Patent ID: 7900937
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
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 comprised of aluminum, said body having a nose section and a tail section, said tail section being configured to rotate with said drive shaft and said nose section having an axial bore formed therein; a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to said body in communication with said axial bore; a sleeve rotatably mounted about said body in operative communication with said jaws so that rotation of said sleeve in a closing direction moves said jaws toward the axis of said axial bore and rotation of said sleeve in an opening direction moves said jaws away from said axis; and a bearing having a first race adjacent said body, a second race adjacent said sleeve and at least one bearing element disposed between said first race and said second race, wherein one of said first race and said second race defines a ratchet, wherein the other of said first race and said second race defines a pawl biased toward said ratchet and wherein said ratchet and said pawl are configured so that when said chuck is in first state, said first race and said second race are rotatable about said body, and when said chuck is in a second state in which said pawl engages said ratchet, said ratchet and pawl prevent said second race from rotating in said opening direction with respect to said first race.