SE2150706A1

SE2150706A1 - A steady rest, a machining tool and use thereof

Info

Publication number: SE2150706A1
Application number: SE2150706A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Hannes Olsson; Martin Larsson
Original assignee: Atlings Maskf Ab
Priority date: 2021-06-02
Filing date: 2021-06-02
Publication date: 2022-12-03
Also published as: SE544955C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a steady rest (1) for firmly supporting an elongated workpiece (2), comprising a housing (3), an axially movable middle arm (4) driven by a power means and two pivotally movable outer arms (5, 6) arranged therein. An arrangement provides a separate driving connection for the outer arms (5, 6) with the middle arm (4) by the latter acting with a roller (10a-b) on a cam (9a-b) of each outer arm (5, 6), for pivoting the outer arms towards the workpiece (2). A gearing mechanism is configured to make the movement of the roller (10a-b) along each cam (9a-b) slower than that of the middle arm (4). The invention also relates to a machining tool provided with such a steady rest as well as use thereof.

Description

A steady rest, a machining tool and use thereof TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a steady rest for firmly supporting an elongated workpiece according to the preamble of claim 1.

By cutting machining, especially turning, of elongated workpieces, cutting forces occur far from the clamping positions thereof in the chuck and support stud of the machining tool. These forces cause deflection of the workpiece which in turn leads to impaired precision in the machining. To counteract the deflection of the workpiece and increase the stability, a steady rest can be mounted to the machining tool frame and used to firmly support the workpiece during the machining operation.

The steady rest prevents radial movement of the workpiece by means of three support rollers. A lower support roller is located in the center piece, on a middle steady rest arm, of the steady rest, which is driven by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. The other two support rollers are mounted on outer steady rest arms, the movement of which cooperates with the cylinder movement in such a way that the center of the workpiece is maintained regardless of the diameter. This enables the steady rest to be mounted centered against a workpiece which can then be replaced with workpieces of other diameters without the need to center the steady rest again. Cam arrangements are often used to synchronize the movement of the three steady rest arms and thereby the three support rollers towards the center.

BACKGROUND ART A conventional steady rest is described in DE 3543806 A. One problem with steady rests of this type is that they have a limited grip area, which means that for instance a component manufacturer using lathes and other machining tools need to have steady rests of many different sizes to be able to provide the machining tool with a steady rest suitable for the dimensions of the workpiece to be processed in the specific case. This imply large investments for the manufacturer and a significant setting time between different cutting operations.

Another steady rest already known is shown in the document US 2016/0332271 A1, which is a steady rest of the type defined in the introduction. This steady rest provides a larger grip area relative to that described in the former, German document, which is achieved inter alia by providing steady rest arms with a greater length and each outer steady rest arm with two cam rollers cooperating with two associated cam surfaces on the center piece.

There is a constant strive of improving conventional steady rests, especially by increasing the grip area thereof. At the same time, the housing of the steady rests should be as compact, i.e. take up as little space, as possible to be able to fit in different machining tools. Other important factors are of course the performance of the product, namely the ability to firmly support and hold a workpiece, as well as the cost and complexity of producing it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a steady rest of the type defined in the introduction being improved in at least some aspect with respect to such steady rests already known, for example through US 2016/0332271 A1.

This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such a steady rest which is characterized in that the steady rest comprises a gearing mechanism configured to connect said body to the middle steady rest arm displacebly according to said axial direction with respect thereto and to make the body follow the middle steady rest arm in a movement thereof in said axial direction while simultaneously being displaced in the opposite direction of that movement therealong and by that the body is moving slower in the axial direction than the middle steady rest arm influencing the movement of the roller along the control track of the cam of each lever to slow down.

Such driving connections between the middle steady rest arm and the outer steady rest arms enable increased grip area of the steady rest with respect to that of steady rests already known, while maintaining the compactness, i.e. without increasing the outer dimensions of the housing of the steady rest. Alternatively, the housing dimensions may be reduced, i.e. the steady rest be made more compact, while maintaining the grip area thereof. This is achieved by the effective gearing of the driving connections provided by the gearing mechanism, enabling a great leverage and mobility of the outer steady rest arms while only requiring a small free space in the housing.

