Work handling apparatus for center drive lathe

In a work handling apparatus for a center drive lathe having a center chuck defining a horizontal work axis, and a right hand and a left hand turret, said turrets being reciprocable longitudinally and transversely with respect to said axis, each turret providing a plurality of turret faces and being indexed to move said turret faces sequentially to an operative position, the improvement comprising:

• first and second work supporting centers mounted respectively on said right hand and left hand turrets, each work supporting center having a tapered nose and an elongated body portion extending therefrom,
• at least one face of each turret providing mounting means engaging the body portion of the respective work supporting center for locating the work supporting center coaxially with the chuck in the operative position of said one face,
• said mounting means including, respectively, first and second spring biasing means engaging said first and second work supporting centers for biasing said centers axially inwardly towards the chuck,
• the second spring biasing means being weaker than the first spring biasing means, and
• a work locating jig mounted on said left hand turret and extending axially from said one face thereof when said one face is in the operative position,
• the jig providing an abutment shoulder engageable with a workpiece carried between said centers for locating the workpiece axially with respect to the chuck.