Chuck and Article Having Mating Features to Prevent Axial Slippage

Abstract

A chuck and an article are configured such that the article is releasably secured in the chuck. One of the chuck and article is provided with a crest and the other with a trough. When the article is secured to the chuck, the crest enters the trough so as help prevent slippage of one with respect to the other. The chuck may include a receiver having a tapered bore, a collet having a complementarily tapered outer surface, and a nut configured to be threadingly secured to a forward end of the receiver; the article may be a shank, such as a tool shank. An inner surface of the collet may be provided with a crest which is configured to fit into a trough formed on the shank. In a secured position, the shank is accommodated in the bore of the collect with the crest of the collet at least partially occupying the trough of the shank, thereby preventing movement of the shank relative to the collet, which itself is accommodated in the bore of the receiver.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Exemplary embodiments are demonstrated in the accompanying illustrative figures and drawings. It is intended that the exemplary embodiments and illustrative figures disclosed herein are considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

In the accompanying illustrative figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly comprising a chuck and an article secured therein in accordance with an exemplar embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken in a plane of a longitudinal axis L of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial section perspective view of a collet of the chuck shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial section perspective view of a nut of the chuck shown in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a chuck and an article having a common longitudinal axis L, the apparatus further comprising: a longitudinally extending through-hole formed in the chuck, designed to accommodate the article;one of the article or the through-hole being formed with a crest, and the other of the article or the through-hole being formed with a trough;the chuck being transferable between chuck releasing and chuck securing positions; wherein: in the releasing position, the article is slidable relative to the through-hole of the chuck; andin the securing position, the crest is accommodated in the trough, preventing the article from sliding relative to the chuck.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chuck comprises a collet, and the through-hole is formed in the collet.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the crest is formed on an inner surface of the collet; andthe trough is formed on the article.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a nut threadingly secured to a forward end of the chuck, the nut being in abutment with the collet.

5. A method for securing an article in a chuck, comprising the steps of: (i) providing the article with a peripheral envelope, providing the chuck with a through-hole extending therethrough, the through-hole having a through-hole envelope formed therein; providing one of the article or the chuck with a crest formed on either the through-hole or the peripheral envelopes, respectively; and, providing the other of the article or the chuck with a trough formed on either the through-hole or the peripheral envelopes, respectively, with the chuck being transferable between a releasing position and a securing position;(ii) transferring the chuck to the releasing position, whereby the article may slide into and relative to the through-hole;(iii) inserting-the article at least partially into the through-hole, so that the crest is positioned opposite the trough; and(iv) transferring the chuck to the securing position, whereby the crest is at least partially accommodated in the trough.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein inserting the article at least partially into the through-hole comprises: inserting the article into a through-hole of a collet within the chuck.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein transferring the chuck to the securing position comprises: tightening a nut over a forward end of the chuck.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein tightening the nut urges the collet rearwardly into a tapered bore of the chuck, thereby contracting the collet in a radially inward direction.

9. A cutting tool assembly having a longitudinal axis L defining a front-to-rear direction and comprising: a collet having a through-bore extending along said longitudinal axis, an inner surface of the collet comprising a peripheral inner slot and a crest, the crest comprising a collet front, an axially rearwardly facing first slot face, and a front inner surface extending between the collet front and the first slot face, at least a portion of the front inner surface being radially inward of the peripheral inner slot; anda shank extending along said longitudinal axis and releasably secured in said through-bore, the shank comprising a shank peripheral envelope having a peripheral shank slot formed therein, the shank slot defining a trough comprising an axially rearwardly facing first slot side, an opposing axially forwardly facing second slot side, and a slot base extending therebetween;wherein the collet is transferable between: a releasing position in which the tool shank is accommodated in, and slidable through, the collet through-bore, with the crest positioned outside of the trough; anda securing position in which the crest is at least partially accommodated in the trough.

10. The cutting tool assembly according to claim 9, further comprising: a chuck comprising a receiver and a nut, the receiver having a bore; and wherein:the collet is accommodated in the bore of the receiver; andthe nut is threadingly engaged to the receiver and abuts the collet.

11. The cutting tool assembly according to claim 10, wherein: the nut comprises a nut forcing cone which abuts the collet.

12. The cutting tool assembly according to claim 9, wherein: the shank peripheral envelope has a plurality of peripheral shank slots formed therein.

13. The cutting tool assembly according to claim 12, wherein: the plurality of peripheral shank slots are evenly spaced apart along an axial portion of the shank.