Abstract: Apparatus includes means that both advance wedge material stock and also substantially permanently form the stock material to precise dimensional tolerances; means by which the formed material is retained in the formed configuration thereof; wedge severing means; and means for loading severed wedges into a wedge magazine.The means for advancing and also substantially permanently forming the stock material includes a pair of pinch wheels or rollers that pinch the stock therebetween to feed wedge material. One of the wheels is driven unidirectionally through a clutch-brake system. The other wheel is supported so that it may be selectively urged toward the first wheel in order to pinch and feed wedge stock material. A toggle linkage controls the operation of the pinch wheels.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed of intermittently advancing a chain of insulators to a severing and transfer mechanism loading station while guiding end turn insulating portions along guide means while applying a frictional restraining force to the insulators. After the transfer mechanism is loaded with a leading insulator from the chain; the leading insulator is severed from the chain, the transfer mechanism is conditioned to receive the next leading insulator from the chain, and the loading and severing sequence is repeated. The loaded insulators are then wrapped about the transfer mechanism by spinning the mechanism and insulators and deflecting portions of the insulators projecting from the mechanism into close proximity to the mechanism. The wrapped insulators are then moved along the bore of a stator, released, unwrapped, and transferred to the stator.

Abstract: A wire vibration damping device for use in coil winding machines of the wind and shed type. The device comprises a guide rail which partially or completely encircles the coil form and is connected to the structure which supports the coil form by means of a plurality of downwardly depending guide posts. The guide rail is supported from above the winding plane and includes a downwardly facing lower edge which is located slightly above the winding plane yet sufficiently close to it that it deflects excursions of the wire above the winding plane as it is fed from the flyer thereby damping oscillations of the wire which would otherwise cause improper shedding off the coil form. The support posts for the guide rail are clamped within a bracket mounted to the lower portion of the support structure for the coil form and are vertically adjustable relative thereto so that the position of the guide rail can be fine tuned to ensure optimum damping of the wire oscillations.

Abstract: Apparatus includes pinch wheels that both advance wedge material stock and also substantially permanently form the stock material to precise dimensional tolerances by reducing the material thickness; means by which the formed material is retained in the formed configuration thereof; wedge severing means; and means for loading severed wedges into a wedge magazine. One of the pinch wheels is driven through a clutch-brake system arranged so that it may be driven unidirectionally only from a reciprocating drive arm. The wedges have precisely controlled dimensional tolerances and dimensional stability, with the result that the wedges lie squarely in stator core slots (when the wedges are inserted into such slots), and "wire over wedge" problems associated with skewed wedges in stator core slots are overcome.