A steady rest with an increased grip area enables a reduction of the number of sizes of the steady rests needed at for instance a component manufacturer as the total dimension span needed can be covered by a smaller number of steady rests. By increasing the grip area, workpieces of a broader variety of dimensions can also be handled by smaller steady rests, which means that the machining possibilities in smaller machining tools with room only for smaller steady rests can be expanded. From a production economics perspective, also the availability of the machining tool can be increased if the performance of the steady rest is improved. This because fewer replacements of steady rests are required as a result of the increased grip area, i.e. set-up times can be reduced between production series.

According to an embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism comprises at least a first guiding member connected to said body connected to the middle steady rest arm and a second guiding member fixed with respect to the housing and in engagement with the first guiding member so as to guide this and by that make said body to be displaced with respect to the middle steady rest arm upon movement thereof in the axial direction.

According to another embodiment of the invention one of the first and second guiding members comprises a guide roller and the other one a guide surface along which the guide roller is configured to move upon movement of the middle steady rest arm in the axial direction.

According to another embodiment of the invention the first guiding member comprises a guide roller connected to said body and the second guiding member comprises a guide surface fixed with respect to the housing.

According to another embodiment of the invention the first guiding member comprises a linkage with a first link element pivotally connected by a first end to said body around an axis in parallel with the axis of rotation of the rollers on said body configured to roll along said control tracks on the levers and by a second end to a first end of a second link element of the linkage, which second link element is pivotally connected by a second end to the middle steady rest arm and the guide roller is arranged at the connection of the first and second link elements.

According to another embodiment of the invention the second guiding member comprises an elongated recess in the housing configured to accommodate the guide roller of the first guiding member and the guide roller is configured to move along the guide surface formed by an inner wall of the recess upon movement of the middle steady rest arm in the axial direction.

According to another embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism comprises at least two said first guiding members and at least two said second guiding members, the pairs of in each case a first guiding member and a second guiding member provided on opposite sides of the middle steady rest arm.

According to another embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body connected to the middle rest arm so that a bottom edge thereof is kept at a distance from a bottom edge of the middle steady rest arm in a fully retracted position of the middle steady rest arm and to displace the body with respect to the middle steady rest arm so that the distance between said bottom edges decreases while the middle steady rest arm is moved towards the workpiece.

According to another embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body connected to the middle rest arm so that a bottom edge thereof is kept at a distance from a bottom edge of the middle steady rest arm representing at least 10%, at least 15% or at least 18% of the total length of the middle steady rest arm in the axial direction in a fully retracted position of the middle steady rest arm.

According to another embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body connected to the middle rest arm so that the bottom edge thereof is kept in level with the bottom edge of the middle steady rest arm in a fully advanced position of the middle steady rest arm.

According to another embodiment of the invention the gearing mechanism is configured to displace the body connected to the middle steady rest arm with respect to the middle steady rest arm continuously while the middle steady rest arm is moved towards the workpiece and proportionately to the movement of the middle steady rest arm.

According to another embodiment of the invention each steady rest arm is provided with a roller at its outer free end thereof configured to abut a workpiece when this is firmly supported by the steady rest.

According to another embodiment of the invention the power means comprises a hydraulic motor and an actuation piston operable by the hydraulic motor to move the middle steady rest arm in the axial direction.

The invention also relates to a machining tool provided with a steady rest according to the invention and use of a steady rest according to the appended independent claims thereof. The advantages with such a machining tool and use is clear from the description of a steady rest according to the invention.

Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a specific description of an embodiment of the invention cited as an example. ln the drawings: Fig.1 is perspective view from below of a steady rest according to an embodiment of the invention shown without the front housing wall and with the middle steady rest arm in a fully retracted position, Fig. 2 is a view of the steady rest corresponding to Fig. 1 with the middle steady rest arm in a fully advanced position, Fig.

Fig.

