what year did craftsman lathes get quick change gearbox

The assimilation of a quick modification gearbox (QCG) represented a considerable technological advancement in the advancement of metalworking turrets, substantially enhancing efficiency and adaptability. For Craftsman-branded lathes, offered predominantly through Sears, Roebuck and Co., the fostering of this function happened in the very early 1950s. Specifically, Craftsman turrets outfitted with a fast change transmission appeared beginning in 1950, with models like the 12-inch Craftsman/Atlas 101.28900 leading the introduction.


what year did craftsman lathes get quick change gearbox

(what year did craftsman lathes get quick change gearbox)

Prior to this advancement, Artisan lathes, produced largely by the Atlas Press Firm, counted on traditional adjustment gears. Machinists required to by hand eliminate and mount different collections of equipments onto the equipment train attaching the pin to the leadscrew to achieve different thread pitches or power feed prices. This process was inherently taxing, prone to mistake, and called for substantial storage room for the numerous gear mixes required for a reasonable variety of operations. It represented a significant bottleneck in operations performance.

The quick adjustment gearbox essentially transformed this process. Placed usually between the spindle drive and the leadscrew, the QCG consisted of an internal setup of gears and shafts. By merely controling 2 or three external bars, the driver could rapidly pick from a predetermined variety of string pitches and feed prices. This lever option engaged various equipment ratios within the confined box, getting rid of the demand for continuous manual gear switching. The advantages were instant and extensive: drastically decreased arrangement time, minimized driver error, boosted functional adaptability, and enhanced general workshop efficiency. Machinists could promptly switch over in between threading tasks and transforming operations without prolonged disturbances.

Atlas Press Business, the main manufacturer behind the Craftsman badge for lathes throughout this age, created and implemented the QCG layout for their very own Atlas-branded machines slightly prior to or simultaneously with the Artisan versions. The 12-inch swing Artisan designs were the very first recipients. The 101.28900 version, appearing around 1950, is a well-documented instance of an early Craftsman lathe including the fast modification gearbox. This model and its followers came to be highly preferred amongst home store machinists and small commercial procedures due to this considerable upgrade. It brought a level of ease and capacity previously located only on more costly commercial machines accessible of the major enthusiast and local business proprietor purchasing via Sears.

It is crucial to comprehend that Sears did not make these lathes; they were produced by Atlas under agreement and branded for Sears’ retail networks. Therefore, the intro of the QCG on Artisan lathes directly mirrors the technological advancements Atlas was making in their very own line of product at that time. The very early 1950s marked a clear transition point. Turrets generated prior to this duration, such as the earlier 101.07300 collection or the 6-inch designs, widely made use of the older adjustment equipment system. Turrets produced from about 1950 onwards, especially the 12-inch designs, started incorporating the quick change transmission as a criterion, specifying feature.


what year did craftsman lathes get quick change gearbox

(what year did craftsman lathes get quick change gearbox)

In conclusion, the fast adjustment gearbox became a standard attribute on Craftsman turrets made by Atlas beginning in the year 1950. This technical jump, symbolized in models like the 101.28900, replaced the cumbersome and inefficient change gear system. It equipped Craftsman lathe customers with extraordinary rate and simplicity in choosing threading and feed options, substantially elevating the maker’s energy and straightening it extra carefully with the convenience provided by professional-grade devices of the era. The adoption of the QCG noted a zero hour in the background of Artisan turrets, improving their credibility and appeal substantially.

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