Self-centering and compensating chuck

Claim 2

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions for use with bar work, chucking work and shaft work, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of work gripping jaws carried in a front face of said body for movement toward and away from each other; and jaw actuating means in the bodY for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an annular jaw actuator movable axially toward and away from the front face to actuate the jaws, a tubular reciprocable operator surrounded by said jaw actuator, means connecting said jaw actuator to said tubular operator for axial movement therewith and for limited floating movement relative thereto transversely of the direction of said axial movement, and a cylindrical gap between the tubular operator and the actuator, opening toward the front face of the chuck body, to closely and removably receive a guide member that prevents said floating movement without regard to the circumferential location of the guide member within the gap.

Claim 3

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions for use with bar work, chucking work and shaft work, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of work gripping jaws carried in a front face of said body for movement toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an annular jaw actuator movable axially toward and away from the front face to actuate the jaws, a tubular reciprocable operator surrounded by said jaw actuator, means connecting said jaw actuator to said tubular operator for axial movement therewith and for limited floating movement relative thereto transversely of the direction of said axial movement, a cylindrical gap between the tubular operator and the actuator, opening toward the front face of the chuck body; and a removable dust bushing having a cylindrical portion extending into the chuck body, closely received within said cylindrical gap and through which a workpiece can extend, said cylindrical portion extending inwardly of the chuck body beyond the extent of axial travel of the actuator and constructed to permit relative axial movement of the actuator while preventing relative transverse movement of the actuator without regard to the circumferential location of the guide member within said gap.

Claim 4

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions for use with bar work, chucking work and shaft work, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of work gripping jaws carried in a front face of said body for movement toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an annular jaw actuator movable axially toward and away from the front face to actuate the jaws, a tubular reciprocable operator surrounded by said jaw actuator, means connecting said jaw actuator to said tubular operator for axial movement therewith and for limited floating movement relative thereto transversely of the direction of said axial movement, a cylindrical gap between the tubular operator and the actuator, opening toward the front face of the chuck body; and a removable dust bushing having a cylindrical portion extending into the chuck body, closely received within said cylindrical gap and through which a workpiece can extend, said cylindrical portion extending inwardly of the chuck body beyond the extent of axial travel of the actuator and constructed to permit relative axial movement of the actuator while preventing relative transverse movement of the actuator without regard to the circumferential location of the guide member within said gap.

Claim 5

A rotary chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions and for use with bar work as well as chucking work and shaft work, comprising: a chuck body having front and rear faces and a central axis about which the chuck is adapted to be rotated; a central cavity through the chuck body; a back plate secured to the chuck body and at least in part forming the rear face, said back plate having a central opening communicating with said central cavity; a plurality of work-gripping-jaw carriers adjacent said front face, movable toward and away from said central axis; a lever connected with each jaw carrier; means pivotally securing said levers in said chuck body; an annular lever-operating cam in said central cavity movable along said central axis, said cam having an internal guide surface and an external lever-operating cam surface operatively engageable with said levers; a tubular support and operator for said cam located concentrically within said cam and having means for securing the support to a reciprocable draw tube; means interconnecting said cam and tubular support for conjoint axial movement and for limited relative movement transversely of said axis; an annular gap between said tubular support and said cam opening toward said front face for removably receiving a guide in slidable contact with said internal guide surface of the cam and with an external surface of said cam support; and a removable bushing secured in fixed relationship to said front face, with a guide portion received within said annular gap, said bushing having a central opening; the opening in said back plate and bushing and the tubular construction of said cam support facilitating the through-passage of work to be gripped by said chuck.

Claim 6

A rotary chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions and for use with bar work as well as chucking work and shaft work, comprising: a chuck body having front and rear faces and a central axis about which the chuck is adapted to be rotated; a central cavity through the chuck body; a back plate secured to the chuck body and at least in part forming the rear face, said back plate having a central opening communicating with said central cavity; a plurality of work-gripping-jaw carriers adjacent said front face, movable toward and away from said central axis; a lever connected with each jaw carrier; means pivotally securing said levers in said chuck body; an annular lever-operating cam in said central cavity movable along said central axis, said cam having an internal guide surface and an external lever-operating cam surface operatively engageable with said levers; a tubular support and operator for said cam located concentrically within said cam and having means for securing the support to a reciprocable draw tube; means interconnecting said cam and tubular support for conjoint axial movement and for limited relative movement transversely of said axis; an annular gap between said tubular support and said cam opening toward said front face for removably receiving a guide in slidable contact with said internal guide surface of the cam and with an external surface of said cam support; and a removable bushing secured in fixed relationship to said front face, with a guide portion received within said annular gap, said bushing having a central opening; the opening in said back plate and bushing and the tubular construction of said cam support facilitating the through-passage of work to be gripped by said chuck.

