Patent attributes
An apparatus is disclosed for holding the shaft of an object, wherein the shaft rotates in a first working direction. The apparatus includes a bore, a first ball slot in communication with the bore, a first ball disposed within the first ball slot, and a spring. The bore has a longitudinal axis, and the shaft is inserted into the bore in an insertion direction. The first ball slot is in communication with the bore and includes a ramp. The first ball slot has a first axis that is angularly offset from the longitudinal axis at an acute angle between the insertion direction and the first working direction. Upon insertion of the shaft into the bore, the shaft contacts the ball and causes it to move along the ramp within the ball slot, thereby compressing the spring by a first amount.