Multi-spindle lathe

Claim 1

IN A MULTI-SPINDLE LATHE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF WORKPIECE MOUNTING SPINDLES, MEANS FOR INDEXING SAID SPINDLES TO SUCCESSIVE WORK STATIONS, MEANS FOR ROTATING EACH OF SAID SPINDLES, AND ROTATABLE TOOL FEED CONTROL CAM MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SPINDLE ROTATING MEANS FOR ROTATION IN TIMED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID SPINDLES; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND TOOL CARRIERS, THERE BEING ONE TOOL CARRIER AT EACH WORK STATION AND OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH RESPECTIVE SPINDLE AT EACH WORK STATION, EACH TOOL CARRIER BEING MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ITS ASSOCIATED SPINDLE, FIRST CAMS INCLUDED IN SAID FEED CONTROL CAM MEANS AND EACH ASSOCIATED WITH A RESPECTIVE FIRST TOOL CARRIER, FIRST FEEDING MEANS EACH MECHANICALLY CONNECTING A FIRST CAM TO ITS ASSOCIATED FIRST TOOL CARRIER TO RECIPROCATE THE LATTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POSITION OF SAID FEED CONTROL CAM MEANS, ELECTRIC MOTOR OPERATED SECOND FEEDING MEANS EACH OPERABLE TO RECIPROCATE A RESPECTIVE SECOND TOOL CARRIER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ITS ASSOCIATED SPINDLE, EACH ELECTRIC MOTOR OPERATED FEEDING MEANS INCLUDING PLANETARY GEARING MEANS HAVING TWO INPUT ELEMENTS AND AN OUTPUT ELEMENT, THE OUTPUT ELEMENT BEING CONNECTED TO THE ASSOCIATED SECOND TOOL CARRIER, A HIGH-SPEED TOOL POSITIONING MOTOR CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE INPUT ELEMENTS, AND A RELATIVELY SLOW-SPEED TOOL FEED MOTOR CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF THE INPUT ELEMENTS, SECOND CAMS INCLUDED IN SAID FEED CONTROL CAM MEANS AND EACH ASSOCIATED WITH A RESPECTIVE SECOND TOOL CARRIER, EACH SECOND CAM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POSITION OF SAID FEED CONTROL CAM MEANS, ENERGIZING THE HIGH-SPEED TOOL POSITIONING MOTOR OF ITS ASSOCIATED SECOND TOOL CARRIER FEEDING MEANS, AND COOPERATING CAM AND SWITCH MEANS OPERABLE BY MOVEMENT OF EACH SECOND TOOL CARRIER TOWARDS ITS ASSOCIATED SPINDLE, SAID COOPERATING CAM AND SWITCH MEANS DEENERGIZING THE ASSOCIATED TOOL POSITIONING MOTOR AFTER A PREDETERMINED TRAVEL OF THE ASSOCIATED SECOND TOOL CARRIER AND ENERGIZING THE ASSOCIATED TOOL FEED MOTOR, AND DEENERGIZING THE ASSOCIATED TOOL FEED MOTOR AND REVERSELY ENERGIZING THE ASSOCIATED TOOL POSITIONING MOTOR RESPONSIVE TO A FURTHER PREDETERMINED MOVEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATED SECOND TOOL CARRIER.