Patent ID: 7216873

Claim:
A drill chuck comprising: a spindle extending along an axis; a chuck body unitarily formed with the spindle and generally centered on the axis; a transversely projecting handle releasably fixed to the spindle axially rearward of the chuck body; a tightening element surrounding the body, rotatable thereon about the axis, and having a front sleeve formed with a plurality of axially forwardly open angled guides spaced angularly about the axis, a rear sleeve, and means releasably axially and rotationally coupling the rear sleeve with the front sleeve; means including an axially forwardly directed formation on one of the sleeves and an axially rearwardly directed formation on the body for preventing axial forward displacement of the rear sleeve relative to the body; a retaining ring bearing axially forward on the rear sleeve; means including releasable locking formations on the ring and on the body relatively angularly displaceable between a retaining position bearing axially on each other for preventing axial rearward shifting of the ring and rear sleeve on the body and a freeing position slidable axially past each other for permitting axial rearward shifting of the ring and rear sleeve on the body; a plurality of jaws angularly spaced about the axis and axially shiftable in the guides between a closely radially spaced axially forward position and a widely radially spaced axially rearward position; a pusher rotationally coupled to the jaws and bearing axially forward on the jaws, the chuck body, pusher, and spindle being tubular and forming an axially throughgoing and open passage extending along and generally centered on the axis; interengaging screwthreads on the pusher and chuck body, whereby relative rotation of the front sleeve together with the jaws and pusher relative to the chuck body axially displaces the jaws between their positions.