Wire winding lathe?

[robbstewart]

Any ideas what this little lathe was used for? I was told that it was for winding wire coils. It has a 17" bed, approximately 3 1/2" swing. The head and tail both have three pins like a steady rest. There are two pulley wheels in back as if to guide a wire through the hole at the top of the back guide, the front lever moves this back and forth along the bed and guide screw for moving it up and down. Not visible here is a cutting tool in the tool holder that is fed in with the wheel behind it and the crank on the right turns the lead screw. In the back, there are holes cast in that might have had a 3/8" rod for hanging a motor carriage.
There is not manufacturer's name, but an "L" inside a shield stamped on the tool holder the back guide. Also, "R-1" cast under base, "R2" in tail and "R3" in head. "RK2" is stamped on the tail stock and "R12" is stamped in the base of the back guide assembly, along with something that was overstruck and "1".

Thanks, Robb

 

[Latinrascalrg1]

That's an Armature lathe.

The following excerpt is a quote from another site by Dale Miner giving the following explanation,
"That lathe was made to true up the commutator on small armatures, typically those from starters and generators of automobiles. The lathe also had provisions to undercut the mica used as an insulator between the segements of the commutor. Armature lathes were not designed to cut a spiral or thread like groove on the surface of the commutator."

Frank N. Wood "Trucut" Armature Lathe

Frank N. Wood

www.lathes.co.uk

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[FOMOGO]

I would buy the coil or armature winding theory. Probably accepts different size wire guides in top part of the cross slide from a reel with a friction brake of some kind, and the lever allows you to move the wire along the armature. The #'s are probably just casting #'s, and won't help identifying the maker. Commutator clean up makes since too. Would be fun to put it back to work. Mike

 

[HarryJM]

Looks similar to this one on vintagemachinery.org.vintagemachinery

 

[robbstewart]

Thanks Harry and Latinrascal. That's exactly what it is. There's no evidence that it ever had the name plate seen on those other examples, but it is otherwise the same.