Controls for multi-spindle lathes

A multi-spindle lathe comprising a base, a drum rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of spindles rotatably mounted in the drum, clutch and brake units associated with the respective spindles, the drum being indexable between a number of positions, a multi pole rotary electrical switch, multiple electrical circuits to the drum being controlled through said switch, a fixed and a rotatable part of the switch, equal numbers of co-operable electrical contacts on the parts of the switch, electrical circuits of which the electrical contacts form part, at least two continuous conductor rings on one of the parts, contacts carried on the other of said parts engaging the conductor rings respectively, further electrical circuits of which the rings and contacts form part, the fixed part of the switch being fixed relatively to the base of the lathe and the rotatable part being indexable with the drum, selection of any one of the possible positions of the switch providing simultaneous connection between a number of said co-operable contacts and also the conductor rings being in contact with their contacts at all possible positions of the switch, a pair of said co-operable contacts forming part of the respective circuits controlling clutch and brake units associated with a respective spindle, the circuits connected to each of such pair of said co-operable contacts including an encoder and a decoder, said encoder and decoder providing signals for actuating the clutch and brake units selectively.