Another French lathe of unusual design and execution and intended for electrical repair work. The Santaella tour would have had a centre height of around 80 mm and accepted some 300 mm between centres. Although the writer has no access to sales literature about the lathe, he would guess that, as there is no leadscrew (and no easy access to any changewheel drive) that it was of the very simple, plain-turning type but fitted with - possibly unique - features to allow its specialised work. The tailstock mounted, on the lathe;'s spindle centre line, a chuck with its three jaws able to be fitted with rollers to support between-centres work and, above it, a slide rest mounted like that on the ram of a shaping machine. The "ram" appears to have been driven by both a feed screw and, from the position of a long lever emerging from above the tailstock casting, by lever-feed as well. The slide's use? This would have been to allow the lathe to retrofit alternators, starters and electric motors, etc., the slotting movement being for the undercutting of mica segments on an armature.
On the left of the machine and forming part of the headstock assembly, a large sheet metal cover must have concealed a 2-speed, AC motor that was either flange-mounted to the headstock spindle, or even performing that function directly.
Appearing to be fitted with a single swivelling tool slide could the carriage have been moved along the bed by a rack protruding below the front bed rail?
Other twin-bar bed French lathes included the very different Codima and Ermo.
Avez-vous un tour de Santaella? Si c'est le cas, l'auteur serait heureux de vous entendre..