Abstract: A pallet conveyor apparatus for moving pallets, which carry components of a dynamo-electric machine, along and between routes of a manufacturing line is provided. The pallet conveyor apparatus includes a plurality of pallets, at least one substantially horizontal rail structure, at least one loop-shaped conveyor belt, and a drive for causing the conveyor belt to move along an upper track of the rail structure. The conveyor apparatus may be driven with a drive cartridge that fits within the rail structure. A pallet for use with the apparatus has a platform and a seat portion. The platform has an upper surface that supports the component. The seat portion has a substantially inverted “U” shape. The seat portion of the rail structure has a central surface and two opposing surfaces. The dimensions of the seat portion and the rail structure are such that when the seat portion fits over the rail structure a pallet will be prevented from falling off the rail structure.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for manufacturing armatures according to a first and a second configuration is provided. An information storage device associated with one of the components is provided to store information corresponding to one of the first and second configurations. A processing station is provided which is capable of performing a first processing step corresponding to the first configuration and a second processing step corresponding to the second configuration. The processing station is arranged to perform one of the processing steps according to the information stored in the information storage device. Changeover from a batch of first configuration components to a batch of second configuration components is achieved by delaying departure of processed second batch components from the processing station until all first batch components have been processed and have departed.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming varied length wire coils for insertion into stator core slots includes a template positioned that is configured to vary a length of consecutive wire turns while wire is received from a flyer winder. The wire turns may then be inserted into a pair of stator core slots depending upon their respective lengths. A method of using the apparatus to form a winding with varied length turns includes depositing wire turns on a template, varying a length of at least two consecutive wire turns as the wire is deposited on the template, removing the wire turns from the template, and inserting the removed wire turns into stator core slots.

Abstract: A system for simplifying the design of winding guides is provided. The flyer arm of a winder built in accordance with the principles of this invention is positioned so that the extreme delivery point of the wire is aligned and practically over the slots of the armature where the coil is being wound. Additionally, the flyer arm can be easily and quickly substituted on the winder to conform to the armature being wound, ensuring that the extreme delivery point of the wire is aligned and practically over the slots of the armature where the coil is being wound. This feature of the invention contributes to a simpler design of the winding guide. Accordingly, traditional guide surfaces for capturing the wire coming from a distant position are no longer required.

Abstract: An armature winder having an adjustable winding arm, includes a wire delivery point with two degrees of freedom—one along the longitudinal axis of the armature winder and one transverse to the longitudinal axis of the armature winder. In one preferred embodiment, the adjustable winding arm pivots around an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the winder. This pivoting motion allows adjustment of the wire delivery point along an arcuate path, thereby utilizing each of the degrees of freedom simultaneously.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and apparatus for winding successive differently sized components with coils of wire. More specifically, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for winding multiple electric motor armatures in succession, when those armatures have different dimensions. Generally speaking, the invention includes an assembly with movable parts, which enables all armatures to have a common alignment characteristic in the winding apparatus. If necessary, the actual coil winding mechanism will shift to achieve proper positioning relative to each armature. This reduces the number of adjustments that have to be made to hardware that is ordinarily required to wind such differently sized armatures.

Abstract: An armature winder having an adjustable winding arm, includes a wire delivery point with two degrees of freedom—one along the longitudinal axis of the armature winder and one transverse to the longitudinal axis of the armature winder. In one preferred embodiment, the adjustable winding arm pivots around an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the winder. This pivoting motion allows adjustment of the wire delivery point along an arcuate path, thereby utilizing each of the degrees of freedom simultaneously.

Abstract: In a dynamo-electric machine, a stator having a terminal board with at least one pair of slots located along its inside circumference, includes at least one pair of coil holders. Each coil holder is cantilevered from the terminal board at the ends of a pair of slots, and a wire guide is positioned on each coil holder. A wire depositing needle and the stator are placed in relative motion, which causes the guide to support the wire as it is transported along its surface. Coils of wire are created as each pair of slots is wound. The invention will typically be used to form multiple coil windings on a single stator.

Abstract: A pallet conveyor apparatus for moving pallets, which carry components of a dynamo-electric machine, along and between routes of a manufacturing line is provided. The pallet conveyor apparatus includes a plurality of pallets, at least one substantially horizontal rail structure, at least one loop-shaped conveyor belt, and a drive for causing the conveyor belt to move along an upper track of the rail structure. The conveyor apparatus may be driven with a drive cartridge that fits within the rail structure. A pallet for use with the apparatus has a platform and a seat portion. The platform has an upper surface that supports the component. The seat portion has a substantially inverted “U” shape. The seat portion of the rail structure has a central surface and two opposing surfaces. The dimensions of the seat portion and the rail structure are such that when the seat portion fits over the rail structure a pallet will be prevented from falling off the rail structure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for gripping a wire in a winding machine for winding dynamo-electric machine components are provided. The apparatus includes a wire holding assembly mounted for selective rotational movement with respect to the winding machine. The assembly includes a gripping portion for releasably gripping the wire extending between a terminal of the dynamo-electric core and a winding apparatus. The wire assembly may be selectively rotated to angularly align the gripping portion with respect to the wire.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming varied length wire coils for insertion stator core slots includes a template positioned that is configured to vary a length of consecutive wire turns while wire is received from a flyer winder. The wire turns may then be inserted into a pair of stator core slots depending upon their respective lengths. A method of using the apparatus to form a winding with varied length turns includes depositing wire turns on a template, varying a length of at least two consecutive wire turns as the wire is deposited on the template, removing the wire turns from the template, and inserting the removed wire turns into a stator core slot.

