Chuck (engineering)
radially symmetrical type for holding a rotating tool or workpiece
A chuck is a specialized type of clamp used to hold an object with radial symmetry, especially a cylinder. In a drill, a mill and a transmission, a chuck holds the rotating tool; in a lathe, it holds the rotating workpiece.
Chucks commonly use jaws to hold the tool or workpiece. The jaws are typically arranged in a radially symmetrical pattern like the points of a star. Jawed chucks may require a wrench-like device called a chuck key to be tightened or loosened, but other jawed chucks may be tightened or loosened by hand force alone, offering convenience at the expense of gripping force. Chucks on some lathes have jaws that move independently, allowing them to hold irregularly shaped objects. More complex designs might include specially shaped jaws, greater numbers of jaws, or quick-release mechanisms.
Instead of jaws, a chuck may use magnetism, vacuum, or collets, which are flexible collars or sleeves that fit closely around the tool or workpiece and grip it when squeezed.
Types
Jawed chucks
Self-centering
A self-centering chuck, also known as a scroll chuck, uses jaws, interconnected via a scroll gear (scroll plate), to hold onto a tool or workpiece. Because they most often have three jaws, the term three-jaw chuck without other qualification is understood by machinists to mean a self-centering three-jaw chuck.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Chuck (engineering)” is radially symmetrical type for holding a rotating tool or workpiece. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Chuck, engineering and radially, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “radially symmetrical type for holding a rotating tool or workpiece” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 6, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q19818. The Library of Congress control number is sh85025470. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Chuck (engineering)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Chuck (engineering) primary sources, Chuck (engineering) archive and Chuck research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Chuck (engineering)”?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Chuck (engineering)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.