Abstract:
A removable chuck has a chuck member for holding a drill bit. Also, a mechanism is coupled with the chuck body to retain the chuck body to a drill spindle. The retention mechanism, in a first position, a biasing member in a non-biasing condition, retains the chuck on the drill spindle and in a second position, with the biasing member in a biased condition, the chuck is enabled to be removed from the spindle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/596,762 filed Jun. 19, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,559; which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/167,305 filed on Oct. 6, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,716 issued Jun. 27, 2000; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/989,715 filed on Dec. 12, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,026 issued Sep. 14, 1999, the specifications and drawings are herein expressly incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to rotatable tools such as drills, hammer drill, screwdrivers, and other power tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to a removable chuck for a hand-held tool. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the consumer market, it is desirable to use rotatable tools with a drill bit to form holes in a workpiece. Also, it is desirous to insert fasteners, such as screws with a regular or Phillips head into these holes to retain multiple workpieces together. Ordinarily, one uses the tool to drill the holes in the workpiece. After drilling the holes in the workpiece, the drill bit is removed from the chuck and a tool bit is inserted into the chuck for driving the fastener. While this has been an effective method for driving fasteners into the workpiece, it is burdensome and time consuming to continually drill holes, remove the drill bit from the chuck, and insert a tool bit into the chuck to drive the fastener. Generally, this process is continued while connecting several workpieces together. Further, this process has been carried out in the professional power tool devices. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a chuck with the drill bit, which is removable from the tool to expose a spindle, with a tool bit, on the tool to drive the fasteners. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a removable chuck assembly embodying the foregoing design objectives. 
     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a removable chuck comprises a sleeve adapted to connect with a rotatable spindle. A chuck body is coupled with the sleeve. A locking mechanism is adapted to retain the sleeve on the rotating spindle. The locking mechanism includes a locking member to seat in a recess in the spindle. The locking member is movable from a first position, where the locking member is in a non-biased condition, coupling the sleeve with the spindle, to a second position, where the locking member is in a biased condition to enable decoupling from the spindle. The locking member is preferably an overall U-shaped spring for locking the sleeve with the spindle. Further, the locking member may include a first non-rotatable and a second rotatable member and a biasing member. The rotatable member moves the biasing member between the first and second positions to lock and enable removal of the sleeve from the spindle. The rotatable member includes a cam surface which acts on the U-shaped spring to move the U-shaped spring transverse to the axis of the spindle between the first and second positions. The non-rotatable and rotatable members include mating ledges to enable coupling with one another. Also, a latch is coupled with the non-rotatable member. The adjustable member includes a notch to receive the latch to provide a positive indication of the rotatable member in the first position. Additionally, the locking member may include a yoke member with a pin to engage the recess. A helical spring biases the yoke member to enable it to move between the first and second positions. 
     In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a hand tool comprises a hand tool with a rotatable spindle. The spindle includes a recess. A removable chuck is coupled with the spindle. A sleeve couples the removable chuck with the rotatable spindle. A locking mechanism retains the sleeve on the rotatable spindle. The locking mechanism includes a locking member to seat in the recess of the spindle. The locking member is movable from a first position, where the locking member is in a non-biased condition, coupling the sleeve with the spindle, to a second position, where the locking member is in a biased condition to enable decoupling from the spindle. The locking member is preferably an overall U-shaped spring to lock the sleeve with the spindle. Further, the locking member may include a first non-rotatable and a second rotatable member and a biasing member. The rotatable member moves the biasing member between the first and second position to lock and enable removal of the sleeve from the spindle. The rotatable member includes a cam surface which acts on the U-shaped spring to move the U-shaped spring transverse to the axis of the spindle between the first and second positions. The non-rotatable and rotatable members include mating ledges to enable coupling with one another. Also, a latch is coupled with the non-rotatable member. The adjustable member includes a notch to receive the latch to provide a positive indication of the rotatable member in the first position. Additionally, the locking member may include a yoke member with a pin to engage the recess. A helical spring biases the yoke member to enable it to move between the first and second positions. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, and the appended claims and accompanying drawings, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool with the removable chuck of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of FIG. 1 with the chuck removed from the spindle. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of FIG. 1 along line  3 — 3  thereof. 
