Self-releasing tap holder

957,857. Claw clutches. ERICKSON TOOL CO. Nov. 2, 1962, No. 41589/62. Heading F2C. [Also in Division B3] A self releasing tap holder comprises a tap driver having a driver clutch element with circumferentially spaced teeth, a tap holder having a driven clutch element with corresponding teeth, spring means yieldably holding the elements in interengagement, and a clutch disengaging member on the holder operative to disengage the teeth upon predetermined relative axial travel of the driver and holder. The tap T, Fig. 1, is held in a collet 7 carried by a chuck 5, and the chuck is held in a body 3 by pins 4, 6. Body 3 is slidable in a member 2 and a driver clutch element 18 is secured to member 2 by pins 17. A driven clutch element 20 has keys 21 and is axially slidable on body 3, the clutch members being held in engagement by spring washers 28. The tang end 8 of the tap is held in a floating member 10. The tap is inserted into the workpiece and rotated thus moving chuck 5 and body 3 axially until a member 26 disengages the clutch and causes ratcheting of the clutch teeth, but as soon as the direction of rotation is reversed the teeth re-engage to withdraw the tap. In a modification, Fig. 6, driven clutch element 42 is axially slidable in body 41 and the driving clutch element 48 is integral with the holder 40.