Abstract: Insulation tubing (66) having adjustable dimensions is disclosed. The insulation tubing has an outer tubular wall that defines a central opening for receiving the core (4) and windings (8) of a partially assembled toroidal transformer. The wall is formed by preformed sections (44, 62) of electrical insulating material (10-20). The preformed sections have overlapping surfaces that are slidably positioned relative to one another. In this way, the extent of the surfaces that overlap can be changed to alter the size of the opening such that conductive windings (8) of various sizes and configurations can be accommodated.

Abstract: A segment removal assembly (46) includes a segment removal device which automatically grasps removable segments (48, 50) of shuttle and magazine rings (8, 10) of a winding machine (2), removes the segments to a displaced position leaving segment gaps (66) in the rings and, after the interior (146) of the rings are accessed by removing and inserting a portion of a transformer core (34) from and into the interior of the rings at a load/unload station (158), the segments are replaced back into the segment gaps and resecured to remainders (52, 54) of the rings. This is accomplished using pivotal arms (110, 112, 132, 134) which engage pins (80) carried by the ring segments. Grasping the pins unlatches the segments from the remainders of the rings thus permitting the segments to be removed from the remainders of the rings.

Abstract: A winding apparatus for fabricating a multifilar low voltage winding for a toroidal transformer is disclosed. The apparatus uses a wire storage magazine 18 and a wire winding shuttle 20 which rotate about a semitoroidal winding mandrel 38 to wind a multifilar low voltage winding 48 on the winding mandrel having a greater radial depth of turns at the radially inward leg of the winding than at the radially outward leg of the winding. The multifilar winding can be wound with a group of conductors in a single pass over the winding mandrel, or wound one conductor at a time using multiple passes over the winding mandrel, or wound using multiple passes over the winding mandrel with some intermediate number of conductors being wound during each pass.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a formed metal blocking, for mounting within wedge-shaped gaps between coils of a toroidal transformer, including butterfly-shaped top and bottom core blockings. The blockings are formed from identical stampings, each stamping having a pair of U-shaped coil-engaging faces joined along their inner legs by a center web. The stampings are joined back to back and have a number of flanges which are bent over for securing the stampings to one another. The stampings have an apertured tab at the end of the center web used to form a lifting eye for the top blocking. With the bottom blocking, the tabs are folded over for mounting to a base plate. The outer legs of the U-shaped faces are longer than the inner legs and center web to create a gap in the electric path surrounding the core.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a formed metal blocking, for mounting within wedge-shaped gaps between coils of a toroidal transformer, including butterfly-shaped top and bottom core blockings. The blockings are formed from identical stampings, each stamping having a pair of U-shaped coil-engaging faces joined along their inner legs by a center web. The stampings are joined back to back and have a number of flanges which are bent over for securing the stampings to one another. The stampings have an apertured tab at the end of the center web used to form a lifting eye for the top blocking. With the bottom blocking the tabs are folded over for mounting to a base plate. The outer legs of the U-shaped faces are longer than the inner legs and center web to create a gap in the electric path surrounding the core.

Abstract: A toroidal electrical transformer having a low voltage coil, a high voltage coil and an annular magnetic core is disclosed. The preferred low voltage and high voltage coils are each continuous in substantial part over their length and form an arcuate elongated passage therethrough. The preferred annular magnetic core is wound in place in said arcuate elongated passage substantially from a continuous strip of magnetic material. Various components and sub-assemblies are also disclosed along with various apparatus and methods for producing such toroidal electrical transformer, its components and its sub-assemblies.

Abstract: A winding apparatus and method for fabricating a multifilar low voltage winding for a toroidal transformer is disclosed. The method and apparatus use a wire storage magazine (18) and a wire winding shuttle (20) which rotate about a semitoroidal winding mandrel (38) to wind a multifilar low voltage winding (48) on the winding mandrel having a greater radial depth of turns at the radially inward leg of the winding than at the radially outward leg of the winding. The multifilar winding can be wound with a group of conductors in a single pass over the winding mandrel, or wound one conductor at a time using multiple passes over the winding mandrel, or wound using multiple passes over the winding mandrel with some intermediate number of conductors being wound during each pass.