Abstract: A pipe holding collet is provided with an insert assembly that can be readily and quickly changed without the use of tools so as to adapt the collet to hold tubes of different sizes. The insert assembly is formed of a number of identical longitudinally separate segments, radially urged outwardly by compression springs and held together in a unitary assembly by a segment encircling retainer ring. The radially contractible and expandable assembly is releasably held within the bore of a master collet by means of an interengaging circumferential groove on the inner surfaces of the master collet fingers and circumferential ribs on the outer surfaces of the insert segments.

Abstract: A spring actuated plunger work support seeks variable tolerance level of workpiece and is hydraulically locked in place to provide resistance to workpiece deflection imposed by processing loads. A collet with independent steel segments in a molded rubber body are preloaded in assembly and actuated by conical ended hydraulic piston having minimum travel to lock the work supporting plunger.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically performing plural sequential spherical grinding operations on workpieces such as optical lenses includes a machine base, an index table mounted on the machine base for rotation about an axis, a plurality of chuck units supported by the index table at positions equally spaced about the axis for grasping respective work pieces, and a conveyor for sequentially moving the workpieces adjacent the index table. A positioning device is located adjacent the conveyor for positioning sequentially workpieces to be ground at a selected position on the conveyor. A transfer device is positioned adjacent the conveyor and the index table to sequentially grasp individual workpieces at the selected position and transfer such workpieces sequentially to respective of the chuck units as the index table is rotated about the axis. The chuck units grasp or chuck the respective workpieces. A plurality of grinding units are mounted on the machine base at positions above the chuck units.

Abstract: A pair of spindles are journaled coaxially one within the other in the indexing head of an automatic screw machine, and with the outer spindle disposed to be reciprocated axially between first and second limit positions in which it opens and closes, respectively, a collet which is supported by the inner spindle in the bore of the outer spindle. The outer spindle is urged axially to a collet closing position by a compression spring; and a camming element is rotatably adjustable about the outer spindle between a first position in which it urges the outer spindle axially rearwardly against the resistance of the spring to open the collet, and a second position in which it permits the spring to return the outer spindle to a collet closing position. The spring tension is adjustable by another element which is threaded on the outer spindle.

Abstract: The collet includes a compressible basket having a central opening to receive a tool shank and two exterior surfaces tapering in opposite directions. One tapered exterior surface engages a matching tapered interior surface of a hollow rotatable shaft that receives it. The other tapered exterior surface engages a matching tapered interior surface of a wedge received in the shaft and movable axially relative to it. The angles of the tapers are such that they are self holding. The collet is closed by moving the wedge which compresses the basket sequentially at the two tapered surfaces, locking the tapers. The force on the wedge is released after this, leaving the tapers locked without external force as the tool is gripped in two locations during operation of it.

Abstract: A stressing arrangement for workpieces of cylindrical or at least partially cylindrical shape including a housing which coaxially surrounds the workpiece. For the purpose of temporarily fixedly holding the workpiece for further working, in particular for machining, stressing means are mounted in the housing. The stressing means include a pair of stress pincers, each one of which consists of a plurality of segments, and a pair of pressuring rings. The stress pincers and pressure rings have confronting conical surfaces adapted to coact with each other so that when the pair of pressure rings move apart a radial inward stress is imparted on the workpiece by the stress pincers. A plurality of stressing bolts are threadably mounted in at least one of the pair of pressure rings to selectively cause them to move toward each other or apart from each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are shown for closing a spring collet upon a work piece in a lathe or similar machine tool, in which neither the work piece nor the collet is moved in the longitudinal or axial direction.The collet closer has a nosepiece assembly within which an axially movable sleeve is provided. Movement of the sleeve causes the collet to open or close, in a radial direction, without axial dislocation of either collet or work piece.The nosepiece assembly contains a hydraulic circuit which actuates the movable sleeve in response to movements of a draw bar.

Abstract: A quick disconnect coupling mechanism for a collet and collet tube facilitates connection and disconnection of the two members to and from one another. In a preferred form, the collet is provided with circumferentially spaced external threaded portions which are separated by unthreaded portions. The collet tube is provided with internally threaded, circumferentially spaced mating threaded portions which are separated by unthreaded portions. The collet tube can be quickly slipped over the collet, and located at a predetermined axial position thereon, and the two components can be rotated relative to one another to cause the threads to be moved into engagement with each other. The invention provides an indicator system for providing initial alignment of the collet tube with the collet. In a independently limits axial movement of the members relative to one another beyond a preset torque limit.

