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Leinen and Boley & Leinen Lathes
WW Precision Watchmaker's Lathes - Modern Pattern
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Beginning in the early 1950s some Leinen and Boley & Leinen watchmakers' lathes of the traditional WW pattern (a design originating from Webster Whitcombe in America during the late 1800s) were fitted with a much simpler design of headstock with the 3-step drive pulley overhung on the left-hand end of the spindle. In this respect they had copied the English Pultra company who had introduced such a type (the very modern-looking 17/50 and 17/70) in 1946. However, in a reversal of roles IME, an English maker of small precision lathes appears to have adapted aspects of Leinen designs in their second-generation Model 100 and Model 300 lathes introduced in the mid 1950s. Other changes were also afoot and, whilst some models remained largely unchanged the method of mounting the bed and driving the spindle was improved. For many decades a simple round foot, appropriately slotted to take the bed at its headstock end, had been used together with various kinds of effective but untidy remote countershafts and motors. The first improvement came with the use of a variable-speed motor hinged on a heavy, remote base and the second when the base was extended forwards to form a boss into which the bed mounting stem fitted. The next development saw more complete and integrated designs with the bed sitting in a full-length casting to give an entirely different and much more up-to-date appearance - a typical example being the popular WW82 and WW83 models. If Leinen had changed their long-established designs there was no loss of quality or cutting of corners and both the engineering and cosmetic standards were the same as it had always been - exemplary.
Many Leinen and Boley and Leinen lathes were either adapted or specially built for the optical trade, a typical example, with dial-test indicators for precise positioning of the slides, is shown here
Boley & Leinen Reform pictures continued here

The first stage in the improvement of the WW type came with the use of a variable-speed motor hinged on heavy, remote base.

The new drive system still included the facility to power an "overhead" to run toolpost-mounted drilling and grinding attachments.

Motor Mount Type 154. By extending the motor-mount casting forwards a convenient socket was made to accommodate the headstock end of the bed.

Leinen WW83. Still a WW-type bed from the 1880s but now mounted in a full-length cast frame and featuring an overhung headstock pulley and a built-on drive system.

Leinen WW83 with screwcutting and power longitudinal feed (Set GE) by changewheels

Leinen WW83 fitted for production work with lever-operated slides and a capstan tailstock unit

Another version of the Leinen WW-type lathe

An early 1950s "Reform" WW-pattern lathe of traditional design with an integrated drive system from a variable-speed motor. The model was badged "Leinen" on the main casing and "Boley & Leinen" and "Reform" on the end faces of the bed

By the 1950s the designers had improved the compound slide rest by increasing the diameter size of the previously tiny micrometer dials

To increase the accuracy of the top swivel setting many other makers of watchmakers' lathe also used a remote degree scale and pointer

Boley & Leinen pictures continued here


lathes.co.uk Home Page    Machine Tool Archive   
Machine Tools For Sale & Wanted
   
E-MAIL   tony@lathes.co.uk

Leinen and Boley & Leinen Lathes
WW Precision Watchmaker's Lathes - Modern Pattern
DLZ 140/DLZ190 & Super Precision DLZ 140s/DLZ190s  Precision Production Lathes
Leinen Home Page   Precision Plain Lathes  Traditional Watchmaker's WW Lathes   
Modern-pattern Watchmakers Lathes   
Early Model L4Z Accessories