Johannes Schulz Long Bed pittler B2

This is a rare long bed B2, 600mm or 24 inch centres compared to 16 inches of the standard model, these were available direct from Pittler in the earlier days of the company as the long bed version features in Pittlers 1899 catalogues. This one however is made by Johannes Schulz in Berlin around 1909. The makers plate does not actually mention Pittler and coincides with UK agent George Adams having also dropping any reference to Pittler around 1909. We have to presume from this that with von Pittler long gone from the company it was then decided they were concentrating on vertical turret lathes and were no longer interested in producing the B2 & C3.The company presumably sold off the manufacturing rights and possibly the casting moulds to Schulz who continued to make them in the style of the Wahren factory. How many were produced is unknown, I have only seen 2 long bed types so far including this one and neither are in the UK.

It follows the exact same pattern produced in the Wahren factory with a new design of the horizontal power feed lever and different tailstock design, only the cast tray is slightly different and has the makers plate on the curved end. It has an unusual (even for Pittler) long T- slot in the tray casting which houses the support for the bed so it can be set in different positions. It seems strange to do that but they must have had good reasons, possibly because some of the automatic attachments are very heavy. Another unusual feature is a quick change mechanism inside the headstock which gives a choice of metric or inch for screw cutting, this is operated by a square lug under the gearbox banjo.

von Pittler was no longer involved by this time but the Pittler factory continued to develop his vertical capstan lathe which evolved into the now world famous revolver lathes. They were already fully self contained complete with their own foundries and heat treatment capabilities in their various factories. It seems highly probable that Johannes Schulz would receive the castings from Pittler to be machined and assembled at their factory in Berlin, the design in general is absolutely identical to the 1900 production of Pittlers newly opened Wahren factory. Another version of this long bed lathe has also appeared complete with ball turning mechanism and cross feed attachments but unfortunatel missing a makers plate.

The Long Bed B2 shown here fitted with a compound cross-slide and adjustable T-slot sliding bed support

The mechanism inside the headstock to change from Whitworth to Metric. It is achieved by operating the square lug under the gearbox banjo.

Another B2 recently came to light having two levers on the front of the headstock marked M and W, the gears are 35 & 37 teeth. A locking pin, visible below the power feed lever on the front of the headstock is used to lock the selection.

Above: The square lug and locking pin can be seen here, it operates an eccentric shaft.

Right:- The only real difference to the Gohlis-Wahren output is the cast tray which was especially produced for this long bed model, the makers plate is shaped to fit to the curved section on the end below the gearbox banjo but gives no mention of Pittler.