Abstract: An improved design and method is disclosed to disassemble a milling machine for transport and to reassemble it when transport is complete. The invention essentially comprises a hinge located at the bottom of the mill column to facilitate the disassembly and subsequent reassembly of the mill column from the mill base. The hinge protects the precise alignment surfaces at the bottom of the mill column and the top of the mill base from damage during both assembly and disassembly. In addition, it guides and stabilizes the column which makes it easier to remove and reattach the mill column to the mill base. By separating the milling machine into two components transportation is made easier and it becomes possible to install a milling in many locations that were previously inaccessible. The simplicity of the method will be advantageous for shops where space constraints make milling machine installation difficult.

Abstract: A machining system comprised of a computer controlled milling machine and a manual lathe mounted on the mill table provides an improved combination that will be advantageous for many machining operations. The machining system preserves the full functionality of both machines and allows them to work cooperatively together. The computer control capability of the milling machine can be used to machine complex surfaces on a workpiece rotating in the lathe. The workpiece can also be locked in a given rotational position so that traditional milling operations can be performed by the computer controlled milling machine. By sensing the rotational speed and position of the workpiece the system is able to provide the functionality of a computer controlled lathe at a fraction of the cost. The lathe can be easily and accurately mounted on the mill and easily removed from the mill to serve as a fully functional independent machine.