SAFETY DRIVE CHUCK
United States Patent 3777999
A safety drive chuck for the drive of a driven shaft is provided and comprises rotatable, open-ended socket means into which said shaft is inserted for the drive of the latter, locking means which are movable relative to said socket between a first position wherein said locking means close said socket to prevent the falling of said shaft therefrom, and a second position wherein said socket is opened to permit the removal of said shaft therefrom, and positioning means which are operable to enable movement of said locking means into said second position only when said socket is in the single position thereof which prevents the falling of said drive shaft therefrom.
US Patent References:
/2735684.html
Longee - February 1956 - 2735684
SELF-LOCKING CHUCK FOR ROLL SHAFTS
Alexeff - November 1969 - 3480225
Roll shaft support
Alexeff - April 1966 - 3246858
Removable beam dyeing jig
Rose - June 1962 - 3038680
/2735684.html
Longee - February 1956 - 2735684
SELF-LOCKING CHUCK FOR ROLL SHAFTS
Alexeff - November 1969 - 3480225
Roll shaft support
Alexeff - April 1966 - 3246858
Removable beam dyeing jig
Rose - June 1962 - 3038680
Inventors:
Sciola, Joseph (Upper Saddle River, NJ)
Nagy, Gabor (Clifton, NJ)
Nagy, Gabor (Clifton, NJ)
Application Number:
05/198169
Publication Date:
12/11/1973
Filing Date:
11/12/1971
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Super Chuck Company, Inc. (Paterson, NJ)
Primary Class:
International Classes:
B65H18/04; F16C13/02; B65H18/00; B65H19/00
Field of Search:
242/68.4 279/1R
Primary Examiner:
Mautz, George F.
Assistant Examiner:
Mccarthy, Edward J.
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. A safety drive chuck for the drive of a driven shaft including, support means, rotatable drive means comprising a rotatable, open-ended socket of a shape which is commensurate with the shape of said driven shaft to provide for the insertion of said shaft into said socket for drive by said drive means, locking means having a generally cylindrical portion and being cooperatively associated with said drive means and said support means, said locking means being moveable relative to said drive means and said support means between first locking means-drive means positions wherein said locking means are operable to close said socket and prevent the falling of said drive shaft therefrom, and second locking means-drive means positions wherein said socket remains open, and at least two sets of cooperatively associated positioning means on said support means and said locking means portion, respectively, said positioning means being operable to enable movement of said locking means into said second locking means-drive means position only when said open-ended socket is positioned so that said shaft cannot fall therefrom, said positioning means being spaced by less than 180° on said generally cylindrical locking means portion.
2. A safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said positioning means are spaced by approximately 120° on said generally cylindrical locking means portion.
3. A safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said support means are fixed and comprise a generally cylindrical bore, said generally cylindrical portion of said locking means extends into said bore for rotation of said portion therewithin, and said positioning means are disposed within said bore to prevent contact therewith from outside said support means.
4. In a safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said driven shaft is disposed in generally horizonal manner, said open-ended socket is disposed in general longitudinal alignment therewith, and the positioning of said open-ended socket so that said driven shaft cannot fall therefrom comprises the orientation thereof with the open end of said socket facing generally upwardly.
5. In a safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said locking means are rotatable with said drive means relative to said support means and are slidable relative to said drive means to open and close said open-ended socket.
1. A safety drive chuck for the drive of a driven shaft including, support means, rotatable drive means comprising a rotatable, open-ended socket of a shape which is commensurate with the shape of said driven shaft to provide for the insertion of said shaft into said socket for drive by said drive means, locking means having a generally cylindrical portion and being cooperatively associated with said drive means and said support means, said locking means being moveable relative to said drive means and said support means between first locking means-drive means positions wherein said locking means are operable to close said socket and prevent the falling of said drive shaft therefrom, and second locking means-drive means positions wherein said socket remains open, and at least two sets of cooperatively associated positioning means on said support means and said locking means portion, respectively, said positioning means being operable to enable movement of said locking means into said second locking means-drive means position only when said open-ended socket is positioned so that said shaft cannot fall therefrom, said positioning means being spaced by less than 180° on said generally cylindrical locking means portion.
2. A safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said positioning means are spaced by approximately 120° on said generally cylindrical locking means portion.
