Tool holder with clamped position latch

Claim 1

A quick change tool holder for tools comprising: a socket member having a tapered inner bore open to an axial end thereof, external threads on the socket member adjacent the axial end, a clamping ring for clamping a tool adapter in said socket, said clamping ring operatively connected to said external threads and rotatable and axially movable with respect to the socket member, a tool adapter having a shaft received in the socket, means on the tool adapter, socket member and clamping ring for establishing tool adapter clamped and unclamped positions with respect to the socket member with the tool holder being freely insertable in and removable from the socket member in the unclamped position and being axially and rotatably secured to the socket member in the clamped position, first lock means operatively associated with the clamping ring for rotation therewith and second lock means associated with the socket member for rotation therewith, said lock means engageable with one another at the clamped position to prevent relative rotation of the clamping ring and socket member and being selectively disengageable to allow such relative rotation, the first lock means including a radially movable pawl means operatively associated with the clamping ring and the second lock means including serrated surface means carried by said socket member, said serrated surface means lying at an outer diameter of portions of the socket member, the pawl, when the clamping ring is in the clamped position lying radially opposed to the serrated surface means and axially aligned therewith, the pawl having a serrated inner diameter surface for engagement with the serrated surface means, the pawl being pivoted about an axial pivot with the pawl inner diameter surface movable radially inwardly and radially outwardly with respect to the serrated surface means, spring means urging the pawl to pivot in a direction to cause the pawl surface to engage the serrated surface means, an engagement surface on said pawl on a side of the axial pivot opposite the pawl inner diameter surface, tool means for engaging the clamping ring to rotate the same with respect to the socket member, means for causing engagement of the tool means with the engagement surface to pivot the pawl about the axial pivot automatically when the tool is applied to the clamping ring to disengage the lock means.