FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to lathes.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There is a need to provide a lathe having multiple adaptability for various uses but in particular for use in wood turning although the lathe of the present invention may be used in respect of other operations with respect to other materials such as metals and composite materials.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides in one aspect:-

a lathe having a bed mounted to be rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis.

The present invention also provides in another aspect

a lathe having a head stock comprising a lathe spindle passing through a hollow column and within the hollow column means adapted to connect a vacuum to the interior of the lathe spindle.

PREFERRED ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION

Preferably there is provided a lathe comprising

a first column,

a head stock mounted to the first column,

a second column,

a bed mounted to the second column,

a tail stock mounted to the bed,

means connecting the first and second columns,

and wherein the bed is mounted to the second column to be rotatable in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis.

Preferably the bed is adapted to be rotated as aforesaid over at least 90°, more preferably over at least 180°, still more preferably over at least 270° and most preferably over

at least 360°.

Preferably the bed is mounted to move translationally in said horizontal plane preferably in line with the spindle longitudinal axis.

Preferably the bed is mounted to move translationally in said horizontal plane towards and away from the first column.

Preferably the first column is provided with locating means adapted to locate the bed in a particular relation to the first column.

Preferably the bed is mounted to the second column by mounting means adapted to rotate about a vertical axis.

Preferably releasable means is provided to hold the bed mounting means in a selected rotated position about the vertical axis.

Preferably the bed mounting means comprises guides for guiding the bed in such translational movement.

Preferably releasable means is provided to hold the bed against such translational movement.

Preferably an auxiliary bed is provided which can be mounted to the first mentioned bed.

Preferably the auxiliary bed can be mounted to extend at about right angles to the length of the first mentioned bed.

Preferably an auxiliary bed is provided which can be mounted to the first column.

Preferably the auxiliary bed can be mounted to extend at about right angles to a plane including the head stock.

Preferably the first column is demountable from the means connecting the first column and the second column.

Preferably a stand is provided to which the means connecting the first column and the second column is de ountably attached.

Preferably the lathe spindle has means for controlling the vacuum therewithin.

Specific embodiments of lathes in accordance with this invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a lathe in one condition.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the lathe in another condition,

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the lathe in another condition,

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the lathe in another condition,

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of part of the lathe,

Figure 6 is an isometric view of part of the lathe, and

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of part of the lathe.

INTEGER LIST

1. Lathe

2. Base member 3. First column

4. Second column

6. Bracing member

7. Electric motor

8. Head stock 9. Auxiliary bed

21. Rotatable turntable

22. Lathe bed

23. Tail stock

24. Auxiliary bed 26. Tool rest

26a. Banjo

26b. Band

27. Eccentric clamp shaft

27a. Location dowel 27b. Clamp block

31. Bed

36. Rotating table

37. Guideways 39. Taper pin 41. Clamp bolt

42. Pivot bush

43. Eccentric yoke

44. Eccentric shaft

45. Base plane 51. Lathe spindle

52. Slip rings

53. Vacuum block

54. Ball race

55. Retainer 56. Internal thread for restrictor orifice 57. Connector to vacuum source

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS

In various of the drawings is shown a lathe 1 which comprises a base member 2. The base member 2 serves to connect together a first column 3 and a second column 4 together with a bracing member 6.

The first column 3 is demountable with respect to the base member and carries an electric motor 7 and a lathe head stock 8.

The first column also carries a demountable auxiliary bed 9 which extends outwardly from it.

On the second column is a rotatable turntable 21 which will be described in greater detail hereafter. That rotatable turntable 21 carries a lathe bed 22 on which is mounted a tail stock 23.

The turntable 21 enables the lathe bed 22 to be rotated in various positions and to be translated such as is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.

An auxiliary bed 24 is also demountably detached to the bed 22 as is shown in Figure 3 and may carry a tool rest 26.

The lathe bed 22 may be opened up as is shown in Figure 2 or may be closed to be adjacent to the first column as is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 shows a locating dowel 27 on the first column which will assist in locating the bed when it is closed up to the first column.

The rotary turntable is best seen in Figures 5 and 6 and is described in greater detail with respect thereto.

To the second column 4 is mounted a rotating table 36 which has its centre line coincident with the spindle second centre lines. That rotating table 36 can be held in position by means of a taper pin 39 and this is further assisted by the location dowel 27a.

The table 6 has guide ways 37 which will guide the linear movement of the bed 31.

The table 36 can be clampingly held by means of a clamp bolt 41 which co-operated with a clamp and pivot bush 42 via an eccentric yoke 43 and an eccentric shaft 44.

At the upper end of the second column 4 is a base plane 45 which is horizontal and parallel to the spindle centre lines in all planes.

Operation of the eccentric shaft 44 can be used to loosen or tighten the rotating table 36.

The head stock shown in the drawings can be used, if desired, to carry a vacuum plate but because of dangers associated with applying vacuum lines, the vacuum lines are located within the first column 3.

Thus, a lathe spindle 51 is hollow and has a vacuum block 53 mounted on it.

Bores within the lathe spindle allow vacuum to be connected to the inside of the lathe spindle 51. To ensure against loss of vacuum, slip rings 52 are provided as also is a sealed ball race 54.

A cover plate or retainer 55 is provided.

One end of the lathe spindle is provided with an internal thread for a restrictor orifice which can control the

magnitude of the vacuum and the other end of the spindle would be fitted with a conventional vacuum plate which might be required by a user when necessary.

Other aspects of the present invention which may be of interest or relevance are set out below.

The present design of the lathe provides for a rigid column for the head stock and a sliding swivelling bed supported on a rigid pedestal adjacent to the head stock.

The head stock and support pedestal are connected together on a common base plate and also by a beam mid way up the pedestal.

In one form the lathe utilises a sub-bed which is attached to the head stock and/or the sliding bed (2 sub-beds required).

The sliding bed is attached to the head stock face at right angles in both vertical and horizontal planes by a lever and cam device which pulls the squared off end of the sliding bed hard against the machined face of the head stock column.

This cam lock is easily removed to allow the sliding bed to either slide to the right of the machine, thus extending the centre distance or, alternatively, allow the bed to be swung anywhere through 360° in the horizontal plane whilst resting on the flat top surface of the pedestal.

The bed may be solidly locked in any position by clamp bolt or cam lock.

This improvement to the normally available wood turning lathe enables bowls or discs of large diameter to be easily and safely machined on both inside and outside surfaces

without removing them from the machine chuck or face plate thus permitting truly concentric work to be obtained with only one set up operation.

This improvement to the normally available wood turning lathe also makes it fully universal in that it can be used for both large disc or bowl turning safely and also for conventional spindle turning between centres without makeshift and unsafe adaptations.

The rotating and fully adjustable bed sections locations allows the tool rest to be adjusted and firmly located on a rigid base throughout 180° of large diameter, deep or shallow section work which is not safely achievable on any available wood turning lathe capable of both large bowl and disc turning and conventional spindle turning between centres.

The machine is mainly manufactured from readily available rolled steel sections and may be of cast iron, aluminium, composite plastic or combination of materials.

The reverse cam locking tool rest 26b for bowl turning has the locking handle at the opposite end to the normal currently available tool rest and therefore allows location of the tool rest support bar close to large diameter or face boring work.

This improves versatility and safety by providing a rigid support and guide to a cutting chisel allowing more intricate and accurate work detail and finish to be obtained by the user.

As a comparison, this invention has superior rigidity, safety and ease of operation combined with versatility when compared with other wood turning lathes currently available.

The claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, claims, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof.

Finally it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.