IPE 401
Machine Tools
Engine Lathes
Introduction
Lathe is a machine tool, which removes the metal from a
piece of work to the required shape, size and surface finish.
It is used primarily for working with cylindrical materials.
Lathes are basically used for “turning” operation.
Do you agree?
Basically. “threading” is performed on lathe machine.
High feed corresponds to threading.
Low feed corresponds to micro-threading/ turning.
All of our modern machine tools have been developed from
engine lathes.
Engine Lathe Components
or, half-nut lever
Block Diagram of a Standard Engine Lathe
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Headstock: Holds the jaws for the workpiece, supplies power
to the jaws and has various drive speeds.
Bed: supports all major components.
Carriage: slides along the ways and consists of the
cross‐slide, tool post, apron, compound rest.
Tailstock: supports the other end of the workpiece.
Feed Rod and Lead Screw: These are powered by a set of
gears from the headstock.
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Headstock, feed gear box
(or, quick-change gear
box), and prime mover
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Bed
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Carriage
Main Elements of an Engine Lathe
Tailstock
Headstock
The headstock is the powered end (powered by the prime
mover which is a 3ɸ induction motor) and is always at the
operator’s left.
This contains the speed changing gears and the revolving,
driving spindle, to which any one of several types of work
holders is attached. The center of the spindle is hollow so that
long bars may be put through it for machining.
A live centre, a face plate, collet or a chuck can be fitted to
the spindle nose to hold and drive the work.
Headstock spindle can be driven by a stepped pulley and a
belt or by transmission gears in the headstock.
Headstock
Headstock
Transmission of Motion from the Motor to the Spindle and to the carriage:
3 phase induction motor
Output shaft of the motor
(by means of
V-belt pulley)
Feed gear box (by Headstock
gear transmission)
(by gear transmission, or by a
stepped pulley & a belt)
Feed Rod / Lead Screw
Spindle
Carriage
Lathe Bed
The Bed forms the base of a Lathe machine.
It provides a heavy rigid frame on which all the other basic
components are mounted. It must be rigid enough to resist
deflection in any direction under load.
The bed is made of cast iron, and is supported on legs, a
cabinet, or a bench.
The headstock and the tailstock are located at either end of
the bed and the carriage rests over the Lathe bed and
slides over it.
Lathe Bed
Bed-ways
The ways of the lathe are the
flat or V‐shaped surfaces on
which the carriage and the
tailstock are moved left and
right.
Each has its separate pair of
ways, often one flat surface,
for stability, and one V‐way
for guidance in a perfectly
straight line.
These ways are hardened
and scraped or ground to
close tolerances.
The basic accuracy of
movement of the carriage
depends on the ways.
Tailstock
It is located at the right end of
the bed.
It supports the other end of the
work when it is being
machined between centers and
holds a tool for performing
operations such as drilling,
reaming.
The tailstock is non‐rotating but
on hardened ways, it can be
moved, to the left or right, to
adjust to the length of the
work. It can also be offset for
cutting small angle tapers.
Feed Rod and Lead Screw
From the feed gear box, we get motions of two components.
(i) Feed Rod (solid shaft used for turning)
(ii) Lead Screw (threaded shaft used for thread-cutting)
Suppose, you have switched on the machine. Then what?
Spindle will start rotating
As a result, both feed rod and lead screw will also rotate
For automatic feed, engage the lead screw, or the feed rod with the
carriage.
The gear train connected to the lead screw from the feed gear box
provides high feed.
Vice versa for feed rod.
Why two different rods?
To increase reliability (or, decrease failure probability)
One increases the service life of the other
Carriage
The controls on the carriage control
all the tool and carriage movement.
Carriage feeds:
Longitudinal Feed or “Turning” :The
tool is fed along the work.
Cross Feed or “Facing” : The tool is
fed across the work.
Power feed (automatic feed) for
turning and facing is used for
greater control and accuracy.