Abstract: A tool mounting and demounting assembly for a drilling machine includes a cylindrical support mounted on a rotatable drill shaft into which a tool holder can be inserted. The tool holder has a groove which is engagable by a hook of a tongue mounted on the cylindrical support. A collar surrounding the cylindrical support can be biased to a position which forces the hooks inward so as to engage the groove for mounting a tool. A tool support holds the tool holder along an axis coaxial with that of the drill shaft so that the cylindrical support can be lowered onto the tool holder. The surface of the tool support engages and raises the collar for releasing the hooks from the groove so as to permit the demounting of a tool.

Abstract: A quick release tool holder system for machine tools utilizing a plurality of rotatable tool spindles spaced about an axis located on a tool head. Each tool spindle utilizes an axially movable sleeve for operating a detent locking a standard tool adapter within the spindle socket, and an actuator plate reciprocable by an expansible chamber motor simultaneously displaces the spindle sleeves in a tool adapter releasing direction to facilitate tool replacement.

Abstract: A tool interface has a rotatable tool changer for holding a tool on the end of a robot arm. The tool changer is a socket chuck having spring jaws in a socket for clamping the tool. A spring actuated sleeve slides longitudinally into wedging engagement with an inclined surface on the jaws. Fluid pressure moves an annular piston against the spring to disengage the sleeve from the jaws, and thus release the tool. A motor couples through a harmonic wave generator to a shaft on the axis of the tool changer for rotating a tool. An angular position sensor and encoder, such as an inductosyn, is used to determine the orientation of the tool. Fluid and electrical supply lines from the robot arm are connected to the tool changer for supplying electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and vacuum connections to the tool.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a wedge angle between a pair of wedge surfaces in a wedge device. The wedge device includes a housing, a pair of opposed walls therein with at least one of the opposed walls having a bifurcated wall section and with the other of the opposed walls and the bifurcated wall section defining the wedge surfaces, and an adjusting device. In practicing this method, the adjusting device is drivingly engaged with a part of the bifurcated wall section, and thereby the bifurcated wall section is deflected with respect to the other opposed wall so as to adjust the wedge angle between the wedge surfaces defined on the bifurcated wall section and the other opposed wall, respectively.A wedge device, a clamping device, a method of releasably securing a clamping device, and a method of releasably securing a stator are also disclosed.

Abstract: A force multiplying and locking arrangement is disclosed to lock, for example, a cutting tool to a spindle. It comprises main body arranged to be threadably mounted on a spindle, said main body having a pressure ring at its forward aspect mounted to accommodate movement longitudinally of the arrangement and to inhibit movement rotationally of the arrangement. A cavity is defined by said pressure ring and said main body and includes an inclined plane. The cavity has a plurality of spherical balls disposed therein. Said main body is peripherally threaded to accommodate the threadable mounting of a compression ring having, at its forward aspect, a conical inclined plane overlying the cavity and the first mentioned inclined plane. Rotation of the compression ring forces the spherical balls into the cavity engaging the inclined planes and the pressure ring and greatly multiplying the force for locking the device. Reverse rotation of the compression ring releases the locking force.

Abstract: Apparatus for seating resilient fingers of a poultry feather picking machine has a housing 30 in which a sleeve 54 is reciprocally mounted that carries collet camming means 55. A collet 57 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 54 which has an annular array of resilient collet fingers 59. Pressurized fluid drive means are provided for moving the sleeve within the housing.

Abstract: A collet closing mechanism utilizes an array of wedge members as the force transmitting elements, to maximize the area for contact with associated bearing surfaces. The device is highly durable, safe and effective for its intended purposes.

Abstract: A collet closing mechanism utilizes an array of wedge members as the force transmitting elements, to maximize the area for contact with associated bearing surfaces. The device is highly durable, safe and effective for its intended purposes.

Abstract: An improved plumbers' tool of the type employing a helically wound coiled spring which is controllably inserted into waste lines to remove blockages. In operating the tool of the invention a storage drum from which the clean-out spring is payed out is rotated, usually by a small electric motor, and the spring is clamped in a chucking mechanism so as to rotate with the housing. The improvement of the present tool resides in the provision of a unique double fulcrum actuating mechanism which enables the operator, using only one hand, to smoothly and almost effortlessly cause the chucking mechanism to securely engage the coiled spring and prevent slippage thereof even during highly troublesome clean-out operations.

Abstract: In a draw-bar mechanism for moving the collet of a chuck or the like on a spindle of an automatic turning machine toward its axial clamping position and for thereafter closing the collet more slowly with greater force about a tool or workpiece to be clamped, motion is transmitted from an actuating sleeve to a draw bar or like control member by spherical thrust members movably confined between three faces obliquely inclined relative to each other. A first face is fixed relative to the spindle assembly and has one section parallel to the axis and another axially contiguous section obliquely inclined relative to the axis, the two sections merging in an exposed edge. A second face is fixed relative to the control member, and the third face is fixed relative to the actuating sleeve and has two axially consecutive sections obliquely inclined relative to each other.

