Abstract: A ballast assembly for a fluorescent lighting fixture includes a magnetic core, a primary winding and a secondary winding, both windings mounted on a central leg of the core, with a shunt disposed between the windings to prevent a flux generated by the primary winding from coupling with a flux generated by the secondary winding. The ballast further includes means for securing the shunt comprising a wall placed between the windings, with the wall having one or more structures formed integrally on the wall for engaging the shunt. The wall may comprise a flange of a bobbin, or be free standing. Using formed structures eliminates the need for winding tape around the shunts to provide an air gap between the sunt and the core. This assures long-term stability and reduces the potential for nuisance humming.

Abstract: An integral terminal made from a non-stranded, electrically conductive wire has a portion of the wire which is distorted and flattened from its normal shape in first and second dimensions relative to the axis of the wire into a substantially flat piece. This flat piece has substantially increased surface area and reduced thickness relative to the original cross-sectional area of the wire and which can be bent. The flat piece has an integral part formed therefrom extending in a third dimension different from the first and second dimensions for making mechanical engaging contact with an external post or pin where the third dimension is in a direction above or below the flat piece.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp ballast is provided which is uniquely suited to automated manufacture and assembly. The versatile ballast construction includes primary and lag coil bobbins each having substantially planar flanges at their respective ends, with a magnetic core having portions disposed inside and on opposite sides of the bobbins. A primary coil is wound on the primary coil bobbin, and a lag coil is wound on the lag coil bobbin, the coils having starts, taps and finishes. Each bobbin flange has a plurality of holes extending inwardly from an outer flange edge, with conductive pins partially inserted into a number of the flange end holes, each of the pins being electrically coupled to one of the coil starts, taps and finishes. A planar elongated printed circuit board whose length and width dimensions are approximately the same as that of the bobbins positioned end-to-end, is part of the ballast assembly.

Abstract: The common winding of an autotransformer is formed in two sections connected electrically in parallel and one section overlying the other. One section is wound clockwise and the other is wound counterclockwise. This reduces the voltage difference between adjacent layers of the two sections, permits the use of a smaller wire, and results in cooler and more efficient operation.

Abstract: A solid-state ballast for discharge lamps includes a device for sensing the instantaneous current flowing within the load to produce illumination. A signal representing this load current is differentially processed with an external control signal representing the desired illumination, to produce an removed signal which controls an oscillator that provides the operating signal for the load. In addition, the voltage across the load is sensed and the signal representing this voltage is fed back to a circuit which controls the oscillator so as to limit the maximum load voltage during initial start-up and when a lamp is removed.

Abstract: A bobbin for use in an inductive device is provided. The bobbin has an integral strain relief member including first and second sections having colinear passageways, the first and second sections being separated by a gap. A locking member located in the gap engages a lead wire previously inserted through the passageways and sets the engaged portion of the lead wire off the colinear axis of the passageways.

Abstract: A capacitor with an integral discharge resistor includes a central core formed at least partially from an electrically resistive material and which includes opposite axial ends. First and second sheets of electrically conductive material, as well as a sheet of electrically insulating material interposed between the first and second sheets of conductive material, are wound about the resistive core to form convoluted layers coaxial with the resistive core. The sheets include opposite transverse edges. The resistive core and the convoluted layers of conductive and insulating sheets provide the capacitor with an overall shape of a cylinder having axial end portions defined by the edges of the sheets and the opposite ends of the resistive core. A conductive coating is applied to the axial end portions of the cylindrical shape of the capacitor.

Abstract: The common winding of an autotransformer is formed in two sections connected electrically in parallel and one section overlying the other. One section is wound clockwise and the other is wound counterclockwise. This reduces the voltage difference between adjacent layers of the two sections, permits the use of a smaller wire, and results in cooler and more efficient operation.

Abstract: A lamp ballast is disclosed which includes a main winding, and an auxiliary winding connected in series with the main winding. The auxiliary winding is wound concentrically with the main winding and with substantially fewer turns than it. The pitch (space between two adjacent turns) of the auxiliary winding is much higher than that of the main winding so that the turns of the auxiliary winding are spaced over the entire length of the main winding. When a voltage pulse of comparatively low amplitude is applied across the auxiliary winding by a conventional electronic lamp starter, a substantially higher amplitude pulse, which is sufficient to ignite a sodium lamp appears across the main winding, by reason of the improved transformer action between the two windings. Thereafter, the ballast provides sufficient support to the lamp to keep it on.

Abstract: Apparatus for winding coils of wire on a bobbin is disclosed. The coil winding apparatus comprises a support structure, a drive shaft arranged for axial rotation carried by the support structure, a carriage carried by the support structure, the carriage being arranged for movement in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft, the carriage including a wire feed guide arranged to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft and spring means connected to the guide for regulating the pivoting of the guide. A drive wheel coupled to the carriage is in rotational tangential contact with the drive shaft, with the rotational axes of the drive wheel and drive shaft being offset in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the drive shaft and drive wheel at their point of tangency, the axes of rotation of the drive wheel and the drive shaft forming an angle, whereby the rotation of the drive wheel causes the movement of the carriage.

