Abstract: A tool holder includes a body, a collet, and a collet mover. The body is formed to include a collet chamber and a collet-mover chamber arranged to communicate wit the collet chamber. The collet includes a tool-gripping surface arranged to define a tool-receiving chamber adapted to receive a machine tool therein. The collet is mounted for movement in the collet chamber along a central axis of the body between a tool-grip position to cause the tool-gripping surface to move radially inwardly toward the central axis to grip the machine tool in the tool-receiving chamber and a tool-release position to cause the tool-gripping surface to move radially outwardly away from the central axis to release the machine tool. The collet mover is positioned to lie in the collet-mover chamber and is coupled to the collet to draw the collet along the central axis to the tool-grip position.

Abstract: A collet is provided to grip a workpiece with a uniformly distributed gripping force. The collet includes a plurlity of circumferentally spaced-apart radial slots extending partly through the collet and at least one opening extending radially all the way through the collet and lying between the end surfaces of the collet. Shim slots are formed in the end surfaces and a shim is mounted in the two shim slots to extend across the opening to block debris from moving therethrough. Coil springs are provided to bias a pair of collet segments to engage an actuator member of a machine-tool chuck. Methods of making the collet are also disclosed.

Abstract: A circular flexible collet that provides a 360 degree gripping engagement with a cylindrical workpiece and which is operable by an actuator member incorporated in a workpiece chuck. The collet may be constructed as an internal collet for gripping engagement with a workpiece internal periphery, or as an external collet for gripping engagement with a workpiece external periphery. The flexible collet may be used for single, or plural workpiece gripping actions. The collet includes a spring steel body having a radial opening and an outer and an inner circular periphery. One circular periphery is a workpiece gripping surface, and the other circular periphery has a tapered cam surface engageable by a workpiece chuck actuator member. The tapered cam surface has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots having an open outer end. In an internal collet the tapered cam surface is formed around the collet body inner periphery.

Abstract: A circular flexible collet that provides a 360 degree gripping engagement with a cylindrical workpiece and which is operable by an actuator member incorporated in a workpiece chuck. The collet may be constructed as an internal collet for gripping engagement with a workpiece internal periphery, or as an external collet for gripping engagement with a workpiece external periphery. The flexible collet may be used for single, or plural workpiece gripping actions. The collet includes a split spring steel body having a radial opening split space and an outer and an inner circular periphery. One circular periphery is a workpiece gripping surface, and the other circular periphery has a tapered cam surface engageable by a workpiece chuck actuator member. The tapered cam surface has a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart slots, having an open outer end. In an internal collet the tapered cam surface is formed around the collet body inner periphery.