4

CAPSTAN AND TURRET LATHES

4.1 INTRODUCTION

Acapstan or a turret lathe is a production lathe used to

manufacture any
number of identical pieces in the minimum time. These lathes are
development of engine lathes. The capstan lathe was first developed in the
United States of America by Pratt and Whitney sometimes in 1860.
The capstan or turret lathe consists of a bed, all geared headstock,
and a saddle on which a four station tool post is mounted to hold four
different tools. A tool post fitted at the rear of the carriage holds a parting
tool in an inverted position. The tool post mounted on the cross-slide is
indexed by hand. In a capstan or turret lathe there is no tailstock, but in its
place ahexagonal turret is mounted on a slide which rests upon the bed.
All the six faces of the turret can hold six or more number of different
tools.. The turret may be indexed automatically and each tool may be
brought in line with the lathe axis in a regular sequence. The workpieces
are held in collets or in chucks. The longitudinai and cross feed movement
of the turret saddle and cross-slide are regulated by adjustable stops. These
stops enable different tools set at different stations to move by a
predetermined amount for performing different operations on repetitive
workpieces without measuring the length or diameter of the machined
surface in each case. These special characteristics of a capstan or turret
iathe enables it to perform a series of operations such as turning, drilling,
boring, thread cutting, reaming, necking, chamfering, cutting-of and many
other operations in a regular sequence to produce a targe number of
identical pieces in a minimum time.
42 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CAPSTAN AND TURRET AND
AN ENGINE LATHE

Although a capstan and a turret lathe is a development of an engine lathe

they possess certain basic differences as regards thcir construction,
operation and use. The differences are :
184 ELEMENTS OF WORKSHOP TECHNOLOGY

1. The headstock of aturret lathe is similar to that of

lathe in onstruction but posscss wider range of specds,an
heavier in construction. For,similar sizes of engine
capstan andand is of
lathe and engine lathe, when an engine lathe
will requireturreta
motor of 3h.p. to drive its spindle and other parts, a
turret lathe will demand power as high as 15 h.p. for capstan and
production. high rate of
2. The tool post mounted on the crosS-slide of a turret
lathe
four way tool post which holds four toolsthat may be is a
by 90°and each tool may be brought into operation in aindexed
order. In addition to this, there is a rear tool post
mounted regular
the carriage which holds another tool, whereas in the upon
case
engine lathe the usual practice is to hold only one tool of an
tool post, and for different operations the tool.must be
changed
and will require too much of setting time in repetitive works
3. In a turret lathe, the tailstock of an engine latheis replaced by a
turret. This is a six sided block each side of which may carmy
one or more tools. Thus, in place of táilstock in a centre lafh
which can accommodate only one tool of limited size, the siv
faces of the turret hold six or more tools. These tools mav he
indexed one after the another to perform different operations in
a regular order. This is a decisive advantage in mass production
work.
4. The feed movement of each tool set on square or hexagonal
turret may be regulated by stops and feed trips. They enable the
same tool to perform operation on each workpicce to a
predetermined amount making duplication of work without
further measurement.
5. In a turret lathe, combination cuts can be taken. Two or more
tools may be mounted on the same face of the turret, making it
possible to machine more than one surface at a time. This
feature reduces total operational time. In a centre lathe, this type
of arrangement is quite uncommon.
6. The labour cost required to operate a capstan or turret lathe iS
less than that required in a centre lathe. Once the tools have
been set in thè turret holders to perform different operations and
the stop and feed trips have been adjusted to determine ne
machine
correct machining lengths, the operation of the
becomes very simple. A semiskilled operator. can operate a
capstan or turret lathe after the machine has been set upP "for
skilled machinist. A skillcd machinist may be requisitioned
 CAPSTAN AND TURRET LATHES 185

whercas actual
settingup only for alarge number of machines,
production may be given by asemiskilled operator.
Capstanand turret lathes are not usually fitted with leadscrews
7. threads similar to an engine lathe. The threads are
for cutting leadscrew,
usually cut by dieheads and taps. Ashort length of
called "chasing screw" are sometimes provided for cutting
threads by achaser in a turret lathe.
g The capstan or turret lathe is
fundamentally a production
machine, capable of producing large number of identical pieces
or
in a minimum time. The special feature of holding eleven
regular
more tools which may be brought into operation initsause as a
justifies
sequence and the use of feed trips and stops
centre lathe is
production machine. On the other hand, the
suitable for odd jobs having different shapes and sizes.
engine lathe is a versatile machine capable of
In short, an within its limit. The machine is
type of jobs
machining any or every considerable time is taken to set different
unsuitable as aproduction unit as
the lathe after each operation and for each job. On
tools on the tool post of machine.
capstan or turret lathe is a mass production
the other hand, the machined. The
where only one or few jobs are to be
They are unsuitable
compared to an engine lathe does not justify its use
higt initial setting time jobs.
in a single or few number of
TYPES OF MACHINE
43
:
of horizontal lathes of this family are
The two main types
lathe.
The capstan or ram type
1. saddle type lathe.
2. The turret or
lathe or capstan
lathe : The ram type turret
type or ashort
The capstan or ram the hexagonalturret on ram
Fig4.] carries clamped on
lathe as shown in longitudinally on a saddle positioned and and is
slide. The ram slides type of machine Is lighter in construction
mounted on
lathe bedways. This b¡r ofsmaller diameter. The tools are
suitable for
machining
six faces of the hcxagonal turret. The feeding
and and
left to the right,
the Square turret when the ram moves from
obtained
movement is
moved backward the turret indexes automatically and the
when the ram is face comes into operation.
next
on the
tools mòunted
 186 ELEMENTS OF WORKSHOP TECHNOLOGY

