BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to motorized tool blade locks and, more particularly, to a latching mechanism that latches by pivotally extending a plurality of tensioned arms from a tensioned seated state to a tensioned locked state through rotation of a lock ring pivotally deploying the arms from their nested seated state into a blade engaging position of a larger radius than the radius of the lock ring with the arms in their nested position.

Preferably, blade locking by deploying arms from the nested state to a locked state is achieved through approximately 120°-rotation of the lock ring without the need for other tools and aids.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism for mounting tools onto a spindle or mandrel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism having a cylindrical housing with interior threads for mounting the housing onto a spindle. An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical housing exterior wall having helical channels therein.

It is, yet, a further object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism wherein the cylindrical housing exterior wall comprises a cylindrical portion, a sloped wall portion and a distal end flanged portion.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism having a tool lock with a bore incorporating tabs/rails positioned within the cylindrical housing exterior rails.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism wherein the tool lock provides a plurality of tensioned pivotal arms.

It is, yet, further object of the present invention is to provide a latching mechanism wherein the tensioned pivotal arms have interiorly extending bore tabs, so that rotation of the tool lock causes the bore tabs to deploy the arms as the bore tabs rotatively descend along the cylindrical housing exterior wall.

The foregoing and related objects are accomplished by the present invention for a latching mechanism for mounting tools onto a spindle or mandrel, which includes a substantially cylindrical housing having a flange for serving as a housing base with the housing having fastener mounting means for attaching the housing to a spindle. A tool lock provides bore mounting means for attaching the tool lock onto the housing with the tool lock having a plurality of deployable tensioned pivotal arms provided as latching means for holding a tool attachment between the housing flange and pivotal arms of the tool lock, and a pivotal arm tensioning member retains the pivotal arms in a tool lock subjacent position and returns the arms from a deployed position to their seated subjacent position.

In an alternatively preferred embodiment, the latching system for mounting tools onto a spindle or mandrel, includes a spindle mount member having threaded bore, a spindle mount flange a and cylindrical body having a cavity receiving a fastener. The substantially cylindrical housing has a flange serving as housing base with the housing having a bore for mounting onto the spindle mount member and an exterior wall fastener extendable into the spindle mount cavity. A tool lock includes bore mounting means for attachment onto the housing with the tool lock having a plurality of deployable pivotal arms provided as latching means for holding a provided tool between the housing flange and the pivotal arms of the tool lock, and a pivotal arm tensioning member holds the pivotal arms in a tool lock subjacent position and returns the arms from a deployed position to their seated subjacent position.

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a latching mechanism that latches by pivotally extending a plurality of tensioned arms from a tensioned seated state to a tensioned locked state through rotation of a lock ring pivotally deploying the arms from their nested seated state into a blade engaging position of a larger radius than the radius of the lock ring with the arms in their nested position. Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when considered in combination with the accompanying drawing figures which illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should, however, be noted that the accompanying drawing figures are intended to illustrate only certain embodiments of the claimed invention and are not intended as a means for defining the limits and scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

In the drawing, wherein similar reference numerals and symbols denote similar features throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of an enablement of the latching mechanism for attaching a tool attachment to a spindle;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of an alternative enablement of the latching mechanism for attaching a tool attachment to a spindle;

Figure 3 is a side view of the latching mechanism cylindrical housing;

Figure 4 is an exploded bottom view of the tool lock;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the tool lock;

Figure 6 is the tool lock mounted on the cylindrical housing moving from a seated state to locked state with tensioned arms deployed to tool attachment engagement; Figure 7 is an exploded prospective view showing a tool having a spindle with the latching mechanism ready to be mounted onto the tool spindle;

Figure 8 is a prospective view showing the latching mechanism of Figure 7 mounted onto a tool spindle;

Figure 9 is an exploded prospective view showing a tool attachment ready to be fastened to the latching mechanism;

Figure 10 is a prospective view showing the tool attachment of Figure 9 mounted of onto the latching mechanism; and,

Figure 11 is a prospective view showing the tool lock rotated causing the tensioned pivotal arms to deploy into engagement with the tool attachment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS AND LETTERS APPEARING IN THE DRAWING FIGURES