3. A safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said support means are fixed and comprise a generally cylindrical bore, said generally cylindrical portion of said locking means extends into said bore for rotation of said portion therewithin, and said positioning means are disposed within said bore to prevent contact therewith from outside said support means.
4. In a safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said driven shaft is disposed in generally horizonal manner, said open-ended socket is disposed in general longitudinal alignment therewith, and the positioning of said open-ended socket so that said driven shaft cannot fall therefrom comprises the orientation thereof with the open end of said socket facing generally upwardly.
5. In a safety drive chuck as in claim 1 wherein, said locking means are rotatable with said drive means relative to said support means and are slidable relative to said drive means to open and close said open-ended socket.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved safety drive chuck for the drive of shafts or the like in such manner that accidental opening of the chuck cannot result in the fall of the driven shaft therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although a very wide variety of drive chucks for the drive of shafts or the like are known, it may be understood that, in many instances, the accidental opening of such chucks during use can result in the fall of the driven shaft therefrom with attendant possibility of serious injury or death on the part of workmen involved, and this possibility is greatly enhanced in those instances wherein heavy loads of rollable material are being wound on the driven shaft. Too, although safety chucks are known which can operate to prevent such accidental falling, it may be understood that the same are generally quite difficult and/or time consuming to lock and unlock and greatly complicate the tasks of attaching driven shafts thereto and removing the same therefrom, and that this is especially true in those instances wherein heavy loads are wound upon said driven shafts through operation of the chuck.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a new and improved drive chuck having particularly safe operational characteristics.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is particularly easy to operate in a manner which is consistent with current materials handling procedures.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is of relatively simple construction and manner of operation, and one which requires the use of only readily available materials of proven dependability to provide for long periods of satisfactory, maintenance-free operation.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is particularly adaptable for use in the winding of large rolls of heavy materials on the driven shaft.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
As disclosed herein, the new and improved safety drive chuck of the invention is designed for the drive of a generally rectangular driven shaft and comprises a drive shaft having an open-ended generally rectangular socket formed at one extremity thereof. A driven shaft locking collar is provided and is readily and conveniently movable between a closed collar position in which a collar surface closes said open-ended socket to prevent the driven shaft from falling therefrom, to an open collar position in which said collar surface is displaced from said socket to leave the latter open. Means taking the form of cooperatively associated roller cams and cam slots are provided and function to render impossible the movement of said shaft locking collar into the open position thereof unless said open-ended socket is substantially vertically oriented in upwardly facing manner to thereby render impossible the falling of the driven shaft from said socket upon accidental opening of the collar in the absence of longitudinal movement of the former which may, of course, be readily prevented. With the collar in the open position thereof, removal of the driven shaft therefrom may be readily and conveniently effected by the simple lifting of the latter out of the open-ended socket, and this is of particular advantage when said shaft is heavily loaded as by a large roll of material which has been rolled thereon through use of the chuck.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and significant advantages of the invention are believed made clear by the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein;
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an application of the safety drive chuck of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2 and illustrates the chuck in the closed position thereof;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the manner of FIG. 3 and illustrating the chuck in the open position thereof;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 2 - 5 of the drawings, a new and improved safety drive chuck constructed and operative in accordance with the teachings of this invention is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a generally cylindrical housing 12 having a bore 14 extending generally longitudinally thereof.
A drive shaft 16 extends as shown through the housing bore 14 and is journalled for rotation therein in ball bearings 18 and 20. The drive shaft 16 includes a generally cylindrical flange or hub 22 formed as shown adjacent one extremity thereof.
The drive shaft 16 extends as shown beyond the flange or hub 22 to terminate in a shaft extension or extension piece 24 which includes a generally curved surface 25 and a flat surface 26 which functions to support in part a driven shaft and transmit torque from the drive shaft thereto as described in detail hereinbelow.
A generally "U" shaped driven shaft support and locking member is indicated generally at 30 and comprises an open ended stepped bore 32 extending therethrough as shown. One section or half 33 of the bore 32 is of generally curved configuration and is shaped and dimensioned in part in the manner of the generally curved surface 25 of the extension piece 24. Accordingly, the support and locking member 30 may be fitted over said extension piece as shown and attached to the hub 22 by attachment screws 34, it being understood that the depth of the curved section 33 of the bore 32 is substantially equal to the thickness of the extension piece 24.
