While browsing the website of my favorite industrial surplus warehouse, I encountered an old Walker Turner drill press which appears to have an interesting power feed.

It looks like the lever in the front engages and disengages the feed:

Which is powered by pulleys taking power off the main motor:

I'm guessing that this doesn't have a reversing mechanism, but that the standard return spring takes it back up. No idea if it has anything that automatic disengages at a preset drilling depth or if the operator has to manually disengage the feed.

I'm not sure what this thing attached to the side of the table is, but I suspect it might be a pump for lubricating oil.

I doubt I'll be purchasing this, as I already have a drill press and would need to switch out the three-phase motor on this one for a single-phase. Nonetheless, I thought folks here might be interested in seeing a cool bit of old-school machinist tech.

That is wicked cool, but the style is so industrial/brutalist it almost looks like a device for torturing misbehaving battle robots. Makes my little japanese drill-press look like a punk.

Could be worse: they have an old South Bend B-40 for sale as well. 
 

  Is that pump held on by beam clamps mounted wrong that could vibrate loose over time?

I'll stick my neck out and say it is a pump. It's designed to clamp over the edge of the trough that surrounds the drill table which is solid. Lubricant would flow off the table into the trough which Probably has a pitch to a drain or perhaps a settling basin directly above the pump. The pump would have a basin you can just see under the trough in pic 4. The output line is probably the one visible next to the motor in pics, 1, 2 and maybe 3. 

I can't think of what else it might be EXCEPT for where it is. I used to wander the state surplus yard and Ft. Rich's R&M yard and used to see mismatched machinery and tools all the time.

So, while a fluid pump is to be expected on an industrial drill press, it's entirely possible it's actually the whingiss squeegie drive off an international dingle flinger.

I think I'm right about the pump but am wrong so often the surprise has gone out of it decades past.

Frosty The Lucky.

I’d say you’re right Frosty. You can see the coolant output hose hang down around the column with the adjustable clamp stand for the nozzle (which is leaking coolant on the floor) lying on the edge base.

I doubt it was designed to be used like this. It looks like heavy angle iron was welded to the top of the coolant tank with holes in the vertical leg. Hopefully, those bolts are clamping down on the table flange through more hole in the heavy angle. I would expect a drain hose to run to the coolant tank, that way the tank and pump are out of harms way with less “potential energy”.

Keep it fun,

David

Sure enough, I was so focused on the pump I missed the rest of the hose I pointed out. 

Sometimes I am SO glad there aren't any snakes here!

Frosty The Lucky.

I’ve looked at this multiple times (with envy), but didn’t notice the lube hose and nozzle until today…

Keep it fun,

David

I’m just sad that it sold before I got a chance to see it in person.