Abstract: Workpieces are conveyed from an incoming load station to a plurality of processing machines utilizing an endless conveyor having plural cradles for carrying the workpieces. A seat memory tracks each of the cradles and designates them as either work-to-be-performed cradles or work-finished cradles. The cradles are filled at a load station in accordance with an algorithm by which there is a predetermined ratio between those of the cradles being conveyed from the load station to the first of the processing machines designated as work-to-be-performed cradles and those of the cradles designated as work-finished cradles.

Abstract: A lamination stack selector for supporting a vertical column of laminations in a chute and for selecting a stack of laminations having a predetermined height from the bottom of the column. The selector includes a plurality of support pins biased to a first, column-supporting position, wherein the support pins extend beneath and engage the bottom margin of the column, and movable to a second, column-releasing position, wherein all of the support pins are out of engagement with the bottom margin of the column. When a stack of laminations is to be selected from the lower end of the column, a lamination receptacle is elevated to a position beneath the column. As the lamination receptacle is moved into position to receive a stack of laminations, the support pins are pushed out of supporting engagement with the column by posts moving with the receptacle. The support for the column is thus removed and the column lowers into the receptacle. Thereafter, the receptacle may be lowered.

Abstract: A discoidal, flat coil armature for a flat disc motor is formed by winding coils of wire on mutually spaced inner and outer ring structures. The inner ring structure surrounds a commutator body having segments with tangs. Automatic apparatus, including a rotating flier, a preform clamp and rotator, and a wire guide assembly, winds the coils and makes coil terminal connections to the commutator tangs before, during, and after the winding of the coils. The coils are tightly wound on the ring structures so that they form, along with the ring structures and the commutator body, an armature preform having a self-supporting shape. The parts of the finished preform are bonded together and to an armature shaft by a matrix of resinous material.

Abstract: Coils of wire having different geometries are wound onto the same dynamoelectric device core or onto cores having different geometries utilizing a flier-type winding machine having a winding form or forms provided with two sets of differently configured wire guide surfaces and rotated to be selectively oriented to wind coils of one geometry or the other. Such rotation may be accomplished by rotation of the flier with which the form is associated. A center guide assembly having two selectively operable guide members is also disclosed.

Abstract: A starter motor field winding assembly comprises a stator ring, plural pole pieces on the ring, and a field winding comprising an uninterruptedly continuous conductor wound to encircle the pole pieces. The conductor comprises strapping edge wound about cores to form coils. The strapping between coils is edge bent to form connections from one coil to the next. The cores about which the coils are formed may be affixed to an arbor or may be removably mounted on the arbor and thereafter assembled to a stator ring to form the pole pieces of the completed stator assembly.

Abstract: A starter motor field winding comprises an uninterruptedly continuous conductor edge wound to encircle a plurality of core elements. The core elements are on a mandrel to which the leading end of a length of strapping is secured. The mandrel is rotated about a first axis to locate successive core elements in position to have coils wound therearound and rotated about a second axis to edge wind the strapping into coils about the core elements.

Abstract: A reciprocating and oscillating ram for a winding head is reciprocated and oscillated at high speeds by a single drive shaft and a rotary to reciprocatory and oscillatory movement mechanism including a carriage, adjustable Scotch yoke drive means reciprocally driving the carriage, a rack bar slidably mounted on the carriage and a pinion member engaging rack teeth on the rack bar and affixed to the ram. The rack bar follows reciprocal movements of a plate that carries cam followers driven by a cam mounted on the drive shaft. The Scotch yoke mechanism includes an adjustable length crank arm with a counterbalance. The movements of the carriage are counterbalanced by reciprocatory movement of a counterbalance carriage driven by a similar crank arm.Wire is guided to the ram by a non-rotating wire feed tube connected to the carriage for reciprocation therewith and projecting to the rear of the machine. A wire guide pulley is mounted on the rear end of the feed tube for guiding wire from a wire source.

Abstract: The several machine functions required to feed, cut, and insert insulating wedges into armature slots are accomplished with the use of a single drive motor that drives a control cam and a Scotch yoke mechanism. The machine is of simple construction and capable of high speed operation. By minor modification, the same machine can be used for feeding, cutting and inserting armature cell insulating liners.The machine includes an improved armature index mechanism especially adapted for high speed indexing in which the index pawl enters succeeding armature slots while traveling at zero velocity in the direction of its indexing movement.

Abstract: A starter motor field winding comprises an uninterruptedly continuous conductor wound to encircle a plurality of core elements. The conductor comprises strapping edge wound about cores to form coils. The strapping between coils is edge bent to form connections from one coil to the next. The cores about which the coils are formed may be affixed to an arbor or may be removably mounted on the arbor and thereafter assembled to a stator ring to form a completed stator assembly.

Abstract: A transfer mechanism for transferring armature forms between a supply pallet and an armature winding machine comprises a turret plate rotatable through 180.degree. angles for presenting opposite margins thereof successively to said supply pallet and said winding machine. In operation, the supply pallet is indexed to receive wound armature forms held by a first armature gripping mechanism mounted on said turret plate and to supply unwound armature forms to said first gripping mechanism. As these events occur, the turret plate supports a second armature gripping mechanism which presents unwound armature forms to the winding machine. The winding machine has winding guide members cooperating with semicircular spaces located in a post projecting upwardly from a mounting plate supporting the turret plate to support the unwound armature forms in position for the winding of coils thereon.

Abstract: A mechanism for positioning a spindle with a chuck mounted thereon comprises a cartridge supported for sliding axial movement, means journalling said spindle in said cartridge and restraining said spindle against axial movement relative to said cartridge, and class 1 lever means for axially positioning said cartridge and thereby also positioning said spindle and said chuck.

Abstract: Automatic machinery for performing multiple operations on different parts of workpieces includes an incrementally rotating, workpiece supporting turret provided with three workpiece supports. Upon rotating of the turret, a workpiece loaded on a support located at a first position is indexed about the axis of the turret to a second position at which a first operation is performed thereon, then to a third, idle position. Continued rotation of the turret results in an index of the workpiece to the first position, then again to the second position at which a second operation is performed thereon. After the next index to the third position, the workpiece is unloaded from the support. As the turret is indexed, the workpiece is rotated relative to the turret whereupon the workpiece is oriented differently each time it reaches the second position causing the operations to take place on different parts of the workpiece.