Abstract: The invention comprises apparatus for forming nelical coils from conductive strip metal, counting the turns and cutting them to separate the turns into coils of desired numbers of turns, annealing the coils, tabbing the ends thereof, coating the coils with insulative coating and curing the coating by baking; compressing the so-insulated coils under extreme pressure to comprise a helical coil product, per se, or to fit conventional cores to comprise an inductor product.

Abstract: Windings for magnetic core devices are preformed as a flat conducting strip disposed in a helical coil configuration of circular shape, having elongated tabs at selectible angles to the coil from substantially tangential to substantially radial orientation for cooperation with the magnetic core exit slots, thereby maximizing core window utilization and adapting to conventional cores. The cross sectional area of the tabs may be substantially less than the cross sectional area of helix turns thereby further eliminating interference with smaller core exit slots. A plurality of such windings are stacked, one on top of the other, or interleaved or placed on torroidal core with flexible orientation of the tabs being available to facilitate access to each of multiple terminals and to isolate or group electrical functions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for winding lengths of flexible material, packages produced by such method and apparatus, as well as endforms forming part of the mandrels on which such windings are formed, incorporate a number of winding parameters which are related to one another by a mathematical formula. Specifically, the mathematical relationship ##EQU1## where: A=the guide stroke,Gd=the guide distance from the spindle center line axis,G=the gain or advance of the wind,Dm=the diameter of the wind or coil, andYm=the wind or coil width;governs the shape of the walls of the endform and such end-forms are used in winding apparatus for producing wound packages of flexible material. From the above equation, the geometrical shape of the wound package can also be determined.

Abstract: A universal winding consisting of a plurality of successive figure-8s spaced radially around a mandrel with the figure-8s being spaced such that the crossovers exist in all but one location to form a payout hole extending from the exterior of the winding into the interior of the axial opening therein in which the speed of the traverse or speed of the mandrel is varied with respect to one another in such a manner that a greater density winding is obtained having a more uniform density, thereby enabling the winding to be compressed more uniformly around the diameter of the coil. A variation in the speed of the traverse or the speed of the spindle with respect to one another can be defined as either a plus or a minus gain and small changes in the gain place the crossovers such that the flexible material is wound more densely. The invention has particular application to large diameter winds in which relatively large diameter flexible material is wound.

Abstract: In a winding machine for the continuous winding of flexible material, first and second independently operable spindles are mounted in spaced relation in operative relationship with a traverse guide for feeding the flexible material. First transfer arms are mounted for movement in a vertical direction parallel to the axis of the first and second spindles for engagement with the flexible material being wound thereon and second transfer arms are mounted for horizontal movement between first and second spindles for engagement of the flexible material. The first and second transfer arms are controlled such that flexible material is transferred from a completely wound spindle to the other spindle for continuous winding.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for winding lengths of flexible material, packages produced by such method and apparatus, as well as endforms forming part of the mandrels on which such windings are formed, incorporate a number of winding parameters which are related to one another by a mathematical formula. Specifically, the mathematical relationship ##EQU1## where: A=the guide stroke,Gd=the guide distance from the spindle center line axis,G=the gain or advance of the wind,Dm=the diameter of the wind or coil, andYm=the wind or coil width;governs the shape of the walls of the endform and such endforms are used in winding apparatus for producing wound packages of flexible material. From the above equation, the geometrical shape of the wound package can also be determined.

Abstract: In a winding wound in a figure-8 configuration, such as a universal winding which is known in the textile industry, the endforms of a spindle on which the winding is wound each respectively include openings enabling the projection therethrough of collapsing members such that the ends of the winding may be compressed to a substantially flat plane with the innermost winding. The mandrel is formed in two movable sections such that the two sections collapse towards one another with application of the compression force applied to each of the endforms.

Abstract: A package for a wind of flexible material wound with a universal wind and having a radial opening into the axial opening through which the inner end of the material is brought out is provided with specially shaped cones having end portions extending into the inner end of the radial opening to guide the material to prevent tangles and birdnesting during unwinding of the wound material. The end portions of the specially shaped cone members may be inserted into the end portion of the payout tube which, in turn, is inserted within the radial opening of the wound package.

Abstract: Water-soluble wind stabilization segments are used to stabilize the winding of coils wound in a figure-8 configuration with a radial opening provided on the side of the winding such that the winding may be unwound from the inside out. The water-soluble stabilization segments dissolve when the winding is immersed in water, thereby obviating the need to physically remove such stabilization segments prior to unwinding the wound package.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing outside payoff from a wound package of flexible strip-like material wherein the package is mounted on a swivable support member through a radial hole in the wound material. The support member is mounted to enable oscillation about its longitudinal axis and the wound material is paid-off the package from its outer end by pulling it in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wound material and the support member. Tension forces may be provided to the support tube to prevent premature throw-off of the wind by controlling the oscillation of the package. Such tension forces may be provided by springs attached to the support tube or by mounting the support tube on a torque motor.