The other section or half of the bore 32 is of the depicted generally rectangular configuration and forms an open-ended generally rectangular socket 36. A driven shaft is indicated at 38 and is also of generally rectangular configuration. The driven shaft is dimensioned to fit as shown within the socket 36 for driven rotation of the shaft by the support and locking member 30 as described in detail hereinbelow.
A generally cylindrical shaft locking collar is indicated at 40 and comprises a bore 42 extending generally centrally thereof. A driven shaft locking member is indicated at 44 and is fixedly positioned within the collar bore 42 by a support and positioning screw 48 which extends as shown through the collar 40. A collar holding ridge 50 is formed as shown at the inner edge of the shaft locking member 44 and functions to hold the collar 40 in position as described in detail hereinbelow.
The locking member 44 includes a flat, shaft-locking surface 52. The bore 42 in the collar 40 is dimensioned so that the latter fits somewhat snugly over the periphery of the hub 22 and over the curved portion of the periphery of the support and locking member 30, with freedom for slidable movement relative thereto.
The flat surface 58 of the holding ridge 50 bears as shown against the flat surface 26 of the extension piece 24 and the flat surfaces 62 and 64 of the support and locking member 30 which are disposed to either side of the open-ended bore section 33. As a result, it may be understood that the collar 40 will be rotatable with the drive shaft 16.
Generally arcuate cam slots 63 and 65 are formed as best seen in FIG. 5 in the inner edge of the collar 40. Roller cams 66 and 68 are supported as best seen in FIG. 5 form support shafts 70 and 72 which in turn respectively extend as shown from cam shaft support portions 74 and 76 which are positioned as shown in the housing 12.
The shaft locking collar 40 is slidable on the hub 22 and the driven shaft support and locking member 30 form a closed collar position as seen in FIG. 3 wherein the flat surface 52 of the shaft locking member 44 overlies the rectangular section 36 of the open-ended bore 32 in the shaft support and locking member 30 to thereby provide a closed rectangular socket for support and drive of the driven rectangular shaft 38 and prevent the lifting of the latter therefrom, to an open position of the collar as seen in FIG. 4 wherein the collar has been moved to the left as seen in said FIG. to open said rectangular shaft support and drive socket by movement of the locking member 44 out of alignment with the open-ended socket 36, and permit the lifting of the driven shaft 38 therefrom as described in greater detail hereinbelow.
Assuming the housing 12 to be oriented as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 5, the cooperative action between the respective roller cams 66 and 68 and the respective cam slots 63 and 65 will render impossible slidable movement of the collar 40 into the open position thereof of FIG. 4 unless the collar is substantially in the position thereof of FIGS. 2 and 5 with resultant substantially vertical orientation of the open-ended socket 36 in the upwardly facing direction. More specifically, and referring now to the respective shapes of the cam slots as depicted for cam slot 63 in FIG. 6, it may be seen that the cooperative action between said roller cams and cam slots will only permit movement of the collar 40 to the open position thereof of FIG. 4 if said roller cams and cam slots are relatively positioned in the manner illustrated for roller cam 66 and cam slot 65 of FIG. 6, and it may be understood that such relative roller cam - cam slot positioning is only possible with the open-ended socket 36 in the substantially vertically oriented upwardly facing position of FIGS. 4 and 5. As a result, the shaft locking surface 52 of locking member 44 will always be effective to at least partially close the open-ended socket 36 unless the latter is substantially vertically oriented as described, and this may be understood to render impossible the falling of the driven shaft 38 from the closed socket provided by the walls of the open-ended socket 36 and the locking surface 52 of locking member 44. Thus, in the absence of longitudinal movement of the driven shaft 38 away from the drive chuck 10, accidental falling of said driven shaft from said drive chuck is totally prevented for significant safety advantage, with the attendant advantage that the save removal of the driven shaft from the drive chuck may be readily and conveniently effected by the simple positioning of the collar 40 in the position of FIG. 2 (as by appropriate manipulation of the drive shaft 16), the slidable movement of the collar to the open position thereof of FIG. 4, and the simple lifting as also indicated in FIG. 4 of the still safely supported driven shaft 38 from the open-ended socket 36 in any appropriate manner.
