Patent ID: 8800997

Claim:
A collet composing: a collet body having an axis, an inboard section having a first end and a generally axially spaced-apart second end, and an onboard second section projecting axially outward of the second end of the inboard section; the inboard section being generally hollow and including an outer surface, and an inner surface configured to receive a radially outward force moving at least part of the inboard section radially outward; a flange extending radially outwardly from the inboard section adjacent the first end thereof; a wall extending radially inwardly from the hollow inboard section adjacent the second end thereof; the outboard section cantilevered from the wall, being generally split, extending generally parallel with the hollow inboard section, and including an outer surface to cooperate with a workpiece, and the outer surface of the outboard section having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer surface of the inboard section; a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart first slots radially extending through the outboard section, the wall and at least part of the inboard section and longitudinally extending from an axially outer end of the outboard section, through the outboard section, the wall and at least part of the inboard section and terminating short of an inboard end of the flange; and a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart second slots interdigitated with the first slots and radially extending through the flange, the inboard section and only partially into and not through the wall and not into the outboard section and longitudinally extending from and through the flange, the inboard section and the wall and not into the outboard section.