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lathe

A machine in which metal, wood or other material is mounted horizontally, rotated, and cut or turned. Material to be revolved in a lathe is mounted either between the centers of the lathe or fixed to the headstock spindle. A lathe can be a small simple tool or a large complicated machine. An ordinary 'clockmaker's' or engineering lathe is seldom made for any special purpose, but when suitably equipped with accessories its versatility is such that an endless variety of work can be machined on it. It can be converted into a drilling, milling, dividing or planing machine. The basic part of a lathe is the bed on which the headstock, which contains the rotating spindle, the tailstock, which has a detachable center, and the toolrest, which supports the cutting tool, are mounted. The headstock spindle and the tailstock runner or barrel can be solid or hollow, and can also be provided with a loose center, face plate, collet or chuck. The toolrest in its simple form supports the cutting tool for hand work, but a compound slide rest has a top slide on which the cutting tool is secured, and permits the tool to be moved axially along the work in the lathe. The top slide is mounted on a cross-slide which moves across the lathe axis, both slides being operated by screws. A compound slide is often fitted to a carriage which moves along the bed of the lathe by means of a rack and pinion, or by gearing to the headstock spindle. The latter is incorporated for the automatic feeding or screw-cutting. A top slide can often be swivelled to an angle relative to the lathe axis for taper turning.

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  • Part of Speech: noun
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  • Industry/Domain: Chronometry
  • Category: Clock
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