A typical application of the drive chuck of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprises the use of two of the same, as indicated at 10A and 10B, respectively, to drive a driven shaft 38 for the winding of a large roll 80 of any rollable material on the latter. In such application, the roll 80 may be of a heavy fabric or the like and may attain a weight in excess of 1500 pounds, whereby is believed made clear that any accidental falling thereof as caused, for example, by slippage of the driven shaft 38 from the drive chucks 10A and 10B, could very well result in serious injury.
For such use, it may be understood that each of the chuck collars 40A and 40B would be moved to the respective open position thereof, the driven shaft 38 inserted from above into the thusly provided open-ended sockets, the chuck collars 40A and 40B moved to the respective closed positions thereof to close the sockets around the driven shaft, and rotation of the drive shafts 16A and 16B commenced to commence the winding of the material roll 80. At the completion of winding, the respective collars 40A and 40B would be oriented as described and moved to the respective open positions thereof to enable the removal of the drive shaft 38 and the roll 80 of material therefrom through lifting of the former but of the now again open-ended sockets in conventional materials handling fashion. Of course, accidental falling of the driven shaft 38 from the safety drive chucks 10A and 10B during the material rolling operation is rendered impossible. Although in this step-wise description of the operation of the drive chucks 10A and 10B, the movement of the collars 40A and 40B to the respective closed positions thereof is described as a separate step, it is believed clear that such is not really necessary in that the cooperative actions of the respective roller cams and cam slots of the chucks will automatically result in such movement of the collars 40A and 40B to the respective closed positions thereof following the commencement of drive shaft rotation.
The fact that the respective cams 66 and 68, and cam slots 63 and 65, are respectively spaced, by less than 180° or, for example, by approximately 120° as depicted in FIG. 5, provides absolute assurance that there is only one drive means position in which the drive socket 36 may be opened by the locking member 44 of the collar 40.
Although FIG. 1 illustrates the use of a pair of the safety drive chucks of the invention, it is believed clear that the same may be used singly so long as suitable secure rotational support is provided for the remote extremity of the driven shaft. Too, shaft support and locking member 30 is disclosed as a separate piece, and it is believed clear that the same can, alternatively, be also made integral with the drive shaft 16. Further, the driven shaft 38, and accordingly the socket provided for the drive thereof, need not be rectangular, but rather, may take any shape commensurate with the disclosed purposes of the invention.
While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and improved safety drive chuck for the drive of shafts or the like in such manner that accidental opening of the chuck cannot result in the fall of the driven shaft therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Although a very wide variety of drive chucks for the drive of shafts or the like are known, it may be understood that, in many instances, the accidental opening of such chucks during use can result in the fall of the driven shaft therefrom with attendant possibility of serious injury or death on the part of workmen involved, and this possibility is greatly enhanced in those instances wherein heavy loads of rollable material are being wound on the driven shaft. Too, although safety chucks are known which can operate to prevent such accidental falling, it may be understood that the same are generally quite difficult and/or time consuming to lock and unlock and greatly complicate the tasks of attaching driven shafts thereto and removing the same therefrom, and that this is especially true in those instances wherein heavy loads are wound upon said driven shafts through operation of the chuck.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a new and improved drive chuck having particularly safe operational characteristics.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is particularly easy to operate in a manner which is consistent with current materials handling procedures.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is of relatively simple construction and manner of operation, and one which requires the use of only readily available materials of proven dependability to provide for long periods of satisfactory, maintenance-free operation.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a drive chuck as above which is particularly adaptable for use in the winding of large rolls of heavy materials on the driven shaft.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
As disclosed herein, the new and improved safety drive chuck of the invention is designed for the drive of a generally rectangular driven shaft and comprises a drive shaft having an open-ended generally rectangular socket formed at one extremity thereof. A driven shaft locking collar is provided and is readily and conveniently movable between a closed collar position in which a collar surface closes said open-ended socket to prevent the driven shaft from falling therefrom, to an open collar position in which said collar surface is displaced from said socket to leave the latter open. Means taking the form of cooperatively associated roller cams and cam slots are provided and function to render impossible the movement of said shaft locking collar into the open position thereof unless said open-ended socket is substantially vertically oriented in upwardly facing manner to thereby render impossible the falling of the driven shaft from said socket upon accidental opening of the collar in the absence of longitudinal movement of the former which may, of course, be readily prevented. With the collar in the open position thereof, removal of the driven shaft therefrom may be readily and conveniently effected by the simple lifting of the latter out of the open-ended socket, and this is of particular advantage when said shaft is heavily loaded as by a large roll of material which has been rolled thereon through use of the chuck.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and significant advantages of the invention are believed made clear by the following detailed description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein;
FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an application of the safety drive chuck of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2 and illustrates the chuck in the closed position thereof;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken in the manner of FIG. 3 and illustrating the chuck in the open position thereof;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIGS. 2 - 5 of the drawings, a new and improved safety drive chuck constructed and operative in accordance with the teachings of this invention is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a generally cylindrical housing 12 having a bore 14 extending generally longitudinally thereof.
