Abstract:
A flexible shaft drive for drill chucks is disclosed. The flexible drive of the present invention comprises a flexible shaft for extending between an electric drill and a chuck for holding drills or other tools. A support sleeve is provided which encircles the chuck for rotatably supporting the chuck during use. In a preferred embodiment a bearing is interposed the chuck and the sleeve to aid in supporting the chuck during use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of flexible shafts, and in particular, the present invention is concerned with the field of flexible shafts for driving a chuck which may accommodate a variety of rotary tools. Even more particularly the present invention is concerned with the field of flexible shaft drives having a chuck that is rotatably during use supported by a non-rotating sleeve. 
     II. Description of the Prior Art 
     Flexible drive shafts have long been in use, and flexible shafts for use with hand held electric drills are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,305,895; 2,711,199; and 2,747,384. U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,282 discloses an erasing device which employs an enclosed flexible shaft for directing power from a power source to an erashead. U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,681 discloses a flexible drive shaft for use with an electropneumatic power unit. These patents are relevant to the Applicant&#39;s invention in that they represent the closest prior art for utilizing a flexible shaft in association with a portable power source such as an electric drill. 
     III. Prior Art Statement 
     The aforementioned prior art, in the opinion of the Applicant and his Attorney, represents the closest prior art of which the Applicant and his Attorney are aware. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention which will be described in greater detail subsequently, comprises a flexible shaft for use with hand held electric drills which at one end is connected to the rotary output of the electric drill and at another end is rotatably connected to a chuck for releasably engaging and rotatably driving a variety of tools such as drills, rotary files, screwdrivers, and the like. In a preferred embodiment the chuck is rotatably supported by a support sleeve which encircles the chuck for conveniently supporting the chuck during use. The preferred embodiment includes a pair of opposed and aligned arcuate grooves formed along the periphery of the inside diameter of the sleeve and the outside diameter of the chuck are filled with balls to form a ball bearing which enables the sleeve to rotatably support the chuck in an efficient manner. 
     It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved flexible shaft drive for hand drills. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved flexible shaft drive for hand drills which permits rotary operations such as drilling to be performed in confined spaces offset from the electric drill center. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexible shaft drive for hand held drills that includes a support sleeve for rotatably supporting the output end of the flexible shaft. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a flexible shaft drive for hand held drills that provides support for the tool at the work surface. 
     Further objects, advantages, and applications of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, when the accompanying description of one example of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a broken cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the flexible drill chuck drive of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of another embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 with a chuck key for securing tools to the chuck. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawing, and in particular FIG. 1, there is illustrated at 10 one example of the present invention in the form of a flexible shaft drive for electric drills comprising a chuck 12 including a support sleeve 14 for rotatably supporting the chuck during use, and a flexible shaft 16 which extends between an electric drill (not shown) and the chuck. 
     The flexible shaft drive further comprises a bearing means 18 interposed the chuck and the sleeve for rotatably and axially supporting the chuck which will be described subsequently. The bearing means 18 comprises a first pair of axially spaced grooves 20 formed in the outside diameter of a chuck sleeve 22 and a second pair of axially spaced arcuate grooves 24 aligned with the first grooves formed along an inside diameter of the support sleeve 14. A plurality of balls 26 are employed to fill the grooves 20,24 and radially and axially support the chuck sleeve 22. Filling notches 28 are formed in the support sleeve 14 and the chuck sleeve 22 communicating with the grooves 20,24 to provide a path for insertion of the balls 26 during the assembly of the support sleeve 14 to the chuck sleeve 22. 
     The chuck 12 further comprises a tapered bore 30 formed inwardly from a forward end 31 of the chuck sleeve 22. Chuck jaws 34 having a tapered outside diameter complementary to the tapered bore 30 have a plurality of slits 36 formed between jaws to allow the jaws 34 to move radially in abutment with the tapered bore 30 as the jaws are moved axially. The jaws 34 are biased radially outward to insure engagement of the jaws with the tapered bore 30 throughout their excursion along the tapered bore. When the jaws 34 are displaced away from the forward end 31, the jaws are in their maximum opened position and as the jaws 34 are forced toward the forward end 31 they gradually assume a more closed position as they slide along the tapered bore 30. A driving notch 38 formed at an inner end of the jaws slidingly engages a driving tang 40 which rotatably drives the jaws 34. A threaded diameter 42 formed along an outside diameter of the jaws 34 threadingly engages a first threaded bore 44 formed in the chuck sleeve 22 to axially displace the jaws 34 inward and outward within the chuck sleeve 22. A driven bushing 46 is concentrically and rotatably supported by a bore 47 formed in the rearward end of the chuck sleeve 22. Retaining grooves 48, 49 are formed in the bore 47 and the driven bushing 46 to slidingly receive a retaining ring 51 which retains the driven bushing 46 against axial movement within the bore 47. A plurality of radial apertures 50 formed in the driven bushing 46 rotatingly accommodate an end 52 of a chuck key 54 (FIG. 3). The chuck key 54 includes a driving gear 56 which meshes with a driven gear 58 formed at the rearward end of the chuck sleeve 22, and rotation of the chuck key 54 causes a relative rotation of the driven bushing 46 and the jaws 34 in relation to the chuck sleeve 22 to induce movement of the jaws 34 along the tapered bore 30. Rotation of the key 54 in a first direction moves the jaws 34 toward closure, and rotation of the key 54 in a counter direction moves the jaws 34 toward the opened position. A second threaded bore 59 formed in the driven bushing 46 is configured to threadingly receive a threaded end 60 of the flexible shaft 16, and when engaged a collar 62 of the flexible shaft abuts the driven bushing to rotatably drive the driven bushing with the flexible shaft 16. 
     FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate a chuck having a driven gear 58 disposed opposite the jaws 34. This configuration allows the support sleeve 14 to be axially positioned as close as possible to the chuck jaws 34 for optimum support of the chuck during use. The chuck sleeve of the present invention may also be employed with a conventional drill chuck as illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the driven gear 58&#39; is positioned at the jaw end of the chuck as illustrated at 110 of FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also illustrates how the flexible shaft 16 may be employed to deploy the chuck at varying angles relative to the axis of the electric drill (not shown). The outside diameter of the support sleeve 14 is optionally knurreled or roughened to enable the user to maintain a good grip on the chuck during use. 
     It can thus be seen that the present invention has provided a new and improved flexible drive for drill chucks. The design of the present invention is simple and economical to produce and may be utilized employing known production techniques. 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that other forms of the Applicant&#39;s invention may be had, all coming within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.