Claim 7

A chuck comprising a body having a central axis of rotation, a through passage along said axis, and a plurality of jaws movable toward and away from said axis, a tubular jaw operator within said passage and movable along said axis, an annular jaw actuator surroundIng said operator and operatively interconnected with said jaws to move the jaws through axial movement of the actuator, means interconnecting the actuator and operator for conjoint axial movement and independent movement transversely of said axis, said actuator and operator having a circumferential gap therebetween to permit said independent transverse movement, and a tubular guide extending axially within said passage, removably secured to said body in a fixed location concentric with said axis, and received within said gap with a close clearance fit to permit sliding relationship between said guide and said operator and actuator while preventing independent transverse movement between the actuator and operator.

Claim 8

A chuck comprising a body having a central axis of rotation, a through passage along said axis, and a plurality of jaws movable toward and away from said axis, a tubular jaw operator within said passage and movable along said axis, an annular jaw actuator surroundIng said operator and operatively interconnected with said jaws to move the jaws through axial movement of the actuator, means interconnecting the actuator and operator for conjoint axial movement and independent movement transversely of said axis, said actuator and operator having a circumferential gap therebetween to permit said independent transverse movement, and a tubular guide extending axially within said passage, removably secured to said body in a fixed location concentric with said axis, and received within said gap with a close clearance fit to permit sliding relationship between said guide and said operator and actuator while preventing independent transverse movement between the actuator and operator.

Claim 9

A chuck as set forth in claim 4 wherein said guide extends axially in overlapping relationship with said operator throughout the extend of axial travel of the operator.

Claim 10

A chuck as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tubular operator and guide are unobstructed at opposite ends thereof and provide a through passageway for work.

Claim 11

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement toward and away from each other; and jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an annular jaw actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to actuate the jaws, a reciprocable operator surrounded by said jaw actuator, means connecting said jaw actuator to said operator for axial movement therewith and for limited floating movement relative thereto transversely of the direction of said axial movement, a circumferential gap between the operator and the actuator, opening toward the front face of the chuck body, and a removable dust bushing having a mounting flange externally secured to the chuck body with a tubular portion extending inwardly thereof into said gap, preventing said floating movement of the jaw actuator.

Claim 12

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement toward and away from each other; and jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an annular jaw actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to actuate the jaws, a reciprocable operator surrounded by said jaw actuator, means connecting said jaw actuator to said operator for axial movement therewith and for limited floating movement relative thereto transversely of the direction of said axial movement, a circumferential gap between the operator and the actuator, opening toward the front face of the chuck body, and a removable dust bushing having a mounting flange externally secured to the chuck body with a tubular portion extending inwardly thereof into said gap, preventing said floating movement of the jaw actuator.

Claim 13

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including in actuator reciprocable within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and limited relative transverse floating movement; an opening in the actuator facing toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member; and a removable guide member received in said opening with surfaces that guide said jaw operator in reciprocable movement and that prevents said transverse floating movement.

Claim 14

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including in actuator reciprocable within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and limited relative transverse floating movement; an opening in the actuator facing toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member; and a removable guide member received in said opening with surfaces that guide said jaw operator in reciprocable movement and that prevents said transverse floating movement.

Claim 15

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; and an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member; and a removable guide member received in said passageway with surfaces that guide said operator in reciprocable movement and that prevents said transverse movement.

Claim 16

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; and an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member; and a removable guide member received in said passageway with surfaces that guide said operator in reciprocable movement and that prevents said transverse movement.

Claim 17

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; a jaW actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member that permits said reciprocable movement and prevents said transverse movement when located within the opening; and a guide member removably received in and stationary with respect to said chuck body, having an axially extending surface slidably received in said passageway to guide axial movement of said actuator.

Claim 18

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; a jaW actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body to closely and removably receive a separate and removable guide member that permits said reciprocable movement and prevents said transverse movement when located within the opening; and a guide member removably received in and stationary with respect to said chuck body, having an axially extending surface slidably received in said passageway to guide axial movement of said actuator.

Claim 19

A chuck as set forth in claim 10 including pivoted levers carried within the chuck body, each connected with a jaw and wherein reciprocation of said jaw actuator pivots said levers equally when the actuator is guided by said guide member and unequally when the guide member is removed.

Claim 20

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body and forming a surface guidable along an axial path by a removable guide member that permits said reciprocable movement and prevents said transverse movement when located within the opening; and a work locating center removably received in said chuck body in non-guiding relationship with said surface to permit said transverse movement.

Claim 21

A chuck adaptable for compensating and centering actions, comprising: a chuck body rotatable about a central axis; a plurality of jaws carried by said body for movement radially of the body toward and away from each other; jaw actuating means in the body for moving the jaws toward and away from each other, including an actuator reciprocable axially within the chuck body to move the jaws, an operator received within the chuck body reciprocable axially of the body to move the actuator, means connecting the jaw actuator to the operator for conjoint reciprocable movement and relative transverse movement; an axial passageway in the actuator opening toward the front face of the chuck body and forming a surface guidable along an axial path by a removable guide member that permits said reciprocable movement and prevents said transverse movement when located within the opening; and a work locating center removably received in said chuck body in non-guiding relationship with said surface to permit said transverse movement.