Drive system for a workpiece table of a machine tool

In combination with a workpiece table of a machine tool, especially of a gear cutting machine, a drive system for said workpiece table stressed free and independent of play with stiffness and rigidity at table turning speeds, which includes:

• a drive shaft drivingly connectable to a motor, two worm wheel drives of different transmission ratio, each of said worm wheel drives comprising a worm and a worm wheel engageable so as to be stressed free of play at lower speeds, the worms of said worm wheel drives being connected to each other and drivingly connectable to said drive shaft while the transmission ratio of said drivingly interconnected worms equals the reciprocal transmission ratio of said worm wheel drives with regard to each other, the worm wheels of said two worm wheel drives being normally coupled to each other and to said workpiece table and being rotatable in the same direction and at equal speed the latter being dependent on the respective coupled worm wheel drive under stress of play-free driving assured at lower speeds of the workpiece table and also avoiding undue heating-up at higher speeds of the workpiece table.