Automatic lathe and method of controlling same

A method of controlling an automatic lathe comprising a lathe main body with a main spindle table mounted thereon, a tool rest main body freely movable on the lathe main body at least in a z-axis direction parallel with a main spindle axis, a turret mounted on the tool rest main body and capable of relatively moving in the z-axis direction against the tool rest main body and indexing around a rotary center parallel to the z-axis, and a pair of coupling members installed on the tool rest main body and the turret, respectively, and capable of engaging with and disengaging from each other as a result of a relative movement in the z-axis direction taking place between the tool rest main body and the turret;

• said method characterized in that a relative movement between the turret and the main spindle table is eliminated by moving the tool rest main body in the z-axis direction, relative to the lathe main body, in synchronization with the relative movement in the z-axis direction taking place between the tool rest main body and the turret.

A method of controlling an automatic lathe comprising a lathe main body with a tool rest main body mounted thereon, a main spindle table movable on the lathe main body at least in a z-axis direction parallel with a main spindle axis, a turret mounted on the tool rest main body so as to be freely movable in the z-axis direction and freely indexable around a rotary center parallel to the Z-axis, and a pair of coupling members installed on the tool rest main body and the turret, respectively, and capable of engaging with and disengaging from each other as a result of a movement of the turret in the z-axis direction;

• said method characterized in that a relative movement between the turret and the main spindle table is eliminated by moving the main spindle table in the z-axis direction, relative to the lathe main body, in synchronization with the movement of the turret in the z-axis direction.

A method of controlling an automatic lathe comprising a lathe main body with a main spindle table mounted thereon, a tool rest main body freely moveable on the lathe main body at least in an x-axis direction orthogonal to a main spindle axis, a turret mounted on the tool rest main body and capable of relatively moving in the x-axis direction against the tool rest main body and indexing around a rotary center parallel to the Z-axis x-axis, and a pair of coupling members installed on the tool rest main body and the turret, respectively, and capable of engaging with and disengaging from each other as a result of a relative movement in the x-axis direction taking place between the tool rest main body and the turret;

• said method characterized in that a relative movement between the turret and the main spindle table is eliminated by moving the tool rest main body in the x-axis direction relative to the lathe main body, in synchronization with the relative movement in the x-axis direction taking place between the tool rest main body and the turret.