Fig. is a perspective view from below of the middle and the two outer steady rest arms of the steady rest shown in Fig. 1, is a front view of the steady rest shown in Fig. 1 with the middle steady rest arm close to a fully retracted position while clamping and supporting a workpiece with a large diameter, is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 with the middle steady rest arm moved towards a workpiece with a slightly smaller diameter for clamping and supporting this by the steady rest, is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 with the middle steady rest arm moved further towards a workpiece with an even smaller diameter for clamping and supporting this by the steady rest, is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 with the middle steady rest arm moved further towards a workpiece with an even smaller diameter for clamping and supporting this by the steady rest, and is a view corresponding to Fig. 7 with the middle steady rest arm in a fully advanced position while clamping and supporting a workpiece with a small diameter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION A steady rest 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is il- lustrated in the appended figures 1-8 and will now be described while at the same time making reference to all these figures.

The steady rest 1 is intended to be mounted on a machining tool, such as a (and hereinafter) lathe, for clamping and firmly supporting and centering an elongated workpiece 2 during machining thereof in the tool. Such an elongated workpiece may for example be a steel rod or axle to be rotated by the |athe while material is removed by a non-rotary tool bit which is brought into contact with the rotating workpiece. Although the typical workpiece of this type is long and circular cylindrical, the steady rest according to the invention may also be used to hold shorter rod-like workpieces as well as non-cylindrical ones, such as a hexagonal cylinder.

The steady rest 1 comprises a housing 3 formed by two halves (of which only one is shown in the drawings) which is configured to be fixedly mounted on the |athe in a position in which the steady rest is centered therewith, i.e. the steady rest is arranged in a position in which the center of the gripping area thereof is aligned with the center of the workpiece support arrangement, including chuck and support stud, of the |athe.

The steady rest 1 comprises a middle steady rest arm 4 (hereinafter middle arm) and two outer steady rest arms (hereinafter outer arms) 5, 6 arranged in the housing 3 and each provided with a freely rotatable roller 4a, 5a, 6a, at its outer free end thereof configured to abut the workpiece when this is firmly supported by the steady rest. That is, the steady rest 1 is configured to grip the workpiece 2 by the three rollers 4a, 5a, 6a and hold it with its center in a fixed position while allowing it to rotate by rolling against the rollers during a machining operation.

The steady rest 1 further comprises a power means comprising a hydraulic motor 7 configured to move the middle arm 4 with respect to the housing 3 in an axial direction towards a workpiece to be gripped by an actuation piston 8 connected to the middle arm and driven by the hydraulic motor.

The two outer arms 5, 6 are pivotally connected to the housing 3 through hinge members 5b, 6b and thereby allowed to pivotally move around axes being perpendicular to said axial direction. Each outer arm 5, 6 has a lever 5c, 6c rigidly connected thereto and extending from the respective hinge member 5b, 6b away from the workpiece supporing part of the associated outer arm 5, 6.

The steady rest 1 further comprises an arrangement configured to provide a separate driving connection for each of the outer arms 5, 6 with the middle arm 4 by acting on a respective lever 5c, 6c thereof.

The arrangement comprises for each driving connection a cam 9a, 9b acting as a control track on the respective lever 5c, 6c and a roller 10a, 10b arranged on a lateral extension 11a, 11b of a body 12 connected to the middle arm 4 to follow this when moved in the axial direction and make the roller 10a, 10b roll along the control track of the cam 9a, 9b for pivoting the outer arms 5, 6 towards each other and towards the workpiece 2.

The arrangement thereby translates the axial movement of the middle arm 4 into pivoting movement of the outer arms 5, 6 towards each other and towards a workpiece 2 to be gripped and supported by the steady rest 1 by the rollers 10a, 10b of the middle arm contacting and rolling along the cams 9a, 9b when the middle arm is moved in the axial direction towards the workpiece 2 pushing the levers 5c, 6c of the outer arms 5, 6 away from each other and thereby the rollers 5a, 6a at the outer ends of the outer arms towards each other.