A drive shaft 16 extends as shown through the housing bore 14 and is journalled for rotation therein in ball bearings 18 and 20. The drive shaft 16 includes a generally cylindrical flange or hub 22 formed as shown adjacent one extremity thereof.
The drive shaft 16 extends as shown beyond the flange or hub 22 to terminate in a shaft extension or extension piece 24 which includes a generally curved surface 25 and a flat surface 26 which functions to support in part a driven shaft and transmit torque from the drive shaft thereto as described in detail hereinbelow.
A generally "U" shaped driven shaft support and locking member is indicated generally at 30 and comprises an open ended stepped bore 32 extending therethrough as shown. One section or half 33 of the bore 32 is of generally curved configuration and is shaped and dimensioned in part in the manner of the generally curved surface 25 of the extension piece 24. Accordingly, the support and locking member 30 may be fitted over said extension piece as shown and attached to the hub 22 by attachment screws 34, it being understood that the depth of the curved section 33 of the bore 32 is substantially equal to the thickness of the extension piece 24.
The other section or half of the bore 32 is of the depicted generally rectangular configuration and forms an open-ended generally rectangular socket 36. A driven shaft is indicated at 38 and is also of generally rectangular configuration. The driven shaft is dimensioned to fit as shown within the socket 36 for driven rotation of the shaft by the support and locking member 30 as described in detail hereinbelow.
A generally cylindrical shaft locking collar is indicated at 40 and comprises a bore 42 extending generally centrally thereof. A driven shaft locking member is indicated at 44 and is fixedly positioned within the collar bore 42 by a support and positioning screw 48 which extends as shown through the collar 40. A collar holding ridge 50 is formed as shown at the inner edge of the shaft locking member 44 and functions to hold the collar 40 in position as described in detail hereinbelow.
The locking member 44 includes a flat, shaft-locking surface 52. The bore 42 in the collar 40 is dimensioned so that the latter fits somewhat snugly over the periphery of the hub 22 and over the curved portion of the periphery of the support and locking member 30, with freedom for slidable movement relative thereto.
The flat surface 58 of the holding ridge 50 bears as shown against the flat surface 26 of the extension piece 24 and the flat surfaces 62 and 64 of the support and locking member 30 which are disposed to either side of the open-ended bore section 33. As a result, it may be understood that the collar 40 will be rotatable with the drive shaft 16.
Generally arcuate cam slots 63 and 65 are formed as best seen in FIG. 5 in the inner edge of the collar 40. Roller cams 66 and 68 are supported as best seen in FIG. 5 form support shafts 70 and 72 which in turn respectively extend as shown from cam shaft support portions 74 and 76 which are positioned as shown in the housing 12.
The shaft locking collar 40 is slidable on the hub 22 and the driven shaft support and locking member 30 form a closed collar position as seen in FIG. 3 wherein the flat surface 52 of the shaft locking member 44 overlies the rectangular section 36 of the open-ended bore 32 in the shaft support and locking member 30 to thereby provide a closed rectangular socket for support and drive of the driven rectangular shaft 38 and prevent the lifting of the latter therefrom, to an open position of the collar as seen in FIG. 4 wherein the collar has been moved to the left as seen in said FIG. to open said rectangular shaft support and drive socket by movement of the locking member 44 out of alignment with the open-ended socket 36, and permit the lifting of the driven shaft 38 therefrom as described in greater detail hereinbelow.
