Abstract: A compound turret for machine tools such as latches or the like having rotating and non-rotating tooling turrets mounted on a single housing. The compound turret includes a primary drive and a secondary drive. The primary drive includes a compound turret indexing unit operable to index the rotating and non-rotating tooling turrets into the turret operating and turret storage positions. The compound turret indexing unit consists of a harmonic drive that enables the operator to incrementally vary the turret operating position. The harmonic drive achieves high reduction ratios in a single stage thus eliminating the cumbersome gear systems usually implemented to achieve the reduction ratios required. The primary drive further includes a non-rotating tool indexing unit. The non-rotating tool indexing unit is operable to index the non-rotating tooling. The non-rotating tool indexing unit consists of a harmonic drive unit similar to the compound turret indexing unit.

Abstract: An indexable machine tool turret comprising a body having a chamber, an opened end, a closed end and a central longitudinal axis; an axially displaceable rotatable turret top plate having a number of angularly spaced apertures for holding tools, said top plate being co-axial with said body axis; an axially displaceable and extending rotatable shaft connected to said top plate, said shaft co-axial with said top plate; two opposed annular face gears for seating said top plate to said body, said gears co-axial with and concentric with said top plate, one of said gears mounted in said top plate for engaging said other gear, said other gear mounted in said body; said shaft including a ring gear mounted concentrically thereto; means for displacing said shaft and thereby said top plate for causing said face gears to engage and disengage; drive means for engaging said ring gear for rotating said shaft when said face gears are disengaged; cushioned stopping means for stopping said shaft rotation; and, angular rotation