The steady rest 1 further comprises a gearing mechanism configured to connect said body 12 to the middle arm 4 displacebly according to said axial direction with respect thereto and to make the body 12 follow the middle arm 4 in a movement thereof in said axial direction while simultaneously being displaced in the opposite direction of that movement therealong and by that the body 12 is moving slower in the axial direction than the middle arm 4 influencing the movement of the roller 10a, 10b along the control track of the cam 9a, 9b of each lever 5c, 6c to slow down.

The gearing mechanism comprises on each lateral side of the middle arm 4 a first guiding member comprising a guide roller 13a, 13b connected to said body 12 and a second guiding member comprising an elongated recess 14a, 14b in a housing wall configured to engagingly accommodate the guide roller 13a, 13b so as to guide this by a guide surface 17a, 17b formed by an inner wall of the recess and by that make said body 12 to be displaced with respect to the middle arm 4 upon movement thereof in the axial direction.

The first guiding member further comprises a linkage with a first link element 15a, 15b pivotally connected by a first end to said body 12 around an axis in parallel with the axis of rotation of the rollers 10a, 10b on said body configured to roll along said control tracks on the levers 5c, 6c and pivotally connected by a second end to a first end of a second link element 16a, 16b of the linkage around an axis in parallel with said pivot axis of the first link element with the body 12. The second link element is further pivotally connected by a second end to the middle arm 4, at the lower end thereof opposite the end provided with the roller 4a. The guide roller 13a, 13b is arranged at the connection of the first 15a, 15b and second 16a, 16b link elements so that its axis of rotation coincides with the pivot axis for mutually pivoting movement of the link elements with respect to each other.

The linkage of the gearing mechanism is thus designed so as to move a bottom edge 18 of the body 12 towards a bottom edge 19 of the middle arm 4 when the guide rollers 13a, 13b are moved towards each other (see Fig. 8) and move the bottom edge 18 of the body 12 away from the bottom edge 19 of the middle arm 4 11 when the guide rollers 13a, 13b are moved away from each other (see Fig. 4).

The guide surfaces17a,17b of the recess 14a, 14b in the housing 13 are designed to guide the guide rollers 13a, 13b upon movement of the middle arm 4 in the axial direction in such a way that the linkage displaces the body 12 with respect to the middle arm 4 from position in which the bottom edge 18 of the body 12 is kept at a distance from the bottom edge 19 of the middle arm 4 representing at least 10%, at least 15% or at least 18% and preferably between 18 and 25% of the total extension of the middle arm in the axial direction in a fully retracted position of the middle arm, so that the distance between said bottom edges 18, 19 continuously decreases while the middle arm 4 is moved towards the workpiece 2 and proportionately to the movement of the middle arm, to a position in which the bottom edge 18 of the body 12 is kept in level with the bottom edge 19 of the middle arm in a fully advanced position of the middle arm.

The figures 4-8 show a closing operation of the steady rest 1, i.e an operation of moving the three arms 4, 5, 6 of the steady rest towards a workpiece 2 to be gripped and firmly held thereby. Even though workpieces of different diameters are shown in these figures, one could imagine that the arms of the steady rest are moved from an open position (Fig. 4) to the closed position for gripping a workpiece with a very small diameter (Fig. 8). From the open position shown in Fig. 4, the movement of the middle arm 4 in the axial direction towards the workpiece is initiated and the rollers 10a, 10b of the middle arm 4 start to roll along the cams 9a, 9b of the levers 5c, 6c pushing the levers away from each other and thereby the rollers 5a, 6a at the free ends of the outer arms 5, 6 towards each other (Fig. 5). At the same time, the guide rollers 13a, 13b of the gearing arrangement are guided along the associated guide surface 17a, 17b of the respective recess 14a, 14b so that the distance between them continuously decreases, thereby continuously decreasing the distance between the bottom 12 edge 18 of the body 12 provided with the rollers 10a, 10b and the bottom edge 19 of the middle arm 4 making the rollers 10a, 10b move slower in the axial direction of the middle arm 4 towards the workpiece 2 than the middle arm 4.