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the latching system for mounting tools onto a spindle of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures:

10 latching system for mounting tools onto spindle or mandrel

12 spindle mount spindle mount flange spindle mount bore

threads of 16

fastener cavity of 12

cylindrical housing

housing bore

housing wall

flanged distal end of 34 sloped portion of 34

cylindrical portion of 34 housing flange of 30

helical channel of 34

threads of 32

polygonal blade bore frame fastener aperture

fastener of 20, 50

tool lock

tool lock housing

tool lock housing bore tab/rail of housing bore wall subjacent tensioned pivotal arm tensioning member receptacle 72 tensioning member of 68

74 fastener of 68

76 tab of 68

78 spindle

80 fastener cavity of 40

82 bore tabs of 68

T tool

B tool attachment

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following discussion describes in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention, and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular preferred embodiments and practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims;

Turning, in detail, to the drawing figures, Figure 1 is an exploded view of an enablement of the latching mechanism for attaching a tool attachment to a spindle. The present invention provides a latching mechanism 10 having a spindle mounting member comprising cylindrical housing 30 with housing bore 32 having threads 46 for mounting the housing 30 onto spindle 76 and tool lock 60 having bore 64 mountable onto housing 30. Also shown is pivotal arm tensioning member 70 where then tool lock 60 is rotated deploying the tensioned pivotal arms into engagement with tool attachment B securely latched therein.

Figure 2 shows an exploded view of another enablement of the latching mechanism for attaching a tool attachment to a spindle. The present invention provides a latching mechanism 10 having a spindle mount 12 having spindle mount flange 14 and bore 16 with threads 18 serving as spindle mount and seat for securing housing 30 to mount 12 using a set screw or similar anchor fastener positioned in co-aligned apertures 20, 78 cylindrical housing 30 having housing bore 32 for mounting the housing 30 onto spindle mount 12 and tool lock 60 having bore 64 mountable onto housing 30. Also shown is pivotal arm tensioning member 70 mountable to tool lock 60 providing tensioned pivotal arms movable from a seated seat to a deployed state through tool lock 60 rotation.

Referring to Figure 3, shown is a side view of the latching mechanism cylindrical housing. The cylindrical housing 30 provides flange 42 having a polygonal blade bore frame 48 for mounting tool attachments B having a polygonal bore mount. Housing 30 extends through a cylindrical portion 40 then tapers inward by a sloped portion 38 terminating in flanged distal end 36 with a plurality of helical channels 44 substantially extending the length of the housing.

With respect to Figure 4, shown is an exploded bottom view of the tool lock. Tool lock 60 provides housing 62 having a tensioning member receptacle 70 spacer tab 76 and bore tab 82 with arm 68 fastened to housing 62 via fastener 72. Housing 68 further provides bore 64 having a plurality of bore wall tab/rails 66 positioned to co-align with the helical channels of the housing wall.

Figure 5 presents a top plan view of the tool lock. Tool lock 60 provides housing 62 having tab/rail of housing bore wall 66 and subjacent arms having bore tab 82 with opposing side bore wall tabs having a smaller diameter than bore tab 82.

Figure 6 shows the tool lock mounted on the cylindrical housing moving from a seated state to locked state with tensioned arms deployed to tool attachment engagement. Tool lock 60 provides housing 62 having bore 64 with bore wall tab/rail 66 mating with housing 30 helical rail 44 for rotatively moving tool lock 60 along housing 30 exterior wall 34 helical rail 44 by virtue of tool lock 60 bore tabs 68 following contour of wall 34, the tensioned pivotal arms are extended to a tool attachment engaging position.

Finally, with reference to Figures 7 through 1 1, shown are stepwise views of the tool latching mechanism in use. Figure 7 depicts tool T having spindle 78 and latching mechanism 10 ready to be threadedly mounted to spindle 87. Figure 8 depicted the latching mechanism installed onto a tool spindle. Figure 9 depicted tool attacliment B ready to be mounted onto latching mechanism 10, while Figure 10 depicts tool attachment B mounted on latching mechanism 10 and Figure 1 1 shows rotation of the tool lock 10 deploying the tensioned pivotal arms to engagement with tool attachment B. While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.