Patent ID: 6854367

Claim:
A cutting tool system comprising: a clamping device including a clamping block having an aperture, the aperture including an aperture surface; a cutting tool including a front portion at which a cutting edge is disposed, and a shaft extending rearwardly from the front portion, the shaft being fixed in the aperture by a tool-securing clamping force that is releasable to enable the shaft to be displaced relative to the clamping device to a desired position for properly orienting the cutting edge, the shaft including an outer envelope surface facing the aperture surface; a spring-loaded element projecting from one of the envelope surface and the aperture surface and biased by a spring force acting in a direction of bias wherein the spring-loaded element yieldably engages a recess formed in the other of the envelope surface and the aperture surface when the cutting tool and its cutting edge are in the desired position, to provide an indication that the cutting tool is in such desired position by requiring a sudden increase in a force necessary to displace the cutting tool from the desired position, wherein the spring-loaded element is displaceable from the recess in a direction of displacement which is substantially oppsite the direction of bias; and a clamp actuator arranged to act on the clamping block to cause the clamping block to apply the tool-securing clamping force to the shaft independently of the spring-loaded element.