Arbor for securing a workpiece

Claim 2

A means for receiving and retaining a workpiece or the like comprising: a pair of axially spaced and relatively movable members having adjacent tapered wedging surfaces defining a ball receiving groove; gripping balls in said groove, said gripping balls normally projecting radially from said groove in response to the relative axial approach of said members, said gripping balls being retracted into said grooves in response to the relative axial separation of said members; means limiting the radial projection of said balls from said groove when said members approach one another; means coupling said members to one another; said coupling means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally disposed bores in one of said members, a plurality of fastening screws extending through said bores and threadedly engaging a plurality of axially aligned and circumferentially spaced threaded bores in the other of said members, a plurality of springs disposed in said first mentioned bores and wound around said fastening screws, said springs engaging a portion of their associated fastening screws and bores to bias said one member toward said other member.

Claim 3

The means defined in claim 1 wherein said other of said members has a hub portion and said one member has a bore axial aligned with and slidably engaging said hub portion such that said one member is axially slidably movable on said hub portion to and away from said other member.

Claim 4

The means defined in claim 1 wherein said means limiting the radial projection of said balls comprises a ring having apertures through which said balls are adapted to project, the size of said apertures being less than the diameter of said balls, said ring being axially disposed between said members proximate the terminal portion of said groove, said members axially positioning said ring with respect to said groove.

Claim 5

The means as defined in claim 1 and including a plurality of washers encompassing said fastening screws, said springs having one end bearing against said washers.

Claim 6

An arbor for retaining a workpiece having a multi-diameter cross section, said arbor comprising: a first and a second pair of axially positioned and relatively separable annular members respectively of a first diameter and a second smaller diameter, each of said pairs of annular members respectively having adjacent tapered wedging surfaces defining ball receiving grooves; gripping balls in said grooves normally projecting radially from said grooves in response to the relative axial approach of said annular members of each of said pairs of members; means limiting the radial projection of said balls from their respective grooves; first and second means respectively coupling said first pair and said second pair of members; means associated with each of said coupling means to bias their associated pair of annular members toward one another at predetermined forces so as to normally radially project their associated balls from said grooves; means associated with each of said coupling means for selectively controlling said predetermined forces; means fixedly attaching a first annular member of said first pair of members to a first annular member of said second pair of members such that said first annular members are movable as a unit; said first annular members of each of said pairs of members having a hub portion on which the other, second annular members Of each of said pair of members is slidably mounted for movement toward and away from its associated first annular member, said hub portion of said annular members of each of said pairs being fixedly attached to one another, said second annular members of each of said pairs having bores and fastening screws slidably extending therethrough and into a threaded engagement with bores in said first annular members in each of said pairs, and spring means carried in said bores in said second annular members and engaging said fastening screws to bias said second annular members respectively toward said first annular members.

Claim 7

An arbor for retaining a workpiece having a multi-diameter cross section, said arbor comprising: a first and a second pair of axially positioned and relatively separable annular members respectively of a first diameter and a second smaller diameter, each of said pairs of annular members respectively having adjacent tapered wedging surfaces defining ball receiving grooves; gripping balls in said grooves normally projecting radially from said grooves in response to the relative axial approach of said annular members of each of said pairs of members; means limiting the radial projection of said balls from their respective grooves; first and second means respectively coupling said first pair and said second pair of members; means associated with each of said coupling means to bias their associated pair of annular members toward one another at predetermined forces so as to normally radially project their associated balls from said grooves; means associated with each of said coupling means for selectively controlling said predetermined forces; means fixedly attaching a first annular member of said first pair of members to a first annular member of said second pair of members such that said first annular members are movable as a unit; said first annular members of each of said pairs of members having a hub portion on which the other, second annular members Of each of said pair of members is slidably mounted for movement toward and away from its associated first annular member, said hub portion of said annular members of each of said pairs being fixedly attached to one another, said second annular members of each of said pairs having bores and fastening screws slidably extending therethrough and into a threaded engagement with bores in said first annular members in each of said pairs, and spring means carried in said bores in said second annular members and engaging said fastening screws to bias said second annular members respectively toward said first annular members.