Tool chuck for a hand-held power-driven punching machine or the like

• US 6,457,243 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ogura
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ogura
• Inventors: Kimura, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Watts, Douglas D.
• Application Number:
  US09/897,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 303/60, 302/10, 303/58, 279/50, 279/146, 279/2.23, 279/74, 279/75, 279/904, 279/905
• US Class Current: 30/360
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1072 Retention by axially or circumferentially oriented cylindrical elements cylindrical elements acting as jaws B23B31/223
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/0035 Connection means between socket or screwdriver bit and tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17752 Ball or roller jaws
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9476 Tool is single element with continuous cutting edge [e.g., punch, etc.]

Abstract

A punching machine has a power-driven plunger to which a punch is chucked to be driven into and out of a die for perforating sheet-metal work. The plunger has a punch socket formed centrally in its end for receiving the shank of the punch, and a plurality of ball guideways extending radially outwardly from the punch socket. Locking balls are slidably received one in each ball guideway for movement into and out of locking engagement in an annular groove in the shank of the punch received in the punch socket. Concentrically mounted on the plunger, a cam ring is sprung in one axial direction of the plunger for urging the locking balls into locking engagement with the punch shank. Each locking ball is elongated radially of the plunger with a view to reduction of the machine dimension axially of the plunger for given diameters of the plunger and the punch.

Claims

1. In a punching machine for use with a tool having a shank with an annular groove cut in its surface, a chuck for detachably mounting the tool to the punching machine, comprising:

(a) a reciprocating plunger having an axis;

(b) there being a tool socket formed in one end of the plunger for receiving the shank of the tool;

(c) there being a plurality of ball guideways formed in the plunger and extending radially outwardly from the tool socket;

(d) a plurality of locking balls slidably received one in each ball guideway in the plunger for movement into and out of locking engagement in the annular groove in the shank of the tool received in the tool socket in the plunger, each locking ball being elongated radially of the plunger; and

(e) a cam ring concentrically mounted on the plunger and movable axially thereof for urging the locking balls into locking engagement in the annular groove in the shank of the tool, wherein the plunger has formed therein a plurality of escape passageways disposed radially outwardly of the tool socket and extending one between each ball guideway and said one end of the plunger for ease of withdrawal of the tool shank from the tool socket.

2. A hand-held, power-driven punching machine for use with a punch having a shank with an annular groove cut in its surface, the punching machine comprising:

(a) a body;

(b) a die mounted fast to the body;

(c) fluid-actuated cylinder means mounted to the body, the cylinder means having a plunger linearly reciprocable relative to the body toward and away from the die;

(d) there being a punch socket formed centrally in one end of the plunger for receiving the shank of the punch;

(e) there being a plurality of ball guideways formed in the plunger and extending radially outwardly from the punch socket;

(f) a plurality of locking balls slidably received one in each ball guideway in the plunger for movement into and out of locking engagement in the annular groove in the shank of the punch received in the punch socket in the plunger, each locking ball being elongated radially of the plunger; and

(g) a cam ring concentrically mounted on the plunger and movable relative to the same in a traveling direction thereof for urging the locking balls into locking engagement in the annular groove in the shank of the punch, wherein the plunger has formed therein a plurality of escape passageways disposed radially outwardly of the punch socket and extending one between each ball guideway and said one end of the plunger for ease of withdrawal of the punch shank from the punch socket.