HEADSTOCK
SPINDL E
REVOLVES ADJUSTMENT
FEED
CROSS-SLIDE SPINDLE SPEEO
-REAR TOOL
POST
RAN SOUARE
(INDEXES)TURRET
SIDE HUNG CARRIAGE

SQUARE HEX.
TURRET TURRET
(INDEXES) (INDEXES)
REACH OVER SADDLE
CARRIAGE BED
RAM TYPE
SADDLE TYPE

Figure 4.1 Ram type (capstan) and saddle type (turret) lathes
(Reproduced from Doyle et al)
The turret or saddle type lathe: The hexagonal turret as shown in
Fig.4.1 is mounted directly on a saddle and the whole unit moves back and
forth on the bedways to apply feed. This type of turret lathe is heavier in
construction and is particularly adapted for larger diameter barwork and
chucking work. The machine can accommodate longer workpieces than
that in a capstan lathe.

2 3
6
00

Figure 4.2 Capstan and turret lathe to

1. Hexagonal turret, 2. Auxiliary slide, 3. Fced show their difference
stop rod, 4. Lathe bed,
S.
Handwheel for auxiliary slide, 6. Saddle, 7. Turret saddle, 8. Handwheel forsaddle.
 CAPSTAN AND TURRET LATHES 187

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACAPSTAN AND A TURRET

4.4
LATHE

identical in the first

The capstan and turret lathes although appear to be and use. The
sight, present lot of differences in construction, operation
following are the difference between capstan and turret lathes :
slide or ram
1. The turret of a capstan lathe is mounted on a short
which slides on the saddle. The saddle is clamped on bedways
after adjusting the length of the workpiece. Thus in a capstan
lathe, the travel of the turret is dependent upon the length of the
work to
travel of the ram. This limits the maximum length of the
lathe is
be machined in one setting. The turret of a turret This
bed.
mounted on asaddle which slides directly on the
the
feature enables the turret to be moved on the entire length of
bed and can machine longer work.
is mounted on the saddle
2. In the case of a turret lathe, the turret
of
which slides directly on the lathe bedways. This type the
as
construction provides utmost rigidity to the tool support
directly. In the
entire cutting load is taken up by the lathe bed the work, the
feeds into
case of a capstan lathe as the ram presents a
overhanging of the ram from the stationary saddle
deflection
non-rigid construction which is subjected to bending,
this reason the turret
or vibration under heavy cutting load. For cutting conditions,
lathe can operate under severe
accommodating heavier workpieces with high cutting speeds,
turming bars
of
feeds, and depth of cuts. Turret lathes are capable
h.p. in the
125 to 200 mm in diameter and absorbing upto 50
capstan lathe
main drive, whereas maximum size of bar that a
diameter.
can accommodate is 60mm in
handled on a
3. Larger and heavier chucking works are usually work.
for bar
turret lathe,whereas a capstan lathe is suitable
can be moved back
4. On the capstan lathe, the hexagonal turret entire
and forth much more rapidly without having to move the
saddle unit.Thus capstan lathes are particularly handy for small
articles which require light and fast cuts. While operating the
machine by hand, the cuts are sensitive and there is less fatigue
to the operator due to the lightness of the ram, whereas in the
case of a turret lathe, the hand feeding is a laborious process due
to the movement of the entire saddle unit.
5. Some turret type lathes are equipped with crosswise movement
 188 ELEMENTSOF WORKSHOP TECHNOL0GY

of the hexagonal turret. The crosswise movement may be

effected by hand or power. This feature enables turning of large
diameters, facing, contour turning and many other operations on
the lathe.
6. Heavier turret lathes are equipped with
power chucks like air
operated chucks for holding larger sizes of work quickly.
7. In the case of acapstan
lathe, the cross-slide is mounted on a
carriage which rests on bedways.between
The carriage rests on both the front headsock and the ram.
the bed. Some turret type and rear ways on the top of
lathes are
type carriage. The carriage of this typeequipped with side hung
from the rear bedways but does not require support
slides on the top and bottom
guideways provided at the front of the lathe. This construction
enables larger diameter of work to be
bedways. There is no rear tool post on this swung above the lathe
as the carriage does not type of the machine
extend upto the rear
bedways.
45
PRINCIPAL PARTS OF CAPSTAN AND
TURRET LATHES
The furret lathe has
turret and complex essentially the same parts as the engine lathe except the
mass production work. mechanism incoporated in it for making it
lathe and Fig. 4.4 showsFig. 4.3 illustrates the 'suitable for
different parts of a
are the principal parts the different parts of a turret lathe. The capstan
ofacapstan and turret
lathe: following
Bed: The bed is a long box like
casting provided with accurate
guideways
2 3

8 7

1.Headstock, 2. Figure 43 Capstan lathe parts