     FIG. 3A is a cross-section view of FIG. 1 along line  3 A— 3 A thereof. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section view like that of FIG. 3 in a removable position. 
     FIG. 4A is a cross-section view of FIG. 3A along line  4 A— 4 A thereof. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of FIG. 1 along line  5 — 5  thereof. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded front perspective view of the locking member. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective rear view of the locking member. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view like FIG. 2 of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of FIG. 8 along line  9 — 9  thereof in the assembled condition. 
     FIG. 9 a  is the same as FIG. 9 with the yoke depressed. 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the locking member of FIG.  8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning to the figures, particularly FIGS. 1-2, a removable chuck  20  is illustrated on a tool  22 . In this particular embodiment, the tool  22  is a rotary drill, however a hammer drill or power screwdriver would work equally well. The drill  22  includes a spindle  24  which, in turn, includes an aperture  28  to receive a tool bit  30 . The spindle  24  includes a circumferential groove  26  as well as a plurality of raised members  32  separated by axial channels  33 . Also, a retaining ring  36  is received in a notch  40  on a sharpter surface in the spindle to prohibit additional rearward movement of the chuck  20  onto the spindle  24 . A magnet  38  is positioned in the spindle  24  to magnetize the tool bit  30  as well as to retain the tool bit in the bore. Likewise, the raised members  32  and channels  33  provide the drive connection with the chuck  20 . Other positive locking means may be located in the spindle to hold the tool bit. 
     The chuck  20  includes a body  50 , jaw members  52  with a locking sleeve  54 , which are conventional, to retain a drill bit  56  within the chuck  20 . A retaining mechanism  60  is at the rear of the chuck body  50  to enable the chuck  20  to be secured with and removed from the spindle  24 . 
     The retention mechanism  60  includes a drive sleeve or spud  62 . The spud  62  (best seen in FIGS. 5-7) has a first tubular portion  64  which may have a thread or the like  66  which is coupled with threaded bore  68  at the rear of the chuck body  50  to secure the spud  62  with the chuck body  50 . The second tubular portion  70  of the spud  62  has bore  72  with corresponding raised members  74  and axial channels  75  on its interior surface to mate with the spindle  24 . Arcuate slots  77  are formed through the second tubular portion to enable a biasing member to couple the spud  62  with the spindle  24 . 
     The spud second portion  70  is followed by a flange  78 . The flange  78  includes a pair of notches  80 . The notches  80  are positioned 180° apart from one another. 
     The retention mechanism  60  also includes a first rotatable member  82 , a second non-rotatable member  84  and a biasing member  86 . The rotatable member  82  has an annular body  88  with an extending skirt  90 . The skirt  90  includes a first diameter portion  92  which is sized to rest on the second tubular portion  70  of spud  62 . A second diameter portion  94  provides a thin wall section to rotatable member  82  and therefore can be made with a plastic injection molding process. A third diameter portion  96  includes an eccentric cam surface  98 . A fourth diameter portion  100  defines a mating ledge  102 . 
     The non-rotatable member  84  includes an annular body  104 . The annular body  104  has a bore  106  with a first diameter portion  108  resting on the spud second tubular portion  70  and a second diameter portion  110  to receive the spud flange  78 . The second diameter portion  110  includes projecting tabs  112 . The tabs  112  mate with the flange notches  80  to fix the non-rotatable member  84  with the spud  62 . 
     At least one positioning projection  114  extends from the annular body  104 . The projection  114  positions the biasing member  86 . A mating ledge  116  extends from the annular body  104 . The mating ledge  116  mates with receiving mating ledge  102  to enable coupling of the rotatable and non-rotatable members. 
     A spring latch  120  is mounted on the annular body  104 . The latch  120  cooperates with a notch  122  in the fourth diameter portion  100 . Thus, when the rotating member is rotated on the non-rotatable member, the latch  120  will snap into the notch  122  to indicate the first position of the locking mechanism. A rotational stop  124  also extends into the third diameter portion to prohibit over rotation. 