Speed is controlled by the “feed
gear box” and the “quick change
gear box”.
Carriage
CROSS FEED KNOB
Carriage Parts
Carriage consists of the following
parts:
Saddle,
Cross‐slide,
Compound‐slide or compound
rest,
Tool post, and
Apron.
Saddle
The saddle is an
H‐shaped casting that fits
over the bed and slides
along the bed-ways.
Cross Slide
The cross slide is mounted on
the carriage and can be
moved in and out
perpendicular to the carriage
motion.
Mainly used for facing.
Is also used to set the depth of
cut when turning.
The cross slide can be moved
by its hand wheel or by power
feed.
A screw is situated inside the
hand-wheel. When one rotates
the hand-wheel, the screw
converts the rotation motion to
cross motion of the cross slide.
Compound Rest
The compound rest is fitted on the
top of the cross‐slide, is used to
support the cutting tool.
It can be swiveled to any angle for
taper turning operations and is
moved manually.
Helps in adjusting the tool in
various positions.
Working Mechanism of Apron
Apron mechanism is used for transferring rotary motion of the
feed‐rod and the lead‐screw into feed motion of the carriage.
Both automatic longitudinal and cross‐feed can be provided to the
carriage by gears and clutch engagements.
The mechanism is so designed that when the half‐nut is engaged
with the lead‐screw, the feed motion from the feed‐ rod is
disconnected.
There is an interlocking device which prevents simultaneous
engagement of the carriage with the feed‐shaft and lead‐screw and
saves the machine from any probable damage.
Lead Screw and the Half-Nut Mechanism
The half nut makes the carriage to
engage or disengage with the
lead‐screw.
It comprises of a pair of half nuts
capable of moving in or out of mesh
with the lead screw.
The half nut can be engaged with the
lead screw by means of a lever
provided on the apron.
When the lead screw rotates, the half
nut moves longitudinally along with
the carriage.
This mechanism is called half nut
mechanism.
The half nut or split nut is used only
for thread cutting.
Feed Rod and Worm Gear, Rack & Pinion Mechanism
The feed‐rod is a long shaft that
has a keyway.
The power is transmitted from
the lathe spindle to the apron gears
through a feed‐rod via a large
number of gears.
Tool Post
The tool post is mounted on the compound rest.
This can be any of several varieties but in its
simplest form is merely a slotted cylinder, which
can be moved, left or right in the T‐slot in the
compound and clamped in place.
It can also be rotated so as to present the cutter
to the work at whatever angle is best for the job.
Size of Lathe
Length of Bed (A)
Distance Between Centers (B): The longest workpiece which can be
held on centers between the headstock and the tailstock.
Maximum swing diameter without touching the bed (C): The largest
diameter workpiece which will clear the bed of the lathe. The center is the
headstock spindle center.
Maximum swing diameter without touching the cross slide (D): The
largest diameter workpiece which will clear the cross slide is sometimes
also specified.
Size of Lathe
Lathe Accessories
Chuck: Used for short workpiece
Three Jaw Self-Centering Chuck
Four Jaw Independent Chuck
Collet Chuck (will be covered in Turret Lathes)
Magnetic Chuck
In case of long workpiece center to center operation might be
needed. Lathe centers are used then.
Rest: Used for machining small diameter and long workpiece
Steady Rest
Follower Rest
Face-plate and Lathe Dog: Used for holding complex shaped
workpiece and long workpiece respectively.
Mandrels: Used for holding workpiece with previously machined hole.
Conical Mandrel
Expanding Mandrel
Chuck
Three Jaw Self Centering Chuck
A three jaw chuck is used for gripping cylindrical workpieces.
The jaws have a series of teeth that mesh with spiral grooves on a circular
plate within the chuck.
This plate can be rotated by the key inserted in the square socket, resulting
in simultaneous radial motion of the jaws.
Since the jaws maintain an equal distance from the chuck axis, cylindrical
workpieces are automatically centered when gripped.
