Patent ID: 8079785

Claim:
A tool holder assembly, comprising: a tool holder member adapted to be secured to a machine tool; a cutting insert support/clamp for clamping and supporting a cutting insert in an operative position within said machine tool, the cutting insert having a longitudinal axis; said support/clamp member removably secured to said tool holder member; said cutting insert support/clamp including a clamping arm elastically movable towards and away from a support base, the clamping arm having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cutting insert; a clamping block connected to said clamping arm and adapted to receive clamping forces from a threaded clamping member; said clamping member defining a force applying surface located in a first plane; said clamping block defining a force receiving surface located in second plane, said second plane located at a diverging angle with respect to said first plane such that only a portion of said force applying surface of said clamping member initially engages said force receiving surface on said clamping block whereby a moment arm is defined between a force vector applied by said clamping member to said clamping block and said clamping arm that is shorter than a distance between said clamping arm and an axis of said clamping member.