Centrifugal collet for high speed operation

摘要

A collet formed as a unitary metal or steel cylinder machined so as to allow three identical weights, joined by three identical flexures to reside, equally spaced about the axis of rotation of the collet. The weight's outer surface is defined by a single length radius having a pair of centers including the collet's axis of rotation. As the spindle revolves, kinetic energy built up in the weights forces the leading edge of the weights outward from the axis of rotation until some portion of the outer face of the weights frictionally engage the inner surface of the spindle shaft. The trailing edge of the mass of the weights deflects inward thus gripping the machine bit tighter.

主权项

1. A collet for retention in a high speed rotary drilling or machining apparatus and for holding a machine tool therein comprising: a unitary cylinder, formed from a single piece of material having an outer diameter and a central longitudinal bore, said cylinder made of at least three equally sized, alternating, contiguously connected weights and flexures, said weights equally spaced about an axis of rotation of said collet; wherein said weights deflect when said collet is rotated at a high speed so as to grip an outside surface of a machine tool bit residing within said bore, wherein each of said weights has a smooth outside surface forming an arc between said leading edge and said trailing edge, wherein said arc forms a descending radius with respect to a first center point which is a center point of said axis of rotation of said collet, and wherein said arc has a single length radius.