Multiple spindle drilling unit

A multiple spindle machine comprising a drive unit including a housing having a coupling face, a plurality of drive shafts mounted in said housing uniformly spaced from each other in a predetermined pattern and projecting outwardly from said coupling face, speed change gears in said housing connected to said drive shafts, and drive means for driving said speed change gears;

• at least one drilling head unit having a counter coupling face provided with a plurality of bores equal in number to said plurality of drive shafts and arranged uniformly spaced from each other in the same pattern as said drive shaft, a plurality of coupling elements turnably mounted in at least some of said bores in said counter coupling face, tool spindle carrier means mounted on said drilling head unit on a face opposite said counter face, a plurality of tool spindles, equal in number to said plurality of coupling elements which are inserted into said bores, rotatably mounted in said tool spindle carrier means and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a plurality of universal joint shafts respectively coupling said coupling elements to said tool spindles, said drilling head unit adapted to be provided with the desired number of coupling elements and drilling spindles connected thereto in any desired drilling pattern while being separated from said drive unit;
• first means for moving the thus set-up drilling head unit in a direction normal to the drive shafts to a position in which said counter coupling face of the drilling head unit is parallel and spaced from said coupling face with said drive shafts respectively aligned with said bores in said counter coupling face;
• and second means for moving one of said units in the axial direction of the drive shafts towards the other unit so as to move drive shafts into coupling engagement with corresponding coupling elements.