Adjustable precision live center for use with a lathe

A live center for coupling a workpiece to a lathe, comprising:

• a spindle housing with forward and rearward ends at opposite ends of a central axis, having a male dovetail way disposed traverse to said central axis at said rearward end, said spindle housing having an axial central cavity formed therethrough extending from said forward end to said rearward end substantially through said male dovetail way;
• a spindle for coupling to said workpiece carried by said spindle housing in said axial central cavity forming a spindle point forward of said spindle housing, extending rearward in said axial central cavity substantially through said male dovetail way;
• means for rotatably coupling said spindle to said spindle housing and for allowing stable high speed rotation of said spindle relative to said spindle housing, including a bearing assembly disposed in said male dovetail way of said spindle housing, aligned with said axial central cavity of said spindle housing for rotatably coupling said spindle to said male dovetail way to increase stability of said spindle;
• a shank block with forward and rearward ends, having a female dovetail way disposed at said forward end for mating with said male dovetail way of said spindle housing in a position traverse to said central axis of said spindle housing and having a shank for coupling to said lathe at said rearward end;
• and
• means for precisely adjusting the position of said spindle housing relative to said shank block to alter the position of the workpiece relative to said lathe, by moving said male dovetail way traversely to said central axis within said female dovetail way along a line defined by the position of said female dovetail way relative to said lathe.

A live center for coupling a workpiece to a lathe comprising:

• a spindle housing with forward and rearward ends, having an axial central cavity formed therethrough extending from said forward end to said rearward end and having a male dovetail way disposed at said rearward end, wherein said male dovetail way is disposed traverse to said axial central cavity and wherein said axial central cavity extends substantially through said male dovetail way;
• a spindle for coupling to said workpiece, carried by said spindle housing in said axial central cavity, forming a spindle point forward of said spindle housing, and extending rearward in said axial central cavity substantially through said male dovetail way;
• a first bearing assembly concentrically disposed in said spindle housing for rotatably carrying said spindle;
• a second bearing assembly concentrically disposed in said spindle housing rearward of said first bearing assembly in said male dovetail way for rotatably carrying said spindle;
• a shank block with forward and rearward ends, having a female dovetail way disposed at said forward end for mating with said male dovetail way of said spindle housing, and having a shank for coupling to said lathe at said rearward end, wherein said female dovetail way is disposed traverse to said axial central cavity of said spindle housing when coupled to said male dovetail way;
• and
• means for precisely adjusting the position of said spindle housing traverse to said shank block to alter the position of the workpiece relative to said lathe, by moving said male dovetail way within said female dovetail way.

A live center for coupling a workpiece to a tailstock of a lathe, comprising:

• a spindle housing with forward and rearward ends having integrally formed dovetail tenon with a substantially planar mating surface defining a traverse axis disposed at said rearward end, and having an axial central cavity formed therethrough substantially normal to said traverse axis and extending from said forward end to said rearward end substantially through said dovetail tenon, said dovetail tenon having at least one semicircular groove disposed on said substantially planar mating surface substantially normal to said traverse axis;
• a spindle for coupling to said workpiece carried by said spindle housing in said axial central cavity forming a spindle point forward of said spindle housing, extending rearward in said axial central cavity substantially through said dovetail tenon, and terminating in said dovetail tenon;
• means for rotatably coupling said spindle to said housing and for allowing stable high speed rotation of said spindle relative to said spindle housing;
• a shank block with forward and rearward ends having a shank for coupling to said tailstock of said lathe at said rearward end and having an integrally formed dovetail mortise disposed at said forward end having a substantially planar mating surface defining a traverse axis for mating with said dovetail tenon at said traverse axis, said dovetail mortise having a semi-circular trough disposed in said substantially planar surface and aligned with said traverse axis, said semi-circular trough having first and second ends with an outer opening at said first end and an internally threaded bore in said shank block aligned to said traverse axis at said second end;
• a bolt with first and second ends having a threaded rod at said second end for coupling with said internally threaded bore of said shank block and having at least one circular flange disposed at said first end of said bolt each disposed in part in one of said at least one semi-circular grooves in said substantially planar surface of said dovetail tenon;
• and
• wherein advancement or retraction of said threaded rod of said bolt causes said at least one circular flange to bear upon said at least one semi-circular groove of said spindle housing moving said spindle housing relative to said shank block.