Capstan & Turret Lathe
Limitations of a centre
lathe
The
setting time for the job is high.
Even though four tools are mounted
on a square tool post only one tool
can be used.
The idle times involved in the setting
the jobs and tools is high.
Required skilled operator.
Due to these, the centre lathe cannot
be used for mass production work.
Thus,
the centre lathe is modified
to improve the production rate.
The
various modified lathes are.
1. Turret and capstan lathes.
2. Automatics.
The
improvements
are
achieved
basically in the following areas:
Work
holding methods.
Multiple tool availability.
Automatic feeding of the tools.
Automatic stopping of tools at precise
locations.
Automatic
control of the proper
sequence of operations.
Main Parts of Capstan & Turret
Lathe
Bed,
Head
stock,
Cross slide & Saddle,
Turret saddle.
Capstan Lathe
It
is ram type turret lathe.
Hexagonal turret is mounted on the
ram slide.
Saddle is clamped to the bed at a
desired position.
It is lighter in construction.
Suitable for bars of smaller diameter.
Tools are mounted on the turrets
[Square & Hexagonal].
Feed
is obtained when ram
moves towards headstock.
When ram moves backwards, the
turret indexes automatically.
So
next
tool
comes
into
operation.
Used for mass production of
small
to
medium
sized
components.
Turret Lathes.
It
is saddle type turret lathe.
Hexagonal
turret is mounted
directly on the saddle.
Saddle is clamped to the bed at a
desired position.
It is heavier in construction.
Suitable for bars of large diameter.
Tools are mounted on the turrets
[Square & Hexagonal].
Feed
is obtained when saddle
moves towards headstock.
When saddle moves backwards,
the turret indexes automatically.
So
next
tool
comes
into
operation.
Used for mass production.
It
can accommodate longer
workpieces than that in capstan
lathe.
Turret indexing
mechanism
The
carriage, cross-slide, turret
slide and the saddle holding the
turret may be fed into the work
by power.
Construction
This
mechanism is also called as
Geneva mechanism.
There is a small vertical spindle
fixed on the turret saddle.
At the top of the spindle, the turret
head is mounted.
Just below the turret head, a circular
index plate having six slots, a bevel
gear and a ratchet are mounted.
There
is a spring actuated plunger
mounted on the saddle which locks the
index plate.
This prevents the rotation of turret during
the machining operation.
A pin fitted on the plunger projects out of
the housing.
An actuating cam and an indexing pawl
are fitted to the lathe bed at the required
position.
Both cam and pawl are spring loaded.
As
the turret reaches the backward
position, the actuating cam 10 lifts the
plunger 14 out of the groove in the
index plate due to the riding of the pin
13 on the beveled surface of the cam
10 and thus unlocks the index plate 2.
The spring loaded pawl 7 which by this
time engages with a groove on the
ratchet plate 4 causes the turret to
rotate as the turret head moves
backward.
When
the index plate or the turret
rotates through one sixth of
revolution, the pin 13 and plunger
14 drops out of cam 10 and the
plunger locks the index plate at the
next groove.
The turret is thus index by one
sixth of revolution and again locked
into the new position automatically.
The
turret holding the next tool is now
fed forward and the pawl is released
from the ratchet plate by the spring
pressure.
The ratio of the teeth between the
pinion and gear are so chosen that
when the tool mounted on the face of
the turret is indexed to bring it to the
cutting position, the particular stop rod
for controlling the longitudinal travel of
the tool is aligned with stop 12
The
setting of the stop rods 8 for
limiting the feed of each operation
may be adjusted by unscrewing
the lock nuts and rotating the stop
rods on the plate.
Thus six stop rods may be
adjusted
for
controlling
the
longitudinal travel of the tools
mounted on the six faces of the
turret.
Bar Feeding Mechanism
The
capstan and turret lathes while
working on bar work require some
mechanism for bar feeding.
The long bars require to be fed
through the spindle up to the bar stop.
After the operation is completed, the
collet chuck is opened and the bar is
fed.
In simple cases, the bar may be
pushed by hand.
Various
types of bar feeding
mechanisms have been designed
which push the bar forward
immediately after the collet
releases
the
work
without
stopping the machine, enabling
the setting time to be reduced to
the minimum.
The
bar is passed through the bar
chuck, spindle and then through the
collet chuck.
The bar chuck rotates in the sliding
bracket body which is mounted on a
long sliding bar.
The
bar chuck grips the bar
centrally by two set screws and
rotates with the bar in the sliding
bracket body.
One
end of the chain is connected to
the pin fitted on the sliding bracket
and the other end supports a weight.
The chain running over two fixed
pulleys is mounted on the sliding bar.
The weight constantly exerts end
thrust on the bar chuck while it
revolves on the sliding bracket and
forces the bar when the moment the
collet chuck is released.
Thus
bar feeding may be accomplished
without stopping the machine.
In this way the bar is fed without
stopping the machine.
After a number of such feedings, the bar
chuck will approach the rear end of the
head stock.
Now the bar chuck is released from the
bar and brought to the left extreme
position. Then it is screwed on to the
bar.
Differences between Capstan &
Turret lathe
S.N
o
Capstan lathe
Turret lathe
It is a light duty machine
It is a heavy duty machine
The turret head is mounted on
the ram and the ram is
mounted on the saddle.
The turret head is directly mounted
on the saddle and the saddle slides
over the bed ways
The saddle will not be moved
during machining
The saddle is moved along with the
turret head during machining
The lengthwise movement of
turret is less
The lengthwise movement of turret is
more
Short work pieces only can be
machined.
Long work pieces can be machined
It is easy to move the turret
head as it slides over the ram
It is difficult to move the turret head
along with saddle
The turret head cannot be
moved crosswise
The turret head can bbe moved
crosswise in some turret lathes
As the construction of lathe is
not rigid, heavy cut cannot be
given
As the construction of lathe is rigid,
heavy cut can be given
It is used for machining work
pieces up to 60mm diameter
It is used for machining work pieces
up to 200mm diameter