By further movement of the middle arm 4 in said axial direction the rollers 10a, 10b roll further along the cams 9a, 9b pushing each lever 5c, 6c further away from each other and the gearing arrangement continues to decrease the distance between the two bottom edges 18, 19 mentioned thereby “braking” the movement of the body 12 in said axial direction (Figs. 6-7) until the middle arm 4 is in the fully advanced position, in which said bottom edges 18, 19 are in level and the rollers 10a, 10b located on the final ends of the cams 9a, 9b of the levers 5c, 6c holding these as far away from each other as possible in an end position and thereby the outer arms 5, 6 in a closed position for gripping a workpiece with a very small diameter (Fig. 8).

An opening operation of the steady rest 1 may be imagined by looking at the figures from 8 to 4 and is operated by retracting the power driven middle arm 4 pulling the levers 5c, 6c towards each other, by in each case a separate element 20 connecting a lateral extension 11a, 11b of the body 12 of the middle arm 4 and a lever 5c, 6c (only one such element shown for exemplifying purpose - in Fig. 1), and thereby pivoting the rollers 5a, 6a of the outer arms 5, 6 away from each other.

The gearing mechanism accordingly increases the duration under which the rollers 10a, 10b connected to the middle arm 4 act on the cams 9a, 9b during a movement of the middle arm in the axial direction towards the workpiece, which enables a reduction of the length of the levers 5c, 6c of the outer arms thereby a reduction of the dimensions of the housing 3 while maintaining the length over which the middle arm 4 impacts the levers 5c, 6c of the outer arms 5, 6 thereby maintaining the grip area of the more compact steady rest 1. Conversely, the arrangement also enables an 13 increased grip area while maintaining the outer dimension of the housing 3.

Hence, a steady rest 1 with a more compact design and/or increased grip area with respect to steady rests of this type already known is provided by the present invention, and especially through the gearing mechanism causing each roller 10a, 10b of the middle arm 4 to be located as near the axis of rotation of the associated outer arm 5, 6 as possible in the fully retracted position of the middle arm to start acting on the associated cam 9a, 9b as soon as the movement of the middle arm in the axial direction towards the workpiece is initiated and located as far in the opposite direction relative to the direction of movement of the middle arm 4 towards the workpiece 2 as possible in the fully advanced position of the middle arm 4 so as to achieve a good force distribution in and thereby leverage on the respective outer arm 5, 6.

The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the embodiments thereof described above, but many possibilities to modifications thereof will be apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

A component being “pivotally connected to” another component means that there is some type of hinge arrangement directly or indirectly interconnecting these components.

Where it is stated that a component is "connected" to or “interconnected” with another component, this is to be interpreted as that the components are interconnected directly, or indirectly by an intermediate component, unless otherwise stated. The same applies for a first component arranged on or in another, second component, which shall include the case where the first component is arranged on an intermediate component which in turn is arranged on or in the second component. Each elongated 14 recess arranged in the housing (wall) may be arranged in a component fixedly attached to the housing wall, as one example.

The gearing mechanism may also include other components than described for providing the function thereof, such as gear components with teeth.

