Milling Heads
On the left is a non standard Pittler milling head which is unusual in that it also has a pulley wheel and so doubles up as a high speed drilling spindle for the overhead drive. This accessory fits on the top-slide, either on the tool clamp thread or on either side utilising a threaded hole on either side of the casting .
When used for indexing the cutting tool is held in the headstock and the work fastened to the milling head using a chuck or collet.
A spring lever locks the spindle into one of the three rings of indexing notches and thus prevents it turning freely. When an index count is required the lever is lifted against spring tension and the number of notches advanced and locked as required.
Because this one also has a pulley wheel it can hold the cutter or drill whilst the work is held in the headstock or between centres, (the spring lever has to be removed for this purpose ) the milling head is then driven from the overhead countershaft. The cutter can be moved over the work using the cross- slide and lead-screw adjustments. When milling or drilling involves indexing then the cutter must run in the headstock and the locking lever fitted to the milling head,
It is fully adjustable in all directions for drilling at high speed for odd angles, the bearing inside has three lubricating holes for this purpose
The mandrel takes 8mm watchmaker collets to match the head and tailstock mandrels and are held in place with a drawbar,
The Milling head shown fixed on the top-slide, a bolt is visible for fitting it on the side, there is another threaded hole on the other side also. You can see this running as a milling spindle on my Youtube video, click here:- youtu.be/kTpDlv79Ccs
The indexing notches showing the locking lever in place, there is a different number count on each ring, 60,80 & 96
The view with the drawbar removed shows sets of indexing numbers.
As this is a non standard milling head fitted with a pulley wheel it's presumed a previous owner added the set of numbers.