Assuming the housing 12 to be oriented as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 5, the cooperative action between the respective roller cams 66 and 68 and the respective cam slots 63 and 65 will render impossible slidable movement of the collar 40 into the open position thereof of FIG. 4 unless the collar is substantially in the position thereof of FIGS. 2 and 5 with resultant substantially vertical orientation of the open-ended socket 36 in the upwardly facing direction. More specifically, and referring now to the respective shapes of the cam slots as depicted for cam slot 63 in FIG. 6, it may be seen that the cooperative action between said roller cams and cam slots will only permit movement of the collar 40 to the open position thereof of FIG. 4 if said roller cams and cam slots are relatively positioned in the manner illustrated for roller cam 66 and cam slot 65 of FIG. 6, and it may be understood that such relative roller cam - cam slot positioning is only possible with the open-ended socket 36 in the substantially vertically oriented upwardly facing position of FIGS. 4 and 5. As a result, the shaft locking surface 52 of locking member 44 will always be effective to at least partially close the open-ended socket 36 unless the latter is substantially vertically oriented as described, and this may be understood to render impossible the falling of the driven shaft 38 from the closed socket provided by the walls of the open-ended socket 36 and the locking surface 52 of locking member 44. Thus, in the absence of longitudinal movement of the driven shaft 38 away from the drive chuck 10, accidental falling of said driven shaft from said drive chuck is totally prevented for significant safety advantage, with the attendant advantage that the save removal of the driven shaft from the drive chuck may be readily and conveniently effected by the simple positioning of the collar 40 in the position of FIG. 2 (as by appropriate manipulation of the drive shaft 16), the slidable movement of the collar to the open position thereof of FIG. 4, and the simple lifting as also indicated in FIG. 4 of the still safely supported driven shaft 38 from the open-ended socket 36 in any appropriate manner.
A typical application of the drive chuck of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprises the use of two of the same, as indicated at 10A and 10B, respectively, to drive a driven shaft 38 for the winding of a large roll 80 of any rollable material on the latter. In such application, the roll 80 may be of a heavy fabric or the like and may attain a weight in excess of 1500 pounds, whereby is believed made clear that any accidental falling thereof as caused, for example, by slippage of the driven shaft 38 from the drive chucks 10A and 10B, could very well result in serious injury.
For such use, it may be understood that each of the chuck collars 40A and 40B would be moved to the respective open position thereof, the driven shaft 38 inserted from above into the thusly provided open-ended sockets, the chuck collars 40A and 40B moved to the respective closed positions thereof to close the sockets around the driven shaft, and rotation of the drive shafts 16A and 16B commenced to commence the winding of the material roll 80. At the completion of winding, the respective collars 40A and 40B would be oriented as described and moved to the respective open positions thereof to enable the removal of the drive shaft 38 and the roll 80 of material therefrom through lifting of the former but of the now again open-ended sockets in conventional materials handling fashion. Of course, accidental falling of the driven shaft 38 from the safety drive chucks 10A and 10B during the material rolling operation is rendered impossible. Although in this step-wise description of the operation of the drive chucks 10A and 10B, the movement of the collars 40A and 40B to the respective closed positions thereof is described as a separate step, it is believed clear that such is not really necessary in that the cooperative actions of the respective roller cams and cam slots of the chucks will automatically result in such movement of the collars 40A and 40B to the respective closed positions thereof following the commencement of drive shaft rotation.
The fact that the respective cams 66 and 68, and cam slots 63 and 65, are respectively spaced, by less than 180° or, for example, by approximately 120° as depicted in FIG. 5, provides absolute assurance that there is only one drive means position in which the drive socket 36 may be opened by the locking member 44 of the collar 40.
Although FIG. 1 illustrates the use of a pair of the safety drive chucks of the invention, it is believed clear that the same may be used singly so long as suitable secure rotational support is provided for the remote extremity of the driven shaft. Too, shaft support and locking member 30 is disclosed as a separate piece, and it is believed clear that the same can, alternatively, be also made integral with the drive shaft 16. Further, the driven shaft 38, and accordingly the socket provided for the drive thereof, need not be rectangular, but rather, may take any shape commensurate with the disclosed purposes of the invention.
While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.