     The biasing member  86  has an overall inverted U-shape with a web  126  and legs  128  and  130 . The biasing member  86  is made from a spring wire material. The web  126  includes a projection  132 . The web may have a serpentine configuration as shown in FIG.  4 . The legs  128  and  130  are mirror images of one another. The legs  128  and  130  include a first portion  134 , a second angled portion  136  and a curved foot portion  138 . The foot portion  138  fits into the slots  77  in the spud and recess in the spindle as illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     In use, the feet  138  rest in the spud  62  and spindle recesses  26  to couple the chuck  20  with the spindle  24 . Thus, the chuck  20  is locked onto the spindle. As the rotatable member  82  is rotated, the cam surface  98  presses against the web  126  of biasing member  86 . As this occurs, the biasing member feet  138  ride along the arcuate surface  79  of the spud slots  77  until the feet  138  pass outside of the spindle recess  26  as illustrated in phantom in FIG.  3 . As this occurs, the chuck may be removed from the spindle. Rotating the rotatable member  82  in a reverse direction, removes the force to enable the biasing member  86  to return to its original position and the feet  138  return into the spud slots  77 . When the rotatable member is in its first position, the latch  120  snaps into the notch  122  indicating that it is in the first position. To recouple the chuck with the spindle, the spud  62  is slid onto the spindle  24  wherein the chamfered surface of the spindle contacts the biasing member feet  138  spreading the feet  138  apart from one another and enabling them to ride along the spindle  24 . As force is continued axially on the chuck  20 , the feet  138  contact the spindle recess  26  recoupling the biasing member  86  which, in turn, couples the chuck  20  with the spindle  24 . 
     Turning to FIGS. 8-10, an additional embodiment is shown. The elements which are the same will be identified with like numerals. The differences between the removable chucks are in the retention mechanism. 
     Turning to FIG. 8, the removable chuck  20 ′ includes a body  50 , jaw members  52 , as well as locking sleeve  54 , which are all conventional to retain the drill bit within the chuck  20 ′. The retaining mechanism  60 ′ is at the rear of the chuck body  50  to enable the chuck to be secured with and removed from the spindle  24 ′. The spindle  24 ′ is the same as that previously discussed; however, the circumferential groove  26  has been replaced with a plurality of recesses  26 ′ on the raise members  32 . 
     The retention mechanism  60 ′ includes drive spud  62  which includes first tubular portion  64  which may have a thread or the like  66  which is coupled with the threaded bore  68  at the rear of the chuck body  50  to secure the spud with the chuck body  50 . The second tubular bore portion  70  of the spud  62  has a bore  72  with corresponding raised members  74  and axial channels  75  on its interior to mate with the spindle  24 ′. A bore  77 ′ is formed through the second tubular portion to enable a pin to couple the spud  62  with the spindle  24 . 
     The retention mechanism  60 ′ include a pair of housing members  150  and  152  which house a movable yoke  154 . The housing members  150  and  152  generally are a flat disc member as well as a cup-shaped cylindrical member including a skirt  158  which houses the yoke  154 . 
     The yoke  154  has an overall oval shape with an activation portion  162 , a pair of legs  164  and  166 , as well as a bottom web  168  connecting the legs at one end. The yoke  154 , which connects the legs  164 ,  166  at their top, includes a cut-out  170  which has an elongated extension  172 . The cut-out extension  172  extends towards the tip of the activation portion  162  of the yoke. 
     A spring  174  is positioned in the extended cut-out portion  172 . The spring biases between the spud and the yoke  154 . A pin  176  is mounted in the web portion  168  of the yoke  154 . The pin  176  engages the recesses  26 ′ to connect the removable chuck with the recess. 
     Once assembled, the removable chuck retention mechanism operates as follows. As seen in FIG. 9, the pin  176  passes through the spud and into one of the recesses  26 ′ of the spindle  24 ′. The activation portion  162  of the yoke  154  is pushed inward against the spring  174  as seen in FIG. 9 a . As this occurs, the pin  176  exits the recess  26 ′. Thus, the chuck may be removed from the spindle. As the chuck is inserted back onto the spindle, the pin contacts the tapered portion of the extending member riding along the extending member  32  until it contacts the recess  26 ′ wherein the spring forces the pin back into the recess  26 ′. 
     Thus, the yoke  154  is moved to compress the spring which, in turn, enables the pin to be removed from the recess  26 ′ in the spindle enabling removal of the chuck. 
     While the above detailed description describes the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the invention is susceptible to modification, variation, and alteration without deviating from the scope and fair meaning of the subjoined claims.