Instant change tool holder

Claim 2

In a tool holder wherein interfitting socket and shank members are axially releasably locked together by a lock sleeve which is axially movable on said socket member from a spring biased locking position whereat it cams a locking element radially inwardly into engagement with a groove on said shank member to an unlocking position whereat it releases said locking element for radial outward movement out of engagement with said groove for axial withdrawal of said shank member from said socket member, the improvement which comprises latch means in said socket member operative to releasably engage said lock sleeve to retain it in unlocking position; axially interfitting drive means between said socket and shank members operative to impart rotation of said socket member to said shank member when said members are locked together; said latch means having spring biased operating means moved against such spring bias by axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member to release said latch means from said lock sleeve for spring biased movement of the latter to said locking position; said operating means and shank member having frictionally engaged surfaces operative during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member while the latter is rotating to initiate rotation of said shank member prior to interengagement of said drive means.

Claim 3

In a tool holder wherein interfitting socket and shank members are axially releasably locked together by a lock slEeve which is axially movable on said socket member from a spring biased locking position whereat it cams a locking element radially inwardly into engagement with a groove on said shank member to an unlocking position whereat it releases said locking element for radial outward movement out of engagement with said groove for axial withdrawal of said shank member from said socket member, the improvement which comprises latch means in said socket member operative to releasably engage said lock sleeve to retain it in unlocking position; axially interfitting drive means between said socket and shank members operative to impart rotation of said socket member to said shank member when said members are locked together; said latch means having operating means moved by axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member to release said latch means from said lock sleeve for spring biased movement of the latter to said locking position; said members having frictionally engaged surfaces operative during axial insertion of shank member into said socket member while the latter is rotating to initiate rotation of said shank member prior to interengagement of said drive means; said drive means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart radially inwardly projecting balls in said socket member engaged in radially overlapping relation in axial keyways in said shank member when said members are locked together; the number of axial keyways exceeding the number of balls thus to decrease the angle of relative rotation of said members for effecting interengagement of said members in driving relation during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member.

Claim 4

In a tool holder wherein interfitting socket and shank members are axially releasably locked together by a lock slEeve which is axially movable on said socket member from a spring biased locking position whereat it cams a locking element radially inwardly into engagement with a groove on said shank member to an unlocking position whereat it releases said locking element for radial outward movement out of engagement with said groove for axial withdrawal of said shank member from said socket member, the improvement which comprises latch means in said socket member operative to releasably engage said lock sleeve to retain it in unlocking position; axially interfitting drive means between said socket and shank members operative to impart rotation of said socket member to said shank member when said members are locked together; said latch means having operating means moved by axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member to release said latch means from said lock sleeve for spring biased movement of the latter to said locking position; said members having frictionally engaged surfaces operative during axial insertion of shank member into said socket member while the latter is rotating to initiate rotation of said shank member prior to interengagement of said drive means; said drive means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart radially inwardly projecting balls in said socket member engaged in radially overlapping relation in axial keyways in said shank member when said members are locked together; the number of axial keyways exceeding the number of balls thus to decrease the angle of relative rotation of said members for effecting interengagement of said members in driving relation during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member.

Claim 5

In a tool holder wherein interfitting socket and shank members are axially releasably locked together by a lock sleeve which is axially movable on said socket member from a spring biased locking position whereat it cams a locking element radially inwardly into engagement with a groove on said shank member to an unlocking position whereat it releases said locking element for radial outward movement out of engagement with said groove for axial withdrawal of said shank member from said socket member, the improvement which comprises latch means in said socket member operative to releasably engage said lock sleeve to retain it in unlocking position; axially interfitting drive means between said socket and shank members operative to impact rotation of said socket member to said shank member when said members are locked together; said latch means having operating means moved by axial insertion of said shank member into said socket memeber to release said latch means from said lock sleeve for spring biased movement of the latter to said locking position; said members having frictionally engaged surfaces operative during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member while the latter is rotating to initiate rotation of said shank member prior to interengagement of said drive means; said operating means being axially slidably keyed to said socket member; said frictionally engaged surfaces including interengageable end portions of said operating means and said shank member; one of said surfaces comprising a ring of rubber-like material disposed in an annular groove in one of said shank member and operating means and projecting axially from said groove for engagement with the end portion of the other of said shank member and operating means whereby, upon initial engagement of said surfaces, some rotary slippage occurs for relative rotation of said socket and shank members for registry of said drive means upon continued axial insertion movement of said shank member into said socket member.

Claim 6

In a tool holder wherein interfitting socket and shank members are axially releasably locked together by a lock sleeve which is axially movable on said socket member from a spring biased locking position whereat it cams a locking element radially inwardly into engagement with a groove on said shank member to an unlocking position whereat it releases said locking element for radial outward movement out of engagement with said groove for axial withdrawal of said shank member from said socket member, the improvement which comprises latch means in said socket member operative to releasably engage said lock sleeve to retain it in unlocking position; axially interfitting drive means between said socket and shank members operative to impact rotation of said socket member to said shank member when said members are locked together; said latch means having operating means moved by axial insertion of said shank member into said socket memeber to release said latch means from said lock sleeve for spring biased movement of the latter to said locking position; said members having frictionally engaged surfaces operative during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member while the latter is rotating to initiate rotation of said shank member prior to interengagement of said drive means; said operating means being axially slidably keyed to said socket member; said frictionally engaged surfaces including interengageable end portions of said operating means and said shank member; one of said surfaces comprising a ring of rubber-like material disposed in an annular groove in one of said shank member and operating means and projecting axially from said groove for engagement with the end portion of the other of said shank member and operating means whereby, upon initial engagement of said surfaces, some rotary slippage occurs for relative rotation of said socket and shank members for registry of said drive means upon continued axial insertion movement of said shank member into said socket member.

Claim 7

The tool holder of claim 1 wherein said latch means has a radially outer portion movable into and out of an internal recess in said lock sleeve, and a radially inner portion to which said operating means is axially slidably keyed; said operating means having a cam surface to urge and retain the radially outer portioN of said latch means in said recess thus to retain said lock sleeve in unlocking position until said operating means is moved by axial insertion of said shank member to a position whereat said cam surface releases said latch means for movement of said radially outer portion out of said recess whereby said lock sleeve is released for spring-biased movement to locking position.

Claim 8

The tool holder of claim 4 wherein said operating means has an end portion extending within and axially beyond the drive means in said socket member for frictional engagement by the end portion of said shank member during axial insertion of said shank member into said socket member and prior to interengagement of the drive means of said shank member with the drive means of said socket member.

Claim 9

The tool holder of claim 5 wherein said drive means comprises a plurality of f radially inwardly projecting balls in said socket member which are engaged in radially overlapping relation in axial keyways on the exterior of the end portion of said shank member when said members are locked together.

Claim 10

The tool holder of claim 6 wherein said operating means has a stop shoulder engageable with said radially inwardly projecting balls when said operating means is in a position retaining said radially outer portion of said latch means in said recess.