Patent ID: 8257003

Claim:
A side actuated collet lock mechanism, comprising: a collet including a body having an inside surface; a drawbar at least partially disposed within the collet, the drawbar including a recess formed with a bottom surface, a first side wall and a second side wall and a radially-extending aperture therethrough; and a pair of wedge members threadingly received onto each end of a double-ended drive screw, the pair of wedge members and the double-ended drive screw at least partially disposed within the aperture of the drawbar, each wedge member including a first cam surface for selectively engaging the first side wall of the drawbar, and a second cam surface for selectively engaging the second side wall of the drawbar, wherein rotation of the double-ended drive screw in a first direction causes the first cam surface to engage the first side wall of the drawbar and move the drawbar in a first direction along its longitudinal axis such that the drawbar engages the inside surface of the collet and pulls the collet in the first direction, thereby causing the collet to collapse radially inward, and wherein rotation of the double-ended drive screw in a second direction causes the second cam surface to engage the second side wall of the drawbar and move the drawbar in a second direction along its longitudinal axis such that the drawbar pushes the collet in the second direction, thereby causing the collet to expand radially outward.