Chuck
Four Jaw Independent Chuck
This is independent chuck generally has four jaws, which are adjusted
individually on the chuck face by means of chuck wrench.
With the four jaw chuck, each jaw can be adjusted independently by rotation
of the radially mounted threaded screws.
Although accurate mounting of a workpiece can be time consuming, a four‐ jaw
chuck is often necessary for non‐ cylindrical workpieces.
Rest
Steady Rest
A steady rest is used to support long work
held in a chuck or between lathe centers.
It is located on, and aligned by, the ways of
the lathe and may be positioned at any point
along the lathe bed, provided it clears the
carriage travel.
The three jaws, tipped with plastic, bronze,
or rollers, may be adjusted to support any work
diameter within the steady rest capacity.
During machining operations performed on or near the end of a
workpiece, a steady rest supports the end of work held in a chuck, when the
work cannot be supported by the tailstock center.
A steady rest also supports the center of long work to prevent springing
when the work is machined between centers.
Rest
Follower Rest
A follower rest, mounted on the saddle, travels with the carriage to
prevent work from springing up and away from the cutting tool.
Face-Plate
Faceplates are used to hold work that is too
large or of such a shape that it cannot be held
in a chuck or between centers.
Faceplates are usually equipped with several slots to permit the use of
bolts to secure the work or angle plate so that the axis of the workpiece
may be aligned with the lathe centers.
Lathe Dog Drive Plate
Before supporting the workpiece between
the centers (one in the headstock and one in
the tailstock), a clamping device called a
‘dog’ is secured to the workpiece.
The lathe dog has an opening to receive
the work and a setscrew to fasten the dog
to the work.
The tail of the dog fits into a slot on the
drive plate and provides the drive to the
workpiece.
Mandrel
Conical Mandrel
It has very accurately countersunk centers at each end for
mounting between centers.
The ends of the mandrel are smaller than the body and have
machined flats for the lathe dog to grip.
Since conical machine mandrels have a very slight taper,
they are limited to workpieces with specific inside diameters.
Taper Turning Methods
Four different methods can be used:
Turning tapers by setting-over the tailstock
Turning tapers by engaging simultaneously two feed
movements (combinational feed method)
Turning tapers by swiveling the swivel plate with the top slide
Turning tapers by using the taper turning attachment
By Setting-over the Tailstock
This involves moving the
tailstock center out of line
with the headstock center.
The amount that the tailstock
may be offset is limited.
This method will not permit
steep tapers to be turned.
Method
Loosen the tailstock clamp nut.
Offset the upper part of the tailstock by loosening one setscrew
and tightening the other until the required amount is indicated on the
graduated scale at the end of the tailstock
By Setting-over the Tailstock
/2
Workpiece length or
distance between the centers, L
h
sin or tan
2 2 L
h L sin L tan
2 2
By Swiveling the Swivel Plate
With the Top Slide
Method
Loosen the compound rest lock
screws.
Swivel the compound rest to one-
half of the taper angle.
Tighten the compound rest lock
screws.
Set the cutting tool at right angles
to the taper to be cut.
Tighten the tool-post securely.
Move the carriage to position the cutting tool near the start of the
taper and then lock the carriage.
Turn the taper by feeding the cutting tool using the compound rest
feed handle.
By Using the Taper Turning
Attachment
Components
1. Brackets
2. Guide bar
3. Guide block
** α is the half of the taper
angle
By Using the Taper Turning
Attachment
Components
Brackets (1) are bolted to the rear
side of the bed
Guide bar (2) is secured on the
brackets at the required angle to
the workpiece axis
Guide block (3) is mounted freely
on the guide bar and connected to
the cross slide of the carriage.
The cross slide is disconnected from the saddle by removing the
cross feed screw.
When the carriage travels longitudinally, the cross slide will move
crosswise at the same time.
Thus, the tool will move at an angle equal to α