f.Essential Features Of the Lathe.

Lathe Operations
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the principal parts in detail, remember that all lathes provide the same

general function even though the design may differ among manufacturers.

Figure 4 on the following page provides a general illustration of the parts

normally found on a lathe. For specific details on a given lathe, refer to

the manufacturer's technical manual for that machine.

(2) Bed and Ways. The bed is the base for the working parts of the lathe.

The main feature of the bed is the ways which are formed on the bed's upper

surface and which run the full length of the lathe.

The tailstock and

carriage slide on the ways in alignment with the headstock. The headstock

is normally permanently bolted at one end (at the operator's left).

(a) The ways are accurately machined parallel to the axis of the spindle

and to each other. The V-ways are guides that allow the carriage and the

tailstock to move over them only in their longitudinal direction. The flat

way takes most of the downward thrust. The carriage slides on the outboard

V-ways which, because they are parallel to the V-ways, keep the carriage in

alignment with the headstock and tailstock at all times.

This is an

absolute necessity if accurate lathe work is to be done. Some lathe beds

have two V-ways and two flat ways, while others have four V-ways.

(b) For satisfactory performance of a lathe, the ways must be kept in

good condition. A common fault of careless machinists is to use the bed as

an anvil for driving arbors or as a shelf for hammers, wrenches, and chucks.

Never allow anything to strike the ways or damage their finished surfaces in

any way. Keep them free of chips. Wipe them off daily with an oiled cloth

to help preserve their polished surface.

(3) Headstock.

(a) The headstock carries the head spindle and the mechanism for driving

it.

In the belt-driven type headstock, the driving mechanism consists

merely of a cone pulley that drives the spindle