pressure is diverted from the motor, so that the piston acts as a brake to the rotation of the draw bar and, hence, to the rotation of the collet and its associated tool.

Inventors

  • 👤 R Peters

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 15:09
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/08; A61C1/14; A61C1/0007; A61C1/02; A61C1/05; F; F05; F05B; F05B2260/00; F05B2260/90; F05B2260/902; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S415/00; Y10S415/904; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/12; Y10T279/1208; Y10T279/1224; Y10T279/1241; Y10T279/1249

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 100 words
A fluid pressure operated hand tool comprising gripping means having jaws for gripping the shank of a tool implement or the like to which it is desired to impart rotary motion, driver means responsive to the application of fluid pressure thereto by rotating said gripping means and the tool implement held thereby, valve means for selectively directing fluid pressure to said driver means for powering the same, and release means for redirecting said fluid pressure and activating the jaws of said gripping means to a release position enabling insertion of the shank of a tool or the like for rotation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 100 words
A fluid pressure operated hand tool comprising gripping means having jaws for gripping the shank of a tool implement or the like to which it is desired to impart rotary motion, driver means responsive to the application of fluid pressure thereto by rotating said gripping means and the tool implement held thereby, valve means for selectively directing fluid pressure to said driver means for powering the same, and release means for redirecting said fluid pressure and activating the jaws of said gripping means to a release position enabling insertion of the shank of a tool or the like for rotation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 54 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 1 wherein means are provided for connecting said tool to an external source of fluid pressure, and said means for activating the jaws of said gripping means to a release position provides such activation in response to the application of fluid pressure thereto from said source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 56 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 2 wherein manually operable actuating means are provided for controlling said valve means to direct said fluid pressure to said driver means, said actuating means also controlling the application of fluid pressure to said release means for activating the jaws of said gripping means to said release position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 72 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 3 wherein said valve means for selectively directing fluid pressure to said driver means also selectively directs fluid pressure to said release means for activating the jaws of said gripping means to said release position, said actuating means being manipulatable to adjust said valve means between alternative modes respectively directing fluid pressure to said drive means and directing fluid pressure to said release means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 4 wherein means are provided for maintaining the jaws of said gripping means in a gripping position for clamping engagement with the shank of a tool or the like whenever fluid pressure is not being applied to said release means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 98 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 4 wherein said valve means comprises a valve spool which is axially slidable in the bore of a housing between a position at which said valve spool blocks communication between an external source of fluid pressure connected to said tool and said driver means while simultaneously providing communication between said source of fluid pressure and said release means, and a position at which said valve spool blocks communication between said source of pressure and said release means while simultaneously providing communication between said source of pressure and said driver means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 150 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 6 wherein said gripping means comprises a collet which is received within an axial bore in the end of a spindle secured to said driver means for rotation thereby, said collet having an outwardly tapering exterior surface adjacent its gripping end which is cooperable with a complementary outwardly tapering surface on the interior of said bore for forcing the jaws of said collet radially inward to a tool shank gripping position upon said collet being withdrawn into said bore, said collet being normally resiliently urged to said withdrawn position within said bore, and wherein said release means comprises a piston responsive to the application of fluid pressure thereto by driving said collet against said resilient urging outwardly of said bore to disengage said complementary surfaces and allow the jaws of said collet to open for reception of the shank of a tool.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 58 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claims 7 wherein a collet draw bar is secured to the inner end of said collet and extends axially through said spindle to a location at which its free end is engageable by said piston of said release means to provide said outward movement of said collet to said release position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 56 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 8 wherein said collet draw bar is secured to said collet for rotation therewith, and said piston is maintained out of engagement with said free end of said draw bar during application of fluid pressure to said driver means and corresponding rotation of said spindle and said collet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 61 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of claim 9 wherein means are provided for urging said piston into frictional engagement with the free end of said collet draw bar upon diversion of fluid pressure from said driver means whereby said frictional engagement provides a braking action on the rotational motion of said draw bar and thus of said spindle and collet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 77 words
The fluid pressure operated hand tool of clAim 10 wherein said means urging said piston into engagement with said collet draw bar upon diversion of fluid pressure from said driver means is a compression spring and wherein fluid pressure is directed by said valve means to said piston to overcome the force of said compression spring and maintain said piston out of engagement with said collet bar when said pressure is being applied to said driver means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2138342A Cited
US3052984A Cited
US3128079A Cited
US3631597A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-01-23 1976-07-24 1977-01-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-01-23 1980-07-24 1981-01-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-01-23 1984-07-24 1985-01-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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