Quick-release tool chuck

Claim 1

A quick-release tool chuck, compRising a chuck body including jaw means for engaging a tool and having a passage provided with a profiled cross-section having circumferentially spaced profiled portions extending inwardly of said passage, and with an open end; a drive shaft having an end portion which is receivable in said passage and provided adjacent to the profiled end portion with a circumferential recess the inner diameter of which is greater than the smallest diameter of said profiled crosssection; and arresting means, including a ring mounted on said chuck body for turning movement between two end positions, retaining means for retaining said ring in said respective end positions thereof, the claw portions displaceable circumferentially of said passage between a release position in which they are each located in axial alignment with one of said profiled portions, and an arresting position in which they are each located between two circumferentially adjacent ones of said profiled portions, so as to arrest said drive shaft against axial movement relative to said chuck body; and detent means for detaining said ring against movement relative to said body in axial direction of said passage, said detent means having an outer circumferential groove provided in a surface of said body which is surrounded by said ring, an inner circumferential groove provided in an inner surface of said ring and registering with said outer groove, and a plurality of ball members each received partly in said inner groove and partly in said outer groove.