Abstract: An improved positive-grip chuck assembly, particularly suitable for use with high-speed air-driven dental handpieces, in which a tubular chuck has a radially-flexible bur-clamping section provided with an external shoulder, and the bore in which the chuck is received has an internal shoulder engagable with the external shoulder of the bur clamping section of the chuck to flex the bur-clamping section inwardly and to hold the same in a constricted condition for securely gripping the mid-portion of the shank of a dental bur. Piloting contact is made between the chuck and bur along circumferential zones spaced axially from the bur-clamping zone, and the rotor surrounds and braces the chuck portion defining the lower pilot zone to prevent distorting forces applied to the tip of the bur from being propagated to the bur-clamping zone.

Abstract: A machine for turning successive axially fed work pieces at both ends simultaneously by means of a double-ended segmentally actuated collet construction wherein one collet has a fixed collet chuck and the other has a movable collet chuck; and rigidly controlled and guided means to move the latter to simultaneously close both collets in combination with a tool slide which is considerably longer than the distance between the collets and along which are adjustably mounted a plurality of turning tools, and which is actuated in timed relation to the feed and collet actuation. A single cam shaft with adjustable cams controls all motions.

Abstract: A collet assembly in which actuation is resisted by a spring washer sandwiched between two wear rings, in which the collet sleeve may be pre-tensioned by a conveniently located nut and in which end thrust is adsorbed by needle bearings.

Abstract: A collet chuck includes a body having a spindle adapter secured to one end and a collet retaining ring at the opposite end for holding a collet in place in the chuck. Stationary slip ring and piston assemblies are mounted to the rotatable body by bearings and include a hydraulically operated piston movable axially to engage an actuator having a camming surface engaging the collet. A plurality of springs extend between the body and the axially movable actuator for providing clamping pressure to the collet. The hydraulic piston operates in opposition to the springs for releasing the clamping pressure on the collet.

Abstract: A collet actuating mechanism for a longitudinally slidable collet tube for a lathe in which toggles are actuated by a slidable sleeve, the toggles acting against a pair of rings separated by a cam which is controlled through a lost motion connection from the actuating sleeve, movement of the cam taking up slack in the mechanism so that the same gripping force is applied to workpieces of varying diameters.

Abstract: Advancing mechanism for a series of fixtures having collets for workpieces are actuated by a fluid actuated double-acting cylinder to lock and unlock the collet. A driven rotatable table has a plurality of equally spaced fixtures mounted thereon which are advanced seriatim to a plurality of machining stations where work is performed thereon. Each advancement moves a fixture to the unloading and loading station where the collet is released, the finished workpiece removed and a workpiece to be machined placed within the collet. The double-acting cylinder was actuated by the fluid to release the collet and after a workpiece was placed therein a reversal of the fluid clamped the collet in secured position. The collet is locked and unlocked by the operation of a transverse pin in a sloping slot in a sleeve which is advanced over the collet to move the sections of the head into clamped position to hold the workpiece.

Abstract: When the conventional feed yoke is moved forwardly by the conventional mechanism of an automatic screw machine, an internal conical surface on a ball sleeve, which is moved forwardly by the yoke, operating through balls forces the chuck-closing sleeve forward to close the split collet to grip and hold the bar stock firmly during a machining operation.

Abstract: An automatic tool changing apparatus incorporated in a drilling machine or the like comprises a plurality of collets, each for supporting and selectively grasping a tool holder mechanism. Each of the collets is slotted in its upper and central portions to divide the collet into a plurality of arcuate sections. The central portion of each collet is of generally truncated cone-shaped configuration, and rests in a generally truncated cone-shaped bore in a collet support block. A pneumatic piston arrangement is connected to the collets for selectively pulling the collets downwardly in their respective collet support blocks to move the generally arcuate sections of each collet radially inwardly to grasp a tool holder mechanism. Spring return means are provided for moving the collets into their normal positions wherein they will support, but will not grasp the tool holder mechanisms.

Abstract: A collet chuck which can be centered relative to an axis of the workpiece to be machined and suitable for machine tools in general and in particular machine tools having a number of successive positions. An inner prehensile member is capable of gripping the workpiece, and an intermediate member coaxial to the first has a conical seating which slides axially causing the prehensile member to close on the workpiece to be machined. An outer casing is rigidly attached to the prehensile member by means of a pin, and an outer ring is fitted with radial play around the periphery of outer casing. Spring members of variable tension compress the outer casing and outer ring against each other to lock them together by friction, and pusher means operable axially by a thrust member unlock the outer casing and the outer ring.

Abstract: Apparatus for coating bottles with resin in order to prevent the explosion thereof characterized in that the bottle is held by a holder at the mouth portion and at its inner wall, so that the bottle may be invisibly coated with resin except for the mouth portion and bottom.