Patent ID: 8511948

Claim:
A clamping mechanism ( 10 ) between a first member ( 12 ) and a second member ( 14 ); the first member ( 12 ) comprising: a front portion ( 16 ) at a front end of the first member ( 12 ); and a male portion ( 18 ) extending rearwardly from the front portion ( 16 ), the male portion ( 18 ) comprising a cylindrical stem ( 20 ) having a stem diameter D 3 ; the stem ( 20 ) comprising a stem peripheral surface ( 22 ) and a stem rear surface ( 26 ); the second member ( 14 ) comprising: a female portion ( 44 ) at a front end of the second member ( 14 ), the female portion ( 44 ) comprising a front face ( 48 ) and a clamping cavity ( 50 ) opening out to the front face ( 48 ) and formed by the union of an access hole ( 52 ) and a gripping bore ( 54 ); the clamping cavity ( 50 ) comprising a clamping cavity rear surface ( 56 ) and an internal coupling recess ( 66 ) axially spaced apart from the clamping cavity rear surface ( 56 ) in a direction of the front face ( 48 ), the internal coupling recess ( 66 ) comprising a drive surface ( 68 ); and a rear portion ( 46 ) extending rearwardly from the female portion ( 44 ); the gripping bore ( 54 ) having a circular cross section with a gripping bore diameter D 2 in an end view of the female portion ( 44 ), the gripping bore ( 54 ) comprising a gripping surface ( 60 ) having an arc angle (α) greater than 180 degrees; the access hole ( 52 ) comprising a tooth access hole ( 64 ) and an access bore ( 62 ) having a circular cross section with an access bore diameter D 1 in the end view of the second member ( 14 ), wherein D 1 >D 3 >D 2 ; the tooth access hole ( 64 ) being formed in the front face ( 48 ) and extending rearwardly; the access bore ( 62 ) and the gripping bore ( 54 ) have respective longitudinal axes spaced apart at least along a portion thereof; wherein: the male portion ( 18 ) further comprises a coupling tooth ( 28 ) projecting from the stem peripheral surface ( 22 ) and configured to be received in the tooth access hole ( 64 ) and in the coupling recess ( 66 ), the coupling tooth ( 28 ) comprising a driven surface ( 38 ) suitable for engagement with the drive surface ( 68 ); and the first member is movable between a clamped position and an unclamped position, wherein in the unclamped position the male portion ( 18 ) is located in the access hole ( 52 ) and in the clamped position, the gripping surface ( 60 ) of the gripping bore ( 54 ) is in engagement with the stem peripheral surface ( 22 ).