The main features of the TN type standard hydraulic chucks are identical to the traction driven chucks.

The piston of the hydraulic clamping cylinder, attached to the end of the main screw, drives the central pulling head of the chuck through a tube passing through the bore of the main screw, the central nut and the pulley, which forces the internal jaws to move radially through the spline. Clamping jaws are radially adjustable on the teeth on the front face of the inner jaws. The jaws may be of hardened or soft jaw design.

Normal chucks, unlike automatic jaw chucks, do not require any special requirements from CNC lathes, i.e. older controllers or hydraulic actuators can normally be used. Automatic chucks require the ability to position the main screw and a modern controller capable of monitoring/processing it.