Patent ID: 8403339

Claim:
A chuck for use with a manual or powered driver having a rotatable drive shaft, the chuck comprising: a. a generally cylindrical body having a central longitudinal axis, a nose section and a tail section, the tail section being configured to rotate with the drive shaft and the nose section having an axial bore formed therein; b. a plurality of jaws movably disposed with respect to the body in communication with the axial bore; c. a threaded spindle rotatably connected to the body and in driving engagement with the jaws so that rotation of the threaded spindle in a locking direction moves the jaws toward the central longitudinal axis and rotation of the threaded spindle in an unlocking direction moves the jaws away from the central longitudinal axis; d. a first ring fixedly mounted about the body and placed intermediate the nose and tail sections, the first ring comprising a first plurality of teeth; e. an inner sleeve rotatably mounted about the tail section of the body, the inner sleeve having at least one open portion proximate the tail section of the body; f. a second ring rotatably mounted about the tail section of the body, the second ring at least one protrusion and a second plurality of teeth, wherein the at least one protrusion mates with the corresponding at least one open portion and extends outwardly from the inner sleeve; g. an outer sleeve rotatably mounted about the tail section of the body and concentrically situated outside the inner sleeve, the outer sleeve having at least one lock groove with a locked end and an unlocked end, wherein the locked end extends further in a longitudinal direction toward the nose section than the unlocked end of the at least one lock groove, wherein the at least one lock groove is arranged so that the at least one protrusion of the second ring is in contact with the at least one lock groove such that when the at least one protrusion is situated adjacent the locked end of the at least one lock groove the first plurality of teeth of the first ring engage the second plurality of teeth of the second ring.