Hydraulic work support of the collet type

Claim 2

A hydraulically actuated work support comprising, a base defining an annular piston actuating chamber, a piston slideably mounted in said chamber, said piston also having a collet clamping seat, a cap mounted on said base and having a central opening therethrough; an axially shiftable, free floating collet having plunger clamping jaws at its upper end and which are adapted to be clampingly engaged by said piston seat; a spring acting between said cap and said piston to bias the piston to a collet releasing position; a work supporting plunger extending through said cap and into said collet for being clamped thereby; resilient means acting between said base and said collet for urging the latter to an upper, plunger releasing position; passage means in said base for conducting pressure fluid to said piston actuating chamber whereby when said chamber is pressurized, said piston is urged to a collet closing position, and when said chamber is not pressurized, said spring urges said piston to a released position, said collet being freely slideable in said piston when the latter is released to thereby permit said resilient means to urge said collet out of engagement with said piston seat.

Claim 3

A hyDraulically actuated work support comprising, a base having a cylindrical side wall and a central hub which together define an annular piston actuating chamber, a piston slideably mounted in said chamber, said piston having an upper portion which defines a collet clamping seat, a collet stop ring secured to said base, a spring acting between said ring and said piston to bias the piston to a collet releasing position, an axially shiftably, free floating collet having plunger clamping jaws at its upper end and which are adapted to be clampingly engaged by said piston seat, said collet being slideable in said hub of said base, resilient means acting between said base and said collet for urging the latter to an upper, plunger releasing position, and a work supporting plunger extending through said ring and into said collet for clamping thereby, passage means in said base for conducting pressure fluid to said piston actuating chamber whereby when said chamber is pressurized, said piston is urged against the bias of said spring and to a collet closing position and when said chamber is not pressurized, said spring urges said piston to a released position, said collet being freely slideable in said piston when the latter is released to thereby permit said resilient means to urge said collet out of engagement with said piston seat.

Claim 4

A hyDraulically actuated work support comprising, a base having a cylindrical side wall and a central hub which together define an annular piston actuating chamber, a piston slideably mounted in said chamber, said piston having an upper portion which defines a collet clamping seat, a collet stop ring secured to said base, a spring acting between said ring and said piston to bias the piston to a collet releasing position, an axially shiftably, free floating collet having plunger clamping jaws at its upper end and which are adapted to be clampingly engaged by said piston seat, said collet being slideable in said hub of said base, resilient means acting between said base and said collet for urging the latter to an upper, plunger releasing position, and a work supporting plunger extending through said ring and into said collet for clamping thereby, passage means in said base for conducting pressure fluid to said piston actuating chamber whereby when said chamber is pressurized, said piston is urged against the bias of said spring and to a collet closing position and when said chamber is not pressurized, said spring urges said piston to a released position, said collet being freely slideable in said piston when the latter is released to thereby permit said resilient means to urge said collet out of engagement with said piston seat.

Claim 5

A hydraulically actuated work support comprising, a base, said base having a cylindrical side wall and a central hub which together define an annular piston actuating chamber, a central bore in said hub, a piston slideable in said base between collet closing and collet open positions, said piston having a lower portion slideably mounted in said chamber and against said wall and hub, said piston also having an upper portion which defines a collet clamping tapered seat, a cap threadably engaged in said base and having a central opening therethrough, a spring acting between said cap and said piston to bias the piston to a collet releasing position; an axially shiftably, free floating collet having plunger clamping jaws at its upper end and which are adapted to be clampingly engaged by said piston seat, said collet being slideable in said hub of said base; a resilient O-ring in said bore and acting between said base and said collet for urging the latter to an upper, plunger releasing position; and a work supporting plunger extending through said cap opening and into said collet for clamping thereby, fluid passage means for pressurizing said chamber to thereby urge said piston against the bias of said spring and to said collet closing position, and when said chamber is not pressurized, said spring urges said piston to said collet open position, said collet being freely slideable in said piston when the latter is in said open position to thereby permit said resilient O-ring to urge said collet out of engagement with said piston seat.

Claim 6

A hydraulically actuated work support comprising, a base, said base having a cylindrical side wall and a central hub which together define an annular piston actuating chamber, a central bore in said hub, a piston slideable in said base between collet closing and collet open positions, said piston having a lower portion slideably mounted in said chamber and against said wall and hub, said piston also having an upper portion which defines a collet clamping tapered seat, a cap threadably engaged in said base and having a central opening therethrough, a spring acting between said cap and said piston to bias the piston to a collet releasing position; an axially shiftably, free floating collet having plunger clamping jaws at its upper end and which are adapted to be clampingly engaged by said piston seat, said collet being slideable in said hub of said base; a resilient O-ring in said bore and acting between said base and said collet for urging the latter to an upper, plunger releasing position; and a work supporting plunger extending through said cap opening and into said collet for clamping thereby, fluid passage means for pressurizing said chamber to thereby urge said piston against the bias of said spring and to said collet closing position, and when said chamber is not pressurized, said spring urges said piston to said collet open position, said collet being freely slideable in said piston when the latter is in said open position to thereby permit said resilient O-ring to urge said collet out of engagement with said piston seat.