Abstract: A pallet for carrying dynamo-electric machine component workpieces of different dimensions is provided with first and second support members, at least one of which is movably mounted on the pallet so that the distance between the support members can be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of differently dimensioned workpieces. The pallet may include an aperture which allows a removal device to pass through and remove a workpiece from, or deposit a workpiece to the pallet. Each movable support member is releasably locked so that a user may unlock and adjust the support members to a desired position.

Abstract: The balancing of rotors for dynamo-electric machines (e.g., electric motor armatures) is achieved by attaching a balancing strip to the rotor after an impregnation resin has been applied to the wire coils, and the unbalance of the rotor has been measured. To create the balancing strip, a material supply selectively and incrementally delivers a predetermined quantity of material, such that the quantity of material has a mass sufficient to compensate for the measured unbalance of the rotor. The predetermined quantity of material is separated from the material supply to form a balancing mass, and the balancing mass attached to the rotor to compensate for the measured unbalance. A mounting member having a recess may be preliminarily attached to the rotor for subsequent attachment of the balancing mass thereto. A second material supply may be provided such that a controller can select between the first and second material supplies.

Abstract: Methods and system for allowing the winder to continue to wind armatures and therefore avoid a total loss of production which would otherwise occur during the time which passes between breakage or overflow of the wire and intervention of the operator to restore normal winding conditions are provided. Upon detection of a wire breakage or overflow at a winding position, the wires from flyers corresponding to that position are withdrawn by a withdrawing device. In addition to withdrawing the wires from flyers corresponding to the position where the wire breakage or overflow took place, all flyer rotations in the multiple dynamo-electric part winder are stopped. The affected armatures are transferred to a reject track and new armatures to be wound are subsequently delivered to the winding positions. While the armature in the position where the breakage or overflow was detected remains unwound, the armature in the other position is wound and delivered to the conveyor.

Abstract: Apparatus and method in a motor winding machine for shielding a dynamo-electric core, including a shielding assembly including a longitudinal member defining a longitudinal axis, a first end configured to shield an end portion of the dynamo-electric core, and a second end. A coupling assembly is configured to connect the second end of the longitudinal member to a portion of the motor winding machine, while permitting relative movement therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The shielding assembly may further include a second longitudinal member defining a longitudinal axis, a first end configured to support an end portion of the dynamo-electric core, and a second end. A second coupling assembly may be configured to connect the second end of the second longitudinal member to a portion of the motor winding machine, while permitting relative movement therebetween in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for replacing an old wire threaded through a flyer winder with a new wire are provided. A first end of the old wire is connected to a first end of the new wire. The wires may be connected by twining, clamping, welding or the like. A second end of the old wire that extends from one of the winder's flyers is then connected to a collection device, and the old wire is collected until the new wire has been threaded through the flyer winder along the same path traveled by the old wire. The collection device may be an armature or similar structure having recesses for collecting the old wire during wire change-over or replacement. Preferably the collection device is configured so that conventional coil lead connection operations may be used to expedite wire change-over or replacement.

Abstract: A pallet for carrying dynamo-electric machine component workpieces of different dimensions is provided with first and second support members, at least one of which is movably mounted on the pallet so that the distance between the support members can be adjusted to accommodate a wide range of differently dimensioned workpieces. The pallet may include an aperture which allows a removal device to pass through and remove a workpiece from, or deposit a workpiece to the pallet. Each movable support member is releasably locked so that a user may unlock and adjust the support members to a desired position.

Abstract: Armature winders which include a mounting apparatus, a holder assembly and a transporting apparatus and methods for shroud changing. The mounting apparatus is used for mounting the shroud on a support structure so that the shroud is held firmly relative to the support structure but is also readily removable from the support structure. The holder assembly holds the shroud and any replacement shroud when not in use. The transporting apparatus transports the shroud in either direction to and from the mounting apparatus and the holder assembly.

Abstract: Stators having wave wound coil for electric motors or other dynamo-electric machines are manufactured by a production line having a series of interconnecting conveyors running to various processing workstations. The workstations are of three primary types: wave coil forming and insertion stations, prefinishing stations and a final finishing stations. Every workstation of a given type may process any or all phases of a given stator. The stators are transported along the conveyor by pallets which are encoded with information denoting the production status of the stator on the pallet. By providing the workstations with the capability to read the encoded information and adapt themselves for processing based on that information, efficiency is increased because the first available workstation may be selected and individual workstations may be bypassed if other than normal operating conditions are occurring in a workstation without impacting the entire production line.

Abstract: A wire guide for winding wire onto the ferromagnetic core of a dynamo-electric machine part to form wire coils in the slots of the core. The wire guide has guide surfaces that allow wire to be wound deeply into the slots of the core. The wire guide also has a pair of coil retention notches. The notches have back walls that prevent wire from climbing along the sides of the slots toward the slot openings during the process of coil winding.