Devices for attaching accessories

Claim 2

A chuck or the like comprising a chuck member having therein a longitudinally extending bore for receiving an accessory and a bore extending transversely therethrough which intersects said longitudinally extending bore; a coil spring disposed in said chuck member and adapted to surround the accessory received therein; and means fixing one end of said coil spring to said chuck member, whereby the exertion of a rotary force on an accessory disposed in said longitudicnally extending bore will tighten the spring against the accessory and thereby fix it to said chuck member for rotation therewith, the means fixing said one end of said spring to said chuck member comprising a member disposed in said transversely extending bore, said last-mentioned member having a bore therein in which said spring is disposed and a recess in which said one end of said spring is received.

Claim 3

The chuck of claim 1, together with means for retaining the member in which the spring is disposed in the longitudinally extending bore in the chuck member.

Claim 4

A tool comprising a shaft having therein a generally frustoconical recess opening onto one end of the shaft; means for rotating said shaft; an accessory having shank means; a chuck member having bore means in which the shank means of the accessory is disposed, an annular external rib with a surface facing said one end of said shaft and at least one external surface portion configured to match the recess in the shaft, said chuck being seated and rotatable in said recess about the axis of rotation of the shaft; means fixing said chuck member to said shaft for rotation therewith comprising a retainer threaded onto said one end of said shaft and engaging said surface of said rib to force said chuck member into said recess and into engagement with said shaft and thereby provide a frictional connection between the shaft and the chuck member, and said retainer being configured to contact only said surface of said shaft to thereby avoid the imposition of misalignment producing forces on said chuck member; and means disposed in the bore means in said chuck member in juxtaposition to the shank means of the accessory which is operable upon the exertion of a rotary force on said accessory in one direction relative to said chuck member to fix said accessory to said member for rotation therewith and operable upon the exertion of a relative rotary force in the opposite direction to release said accessory fOr removal from said chuck member.

Claim 5

A tool comprising a shaft having therein a generally frustoconical recess opening onto one end of the shaft; means for rotating said shaft; an accessory having shank means; a chuck member having bore means in which the shank means of the accessory is disposed, an annular external rib with a surface facing said one end of said shaft and at least one external surface portion configured to match the recess in the shaft, said chuck being seated and rotatable in said recess about the axis of rotation of the shaft; means fixing said chuck member to said shaft for rotation therewith comprising a retainer threaded onto said one end of said shaft and engaging said surface of said rib to force said chuck member into said recess and into engagement with said shaft and thereby provide a frictional connection between the shaft and the chuck member, and said retainer being configured to contact only said surface of said shaft to thereby avoid the imposition of misalignment producing forces on said chuck member; and means disposed in the bore means in said chuck member in juxtaposition to the shank means of the accessory which is operable upon the exertion of a rotary force on said accessory in one direction relative to said chuck member to fix said accessory to said member for rotation therewith and operable upon the exertion of a relative rotary force in the opposite direction to release said accessory fOr removal from said chuck member.

Claim 6

The tool of claim 3, wherein said chuck member is a one-piece member, wherein said bore means comprises a pair of fixedly positioned, axially aligned, spaced apart bores in said one-piece chuck member which are adapted to have the accessory extend therethrough, each of said axially aligned bores having a length which exceeds its width and said bores being dimensioned to closely fit the portions of the accessory received therein, whereby said bores accurately align said accessory relative to the chuck member, and wherein the means disposed in said bore means for fixing the accessory to the chuck member for rotation therewith comprises a coil spring surrounding the shank means of the accessory and means fixing one end of said coil spring against rotation relative to said chuck member, whereby the accessory is aligned in the chuck member only by the fit of the accessory in the axially aligned bores in the chuck member.

Claim 7

The tool of claim 3, together with a pair of tightly fitted sleeves having longitudinally extending bores therethrough disposed in the bore means of said chuck member in axially aligned, spaced apart relationship to provide in said member a pair of axially aligned, spaced apart bores for receiving the shank means of said accessory, said axially aligned bores being dimensioned to closely fit the portions of the accessory shank received therein to thereby accurately align said accessory relative to the chuck member; and wherein the means for fixing the accessory to the chuck member for rotation therewith comprises a coil spring disposed in said chuck member between said sleeves, said spring being dimensioned to have the accessory shank extend therethrough, and means fixing one end of said coil spring against rotation in said chuck member, whereby the exertion of a rotary force on the shank of the accessory will tighten the spring against the accessory and thereby fix it to said chuck member for rotation therewith, said spring being dimensioned to fit freely in said chuck member when it is tightened around the accessory shank, whereby the accessory is aligned in the chuck member only by the fit of the accessory shank in the axial aligned bores in said sleeves.

Claim 8

The tool of claim 5, wherein the means for fixing said one end of said coil spring against rotation in the chuck member comprises a bushing surrounding the spring and fixed against rotation relative to said chuck member, said bushing being disposed between said sleeves, and there being a recess in said bushing in which said one end of said spring is disposed.