Abstract: An electrical coil assembly, for transformers or the like, in which the improvment comprises a spacer, or separator board which is laid along the length of the core of the coil, said separator formed with a number of tabs for separating and holding a number of windings of the coil.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an inductive device of the type having a bobbin of insulating material on which a coil of wire is wound in which a bobbin of heat settable material is provided having at least one thinned down edge portion on at least one of its flanges in which the bobbin is clamped on the thinned down edge portion, the coil of wire is wound while the flange is clamped, the bobbin is unclamped, and the thinned down edge portion is formed over the coil.

Abstract: An automatic capacitor winding machine including a photoelectric device for sensing the position of a capacitor tab which is rotated by a rotating arbor is disclosed. The sensing device is characterized by a light source providing a light-beam directed along a line which lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the arbor. The tab crosses the line along which the light-beam is directed only twice. The width of the light-beam is greater than the width of the tab at the line crossing nearest the light source. A photoelectric detector is positioned to receive light directed along the line and it is responsive to light impinging thereon. The detector has an angle of light acceptance such that the light-beam is prevented from impinging on the detector only when the tab is at the line crossing which is nearest to the light detector.This abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention.

Abstract: An inductor device including an outer frame type shell of magnetically susceptible material and a bobbin of insulating material on which a coil of wire is wound, with the bobbin fitting within the shell. The bobbin has the edges of its flanges bent over to provide electrical insulation against creepage and, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the bobbin flanges are of a heat settable material. A method of manufacturing the inductive device with the bobbin is also disclosed.

Abstract: An automatic capacitor winding machine has a retractable bifurcated arbor and vertically movable clamps to grasp the ends of the capacitor dielectric layers and carry those ends to a point below the retracted arbor. The bifurcated arbor is registered in its retracted state with its slot parallel to the dielectric layers. The arbor is then extended and grasps the dielectric layers between its tangs. The pressure grasping the dielectric layers is partially removed to allow the arbor to rotate and pull the dielectric layers from between the clamps. A stripper washer is provided to freely rotate on the arbor with limited movement parallel to the axis of the arbor and with a relatively small clearance between the washer's inside surface and the arbor's outside surface. Photoelectric means are provided to accurately detect the location of the first tab (terminal) to time the insertion of the other tabs. A reciprocating blade severs the dielectric layers after the capacitor is wound.

Abstract: An automatic capacitor winding machine has a retractable bifurcated arbor and vertically movable clamps to grasp the ends of the capacitor dielectric layers and carry those ends to a point below the retracted arbor. The bifurcated arbor is registered in its retracted state with its slot parallel to the dielectric layers. The arbor is then extended and grasps the dielectric layers between its tangs. The pressure grasping the dielectric layers is partially removed to allow the arbor to rotate and pull the dielectric layers from between the clamps. A stripper washer is provided to freely rotate on the arbor with limited movement parallel to the axis of the arbor and with a relatively small clearance between the washer's inside surface and the arbor's outside surface. Photoelectric means are provided to accurately detect the location of the first tab (terminal) to time the insertion of the other tabs. A reciprocating blade severs the dielectric layers after the capacitor is wound.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for forming an electrical connection between electrical conductors by soldering. A lead wire with a coating of insulating material has a selected portion of the coating removed by a flame from a torch. The bared portion of the lead wire is wrapped around a second conductor such as a terminal, and the two conductors are then immersed in a low temperature, ultrasonically agitated liquid solder bath. The terminal also can have insulation which is burned off by the flame before the soldering takes place. The insulation on the lead wire can be burned off when it is wrapped around the terminal.

Abstract: An automatic capacitor winding machine has a retractable bifurcated arbor and vertically movable clamps to grasp the ends of the capacitor dielectric layers and carry those ends to a point below the retracted arbor. The bifurcated arbor is registered in its retracted state with its slot parallel to the dielectric layers. The arbor is then extended and grasps the dielectric layers between its tangs. The pressure grasping the dielectric layers is partially removed to allow the arbor to rotate and pull the dielectric layers from between the clamps. A stripper washer is provided to freely rotate on the arbor with limited movement parallel to the axis of the arbor and with a relatively small clearance between the washer's inside surface and the arbor's outside surface. Photoelectric means are provided to accurately detect the location of the first tab (terminal) to time the insertion of the other tabs. A reciprocating blade severs the dielectric layers after the capacitor is wound.

Abstract: An automatic capacitor winding machine has a retractable bifurcated arbor and vertically movable clamps to grasp the ends of the capacitor dielectric layers and carry those ends to a point below the retracted arbor. The bifurcated arbor is registered in its retracted state with its slot parallel to the dielectric layers. The arbor is then extended and grasps the dielectric layers between its tangs. The pressure grasping the dielectric layers is partially removed to allow the arbor to rotate and pull the dielectric layers from between the clamps. A stripper washer is provided to freely rotate on the arbor with limited movement parallel to the axis of the arbor and with a relatively small clearance between the washer's inside surface and the arbor's outside surface. Photoelectric means are provided to accurately detect the location of the first tab (terminal) to time the insertion of the other tabs. A reciprocating blade severs the dielectric layers after the capacitor is wound.