The Heron K14 Geared headstock, detachable-gap bed screwcutting lathe was a product of the 1950s and 1960s; it was made in Italy by Misal s.a.s. Leto, who has facilities and offices in Milan and Rome.
The centre height was 7.125" (180mm) and the buyer could choose from between-centres' capacities of 31.5",  40"  or 60". The deeply-ribbed bed had twin V and twin flat ways and was cast from a high-tensile iron with an average Brinell hardness of of 200/220; it was fitted with a generously-proportioned detachable gap able to accept a diameter of 22.75" (575mm) and a plate up to 5.75" thick fastened to the 11.75" (300mm) or 17.75" (450mm) faceplates. Optionally, the bed could be specified hardened with a ground finish and an improved Brinell number of 450.
The oil-sump, splash-lubricated headstock contained 8 speeds: 35,  55,  90,  140,  270,  415,  675 and 1015 rpm - generated by a cluster of case-hardened and ground gears (of which the largest appear to have been rather marginal in their dimensions) and driven by twin V belts from a 1400 rpm 3 hp motor mounted within the headstock-end cabinet leg of the stand. The speeds were changed by two concentrically-mounted levers neatly mounted on the front face of the headstock.
As an extra-cost option a 4 hp motor was available which, in conjunction with a different pulley set,  raised the bottom and top speeds to 50 and 1500 rpm respectively. An alternative specification was available in the form of a  full Timken taper-roller bearing spindle assembly which was offered with a choice of three spindle-speed ranges: 35 to 1015 rpm,  50 to 1500 rpm (standard) and 70 to 2000 rpm. The designation of a Timken roller-bearing head lathe (which included the more powerful 4 hp motor as standard) was KR14.
The 1.375" diameter spindle was manufactured from a heat-treated and ground-finish alloy steel and ran in an adjustable front bronze bush and a roller-race rear bearing; the spindle nose was a L00 long-taper key fitting.
Happily, a multi-plate clutch was fitted as standard, easing the load on the motor and transmission whilst providing useful assistance in starting should the machine have to be run on single-phase power - or from a phase converter.
The oil-bath screwcutting and feeds gearbox was able to generate both English , metric and module threads - but only by changing an appropriate gear on a single stud carried on an easily-adjusted bracket. To make full use of its capabilities, extra gears were also needed supplement the threading ranges. The KR14 roller-bearing headstock model was fitted as standard with automatic stops on both the sliding and surfacing feeds - but was an extra-cost option on the plain front-bearing K14. In place of a tumble-reverse mechanism a lever, fastened to the right-hand side of the double-wall, oil-bath apron, provided a means of instantly reversing the direction of the power sliding, surfacing and screwcutting feeds.ment
Provided as standard with a new machine were: full collant equipment ready to run, fixed and travelling steadies, 8 extra screwcutting changewheels, one driver plate, two centres, keys, charts and an instruction book.