Abstract: A package for retaining material wound in a figure-8 configuration and including a radial hole extending from the central core space thereof to the outer periphery thereof is enclosed in a container having a preforated corner portion for feeding material from the winding. The winding is placed within a polygonally-sided insert having opposing sides engaging the outer periphery of the winding and including a feedout tube inserted in the radial hole for feeding the inner end of the material. Opposite sides of the insert engage the inner surfaces of the container with the feedout tube being aligned with the perforated corner portion. The bottom and upper surfaces of the container include intersecting cone sections for supporting the inner windings of the material.

Abstract: In winding coils of great wall thickness, such coils including a plurality of layers each formed of a plurality of figure-8s with the cross-overs progressing angularly around in each layer and with a radial hole extending from the outside of the coil into the axial opening thereof, by previous winding methods it is likely that the hole will be curved, even in cases where the guide for traversing the flexible material on the mandrel is spaced away from the mandrel and the outside of the wound material. In order to prevent the formation of a curved hole and to ensure that the hole is substantially radial, the guide carrier is moved in such a way that the line from the carrier to the surface of the coil always remains substantially tangential to the package at the same angular position in space with respect to the mandrel.

Abstract: In a coil of material wound in a series of figure-8 coils with the crossovers progressing around the package but being interrupted at one point to provide a radial opening into the axial opening of the coil, in order to produce a thick-walled coil the material is first wound in a normal way with varying gains in order to produce a set of dense inner layers, while the outer layers are wound without variation in the gain to produce a honeycomb structure. The honeycomb section is of greater width (axially of the package) than the inner layers. A plurality of pins slidably mounted on a strip are pushed into the outside of the package through the openings in the honeycomb, whereafter the outer layers are compressed axially while retaining the pins within the outer layers. The pins permit payoff of the outer layers without danger of their collapsing and thereby forming kinks or twists within the package.

Abstract: For guiding flexible material wound in a figure-8 package with inner end feedout, a coil is enclosed in a container with walls of corrugated cardboard. The payout of the material is guided by a tube having a flange adjacent the outer end, and two outwardly extending projections between the flange and the outer end, leaving a space therebetween. The inner edges of the projections are slanted in opposite directions. The tube is inserted into a coil, which is then inserted into a container formed of corrugated material. The corrugated material has an opening equal in diameter to the diameter of the tube and notches on either side of such opening extending in the direction of the corrugations. The outer end of the tube is brought through this opening, with the projections extending through the notches, and is then turned by 90.degree.. The thickness of the cardboard is slightly less than the space between the projections and the flange.

Abstract: The invention relates to a package of material wound in a series of figure-8s with the cross-overs advancing around the package, and the cross-overs being omitted at at least one point on the circumference of the package to leave a radial hole into the center of the package for inner end feedout to allow payout without twist. This hole is ordinarily somewhat diamond shaped, with its major axis extending substantially perpendicular to the axis about which the material was wound. A payout tube is placed in that hole, this payout tube having an oval shape.

Abstract: A tube for insertion into a coil of flexible material wound in a series of figure-8s with a radial opening extending into the axial opening through which the inner end of the material can be drawn out without twist has a flange spaced from its free end and a second flange adjacent the free end with the space between the two flanges being substantially equal to the wall thickness of a container in which the packaged coil is to be enclosed.The outer flange is interrupted at two points and has an outwardly bent portion. The tube is inserted from the outside into the radial opening of the coil, which is then placed inside the container with the outer end of the tube directed towards an opening in the container, which has notches therein. Upon turning the tube, the outwardly bent portions ride up on the wall of the container, so that the tube can be turned to a position in which the principal part of the outer flange engages against the outside of the wall.

Abstract: In a package formed of a plurality of layers each composed of a number of figure 8 winds with the cross-overs progressing around the package and with a radial opening extending from the periphery of the package to the axial opening through which radial opening the inner end of the material is led out, a funnel is provided with a stem positioned in the radial opening and with its mouth substantially at the mid-plane of the package. The funnel has a width in the axial direction of the package at least substantially as great as the axial length of the package. The funnel may be mounted in such a way that it can wobble slightly. The funnel guides the loops falling off of the inside wall of the package so as to prevent birdsnesting and provide for continuous and rapid payout.