Patent ID: 8678400
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: B23B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft, said chuck comprising: a generally cylindrical body having a nose section and a tail section, said nose section having an axial bore formed therein and a plurality of passageways formed therethrough and intersecting said axial bore; a plurality of jaws movably disposed in said passageways; a generally cylindrical first sleeve rotatably mounted about said body so that rotation of said first sleeve in a closing direction moves said jaws toward a longitudinal axis of said axial bore and rotation of said first sleeve in an opening direction moves said jaws away from said longitudinal axis; and a bearing having a first race adjacent said body, a second race adjacent said first sleeve and a plurality of bearing elements disposed between said first race and said second race, one of said first race and said second race defining a ratchet, and the other of said first race and said second race defining a deflectable first pawl biased toward said ratchet, said ratchet and said first pawl being configured so that when said first pawl engages said ratchet, said ratchet and said first pawl permit said other of said first race and said second race to rotate in said closing direction with respect to said one of said first race and said second race but prevent said other of said first race and said second race from rotating in said opening direction with respect to said one of said first race and said second race, and a biasing element disposed between said other of said first race and said second race and said first sleeve, wherein said biasing element is configured to bias said first pawl toward said ratchet.