Kennametal Inc.

Keith Wiggins

Robert Alfred Erickson

Michael R McCormick

Robert E Oshnock

David L Lewis

An collet and lock nut assembly includes a collet for receiving a cutting tool shank and a lock nut for creating a gripping force between the collet and the shank. The collet has a nose portion and a body portion separated by an annular groove. The lock nut has a plurality of retention tabs and a corresponding number of clear portions. The collet and lock nut assembly can be easily assembled by inserting at least one retention tab within the groove of the collet, and then applying pressure to the collet such that the remaining retention tabs of the lock nut are received within the groove of the collet to place the assembly in a locked position. The collet and cutting tool shank can be drawn from the tool holder by applying rotational torque to the lock nut. The collet is easily removed from the lock nut by applying pressure in any circumferential, lateral direction against the collet.

Method of assembling a collet and lock nut assembly

A collet and lock nut assembly includes a collet for receiving a cutting tool shank and a lock nut for creating a gripping force between the collet and the shank. The collet has a nose portion and a body portion separated by an annular groove. The lock nut has a plurality of retention tabs and a corresponding number of clear portions. The collet and lock nut assembly can be easily assembled by inserting at least one retention tab within the groove of the collet, and then applying pressure to the collet such that the remaining retention tabs of the lock nut are received within the groove of the collet to place the assembly in a locked position. The collet and cutting tool shank can be drawn from the tool holder by applying rotational torque to the lock nut. The collet is easily removed from the lock nut by applying pressure in any circumferential, lateral direction against the collet.

Collet and lock nut assembly

A collet chuck 1 having a chuck body 3, a collet 11 disposed in the body 3, a nose ring 23 for radially compressing the collet 11, and a locknut 30 for axially moving the nose ring 23 into compressive engagement with the collet 11 is provided with a bearing assembly 45 disposed between the nose ring 23 and the collet 11 which loads compressive forces in a direction which is advantageously parallel to the axis of rotation A of the chuck. Both the locknut 30 and the nose ring 23 include flange portions 27, 43 that confront each other with opposing surfaces 47, 49 that are complementary in shape to the spherical profile of the ball bearings 50 and which traverse a line L parallel to the axis of rotation A of the chuck. The collet chuck 1 further includes O-rings 61, 65 disposed between the nose ring 23 and the locknut 30both in front of and behind the ball bearings 50 for sealing the bearing assembly 45 against dust and debris and retaining lubricant. Finally, the portion of the nose ring 23 which wedgingly engages the collet 11 to compress it inwardly is undercut with a groove 72 in order to enhance the compliance between the nose ring 23 and the collet 11, thus providing a more uniform radial compressive force around the collet 11 which in turn results in improved gripping characteristics.

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Greensburg, PA, United States of America

Keith Wiggins