Patent ID: 8112854

Claim:
A tool holding device for a five-axis lathe that includes a machine bed which defines a first linear track extending in a longitudinal direction, and which is provided with a first linear motion drive mechanism, a headstock unit mounted on one side of the machine bed, and having a spindle for holding a workpiece and revolving about a spindle axis that is oriented in the longitudinal direction, and a tailstock unit mounted on the other side of the machine bed for supporting an outboard end of the workpiece along the spindle axis, said tool holding device comprising: a saddle which is disposed between said headstock unit and said tailstock unit, and which is adapted to be driven by the first linear motion drive mechanism to move along the first linear track, said saddle defining a second linear track in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction; a cross-slide which is configured to ride on said saddle to be movable along the second linear track, and which has an upper major wall facing upwardly; a second linear motion drive mechanism disposed to drive said cross-slide to move along the second linear track; an angularly displaceable unit which includes a base mount having a bottom major mount surface which is disposed on said upper major wall of said cross-slide, and a top major mount surface which is opposite to said bottom major mount surface in an upright direction that is transverse to both said longitudinal and transverse directions, and a turntable platform which is disposed on said top major mount surface of said base mount and which is revolvable about a revolving axis in the upright direction; a rotation drive mechanism disposed to drive said turntable platform to revolve about the revolving axis; and a tool mounting post unit including a base rest which is disposed on said turntable platform, and which defines a third linear track in the upright direction, a tool post which is adapted to hold a tool bit, and which is mounted on said base rest to be movable along the third linear track, and a third linear motion drive mechanism disposed to drive said tool post to move along the third linear track.