Patent ID: 6923605

Claim:
Clamping device for removably holding a first machine part provided with a conical shank on a second machine part provided with a tapered bore, wherein said clamping device comprises a plurality of clamping claws having clamping surfaces to contact a shoulder formed on an inside surface of the conical shank, a clamping sleeve being mounted for axial displacement in the second machine part, which causes radial displacement of the clamping claws to effect one of clamping and release, an elongated gripping sleeve mounted in the second machine part, said gripping sleeve having a forward end and a rear end, a plurality of longitudinal slots circumferentially spaced extending from the forward end of the gripping sleeve to define a plurality of radially elastic gripping segments having free ends with contact surfaces that are elevated relative to an external surface of the gripping sleeve, which contact surfaces form an annular surface that is interrupted by the longitudinal slots, said contact surfaces contacting a cylindrical inside surface within the conical shank in a frictionally engaged fashion.