Claims

1. A steady rest (1) for firmly supporting an elongated workpiece (2), comprising a stationary housing (3), a middle steady rest arm (4) arranged in the housing (3), - a power means configured to move the middle steady rest arm (4) with respect to the housing (3) in an axial direction towards a said workpiece (2), - two outer steady rest arms (5, 6) pivotally connected to the housing (3) around axes being perpendicular to said axial direction and each having a lever (5c, 6c) rigidly connected thereto, and - an arrangement configured to provide a separate driving connection for each of the outer steady rest arms (5, 6) with the middle steady rest arm (4) by acting on said lever (5c, 6c), wherein the arrangement comprises for each driving connection a cam (9a-b) acting as a control track on the respective lever (5c, 6c) and a roller (10a-b) arranged on a lateral extension (11a-b) of a body (12) connected to the middle steady rest arm (4) to follow this when moved in the axial direction and make the roller (10a-b) roll along the control track of the cam (9a-b) for pivoting the outer steady rest arms (5, 6) towards each other and towards the workpiece (2), characterized in that the steady rest (1) comprises a gearing mechanism configured to connect said body (12) to the middle steady rest arm (4) displacebly according to said axial direction with respect thereto and to make the body (12) follow the middle steady rest arm (4) in a movement thereof in said axial direction while simultaneously being displaced in the opposite direction of that movement therealong and by that the body (12) is moving slower in the axial direction than the middle steady rest arm (4) influencing the movement of the roller (10a-b) along thecontrol track of the cam (9a-b) of each lever (5c, 6c) to slow down. _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the gearing mechanism comprises at least a first guiding member connected to said body (12) connected to the middle steady rest arm (4) and a second guiding member fixed with respect to the housing (3) and in engagement with the first guiding member so as to guide this and by that make said body (12) to be displaced with respect to the middle steady rest arm (4) upon movement thereof in the axial direction. _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that one of the first and second guiding members comprises a guide roller (13a-b) and the other one a guide surface (17a- b) along which the guide roller (13a-b) is configured to move upon movement of the middle steady rest arm (4) in the axial direction. _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first guiding member comprises a guide roller (13a-b) connected to said body (12) and the second guiding member comprises a guide surface (17a-b) fixed with respect to the housing (3). _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first guiding member comprises a linkage with a first link element (15a-b) pivotally connected by a first end to said body (12) around an axis in parallel with the axis of rotation of the rollers (10a-b) on said body (12) configured to roll along said control tracks on the levers (5c, 6c) and by a second end to a first end of a second link element (16a- b) of the linkage, which second link element (16a-b) is pivotally connected by a second end to the middle steady rest arm (4) and the guide roller (13a-b) is arranged at theconnection of the first (15a-b) and second (16a-b) link elements. _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second guiding member comprises an elongated recess (14a-b) in the housing (3) configured to accommodate the guide roller (13a-b) of the first guiding member and the guide roller (13a-b) is configured to move along the guide surface (17a-b) formed by an inner wall of the recess (14a-b) upon movement of the middle steady rest arm (14) in the axial direction. .A steady rest (1) according to any of the claims 2-6, characterized in that the gearing mechanism comprises at least two said first guiding members and at least two said second guiding members, the pairs of in each case a first guiding member and a second guiding member provided on opposite sides of the middle steady rest arm (4). _ A steady rest (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body (12) connected to the middle rest arm (4) so that a bottom edge (18) thereof is kept at a distance from a bottom edge (19) of the middle steady rest arm (4) in a fully retracted position of the middle steady rest arm (4) and to displace the body (12) with respect to the middle steady rest arm (4) so that the distance between said bottom edges (18, 19) decreases while the middle steady rest arm (4) is moved towards the workpiece (2). _ A steady rest (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body (12) connected to the middle rest arm (4) so that a bottom edge (18) thereof is kept at a distance from a bottom edge (19) of the middle steady rest arm (4) representing at least 10%, at least 15% or at least 18% of the total length of the middlesteady rest arm (4) in the axial direction in a fully retracted position of the middle steady rest arm (4). A steady rest (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the gearing mechanism is configured to hold the body (12) connected to the middle rest arm (4) so that the bottom edge (18) thereof is kept in level with the bottom edge (19) of the middle steady rest arm (4) in a fully advanced position of the middle steady rest arm (4). A steady rest (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gearing mechanism is configured to displace the body (12) connected to the middle steady rest arm (4) with respect to the middle steady rest arm (4) continuously while the middle steady rest arm (4) is moved towards the workpiece (2) and proportionately to the movement of the middle steady rest arm (4). .A steady rest (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that each steady rest arm (4, 5, 6) is provided with a roller (4a, 5a, 6a) at its outer free end thereof configured to abut a workpiece (2) when this is firmly supported by the steady rest (1). A steady rest (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power means comprises a hydraulic motor (7) and an actuation piston (8) operable by the hydraulic motor (7) to move the middle steady rest arm (4) in the axial direction. Machining tool for cutting machining of elongated workpieces (2), especially a lathe, characterized in that it is provided with a steady rest (1) according to any of the claims 1-13 for firmly supporting the workpieces (2) to be processed.15.Use of a steady rest (1) according to any of the c|aims1-13 for firmly supporting a workpiece (2) during cutting machining by a machining tool, especially a lathe.