Vacuum wheel chuck

1. A wheel chuck assembly comprising:

a support plate adapted to be mounted upon a lathe spindle, said support plate having a first face and a second face with said second face being opposite from said first face, said support plate also having at least one aperture formed therethrough;

a clamping mechanism mounted upon said support plate first face, said clamping mechanism operable to clamp a vehicle wheel adjacent said first face of said support plate; and

an air conveying device mounted adjacent to said support plate second face, said air conveying device operable to induce an air flow through said support plate aperture such that metal chips are drawn through said support plate aperture in a direction from said first face toward said second face, whereby chip whip is reduced.

2. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 1 further including a shroud mounted adjacent to said support plate second face, said shroud operable to direct said air flow.

3. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 2 including a plurality of apertures formed through said support plate.

4. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 3 wherein said apertures have a generally wedge shape.

5. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 2 wherein said air conveying device includes a pump communicating with said shroud, said pump operable to induce said air flow.

6. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 5 wherein said shroud includes at least one vent formed therethrough and further wherein said pump is connected to said vent by an air conduit.

7. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 2 wherein said air conveying device includes a fan communicating with said shroud, said fan operable to induce said air flow.

8. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 7 wherein said shroud includes at least one vent formed therethrough and further wherein said fan is connected to said vent by an air conduit.

9. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 2 wherein said air conveying device includes a fan blade assembly mounted within said shroud, said fan blade assembly operable to induce said air flow.

10. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 9 wherein said shroud includes at least one vent formed therethrough such that said air flow exits said shroud.

11. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 9 wherein said fan blade assembly is adapted to be mounted directly upon said lathe spindle for rotation therewith.

12. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 11 further including a chip discharge aperture formed through said shroud such that said metal chips drawn through said support plate apertures are removed from within said shroud.

13. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 12 further including a chip chute having first and second ends and a chip hopper, said first end of said chip chute communicating with said shroud chip discharge aperture and said second end of said chip chute communicating with said chip hopper, said chip chute guiding said chips from said shroud to said chip hopper.

14. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 11 wherein said fan blade assembly is secured to a hollow cylindrical fan shaft that axially receives said lathe spindle such that said fan blade assembly and said lathe spindle are rotated at a different speeds.

15. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 14 further including a chip discharge aperture formed through said shroud such that said metal chips drawn through said support plate apertures are removed from within said shroud.

16. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 15 further including a chip chute having first and second ends and a chip hopper, said first end of said chip chute communicating with said shroud chip discharge aperture and said second end of said chip chute communicating with said chip hopper, said chip chute guiding said chips from said shroud to said chip hopper.

17. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 16 wherein said fan shaft is driven independently of said lathe spindle.

18. The wheel chuck assembly of claim 16 wherein said fan shaft is driven by a motor that also rotates said lathe spindle.