E-MAIL Tony@lathes.co.uk
"Quick-Change Swing Precision Lathe"
Plain-Bearing Headstocks Ball-bearing Headstocks Compound Slides Accessories Turret Lathes
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Toolroom Lathe Milling Accessories Precision Drills Pinion Cutter Screwcutting & Power Feed
Millers Cataract Equipped Workshop Late Stands Early Stands & Multiple Lathe Mounts History
Designed by Mr. Franklin Hardinge and in production for the first time during World War 1 (1914 -1918) the fabulous Hardinge 9" x 28" "Cataract Quick Change Swing Precision Lathe" was a new departure for the company. The specification was excellent with a 21/32-inch diameter front headstock bearing and a hardened and ground 1.25" bore spindle; a full screwcutting gearbox drove a 1-inch diameter 6 tpi leadscrew with a separate powershaft for the standard-fit power sliding and surfacing (both engaged by friction clutches) with an automatic, precision-adjustable disengagement to the sliding feed; extremely long saddle wings - which overlapped the headstock by several inches - taper turning as standard, a 360 degree swivel top, twin-clamp tailstock and a useful swing-out rotating collet tray beneath the chip tray. The power feeds could be instantly changed through three rates by a separate control working through the gearbox input gears.
As standard the lathe's capacity was, considering the enormous depth, width and weight of the bed, very modest but, as its name implied ("Quick Change Swing"), it was possible to make better use of its strength and order a set of raiser blocks for headstock, tailstock and toolpost that took the centre height from 4.5 to a more useful 7.5 inches. These blocks were missing from an example owned by the Author some time ago (date stamped 1917), a machine that had been standing neglected for many years; although superficially in poor order, the quality shone through and with just a thorough cleaning, careful oiling and attention to the main adjustments it was successfully restored to active duty.
The writer would like to improve the coverage given to this lathe and if you own an example, or have any literature concerning it, he would be very interested to hear from you.. An owner in the USA, Dan Adamchick, of Buffalo New York, has one of these lathes with a dismantled gearbox. If you can offer any advice about its reassembly he would be very pleased to hear from you. Please email: doozer75@adelphia.net
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Based on the bed used for the "Cataract Quick Change Swing Precision Lathe" the "Turret Tool Post Lathe" was specially designed for the precision production of work associated with optical parts - especially lens mountings and other jobs where several operations on delicate materials involving turning, boring, recessing and internal and external threading had to be done on one undisturbed setting. Threading was by a headstock-mounted chasing unit with an independently-adjustable double tool head that allowed internal and external threading to be done on one setting whilst each of the six tools in the cross-slide mounted turret was independently adjustable for "diameters and lengths". The headstock bearings were equipped with oil reservoirs with feed by wicks. E-MAIL Tony@lathes.co.uk Plain-Bearing Headstocks Ball-bearing Headstocks Compound Slides Accessories Turret Lathes Plain-bearing Bench Lathes Production Accessories Special Tailstocks Grinding Accessories Toolroom Lathe Milling Accessories Precision Drills Pinion Cutter Screwcutting & Power Feed Millers Cataract Equipped Workshop Late Stands Early Stands & Multiple Lathe Mounts |
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