Vertical multi-drill spindle-fluid adapter

A spindle-fluid adapter connectable to a vertical multi-drill for utilizing drill bits having thru-shank fluid passageways, comprising:

• a connecting element having first and second spaced apart opposed mounting plates each having a plurality of respective, generally coaxial openings, said first mounting plate being connectable to the vertical multi-drill;
• a cooling fluid header having a housing, a chamber, an inlet in communication with the chamber, said header having a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through and generally coaxially aligned with the openings of the connecting element and being connected to the second mounting plate of the connecting element;
• a plurality of thrust bearings each being removably connected to the connecting element second mounting plate and extending into a respective header opening;
• a plurality of spindles, each having first and second end portions and a middle portion, said spindles each extending through a respective opening of the connecting element, a respective thrust bearing, a respective opening of the header and the header chamber, said spindle first end portion being connectable to power means and rotatable in said openings, said second end portion being releasably connectable to a respective drill bit, and said middle spindle portion having a fluid passageway opening on one end in communication with the header chamber and at the other end in communication with a fluid passageway of a respective drill bit in the installed position of a drill bit in said spindle second end portion.