Collet type fastener removal tool

Abstract

There is disclosed a power driven tool for the removal of locking collars of the frangible fasteners used in the aerospace industry. The tool has a drive motor and gear housing with a stationary sleeve which projects from the housing. Within the stationary sleeve are mounted a rotationally driven outer member that distally bears a lead screw and that slidably receives a stationary, telescoping inner member with a spring to bias the inner member into its extended configuration, and a detent to capture the inner member in its contracted, working configuration. A key holder is mounted on the end of the stationary inner member which has a hexagonally broached center bore that receives a key having has an annular groove which receives a detent ball that is secured by a sliding bushing which surrounds the key holder and a spring which biases the bushing into the detent position. The collet clutch has an internally threaded axial bore which is received over the lead screw of the rotational outer member, and is rotationally indexed to a surrounding collet sleeve. The collet sleeve is engaged through a unidirectional clutch to the stationary sleeve of the housing. When a key is to be replaced, the telescoping inner member is extended by releasing its detent, exposing the key holder to permit one to retract the key detent sleeve and free the key for removal.