Abstract: The reciprocating and oscillating winding spindle of a stator winding machine is rotatable through 180° to enable a stator winding and lead terminating method and apparatus for automatically winding a 2-pole stator having two pole pieces each with a coil wire wound from the same, single strand of wire. A cross-over wire segment between the two stator coils extends through the bore of the stator and is trapped against an inside wall of the stator by a cross-over wire retaining member. A stator coil lead terminating apparatus is capable of complex manipulations of stator coil lead wires at a winding station. Stator coil lead wires can be looped about wire guide posts on a stator core in the course of forming coil lead terminations, and the posts can be protected against bending or breaking by looping pins that partly receive the posts.

Abstract: The reciprocating and oscillating winding spindle of a stator winding machine is rotatable through 180° to enable a stator winding and lead terminating method and apparatus for automatically winding a 2-pole stator having two pole pieces each with a coil wire wound from the same, single strand of wire. A cross-over wire segment between the two stator coils extends through the bore of the stator and is trapped against an inside wall of the stator by a cross-over wire retaining member. A stator coil lead terminating apparatus is capable of complex manipulations of stator coil lead wires at a winding station. Stator coil lead wires can be looped about wire guide posts on a stator core in the course of forming coil lead terminations, and the posts can be protected against bending or breaking by looping pins that partly receive the posts.

Abstract: A winding form assembly for a stator winding machine includes a pair of winding forms mounted on a stator pole piece and a latch assembly for latching the winding forms to one another. Two ways to support the forms on the pole piece and two latch mechanisms are disclosed.

Abstract: A stator winding machine has a turret plate mounted for rotation about a vertical axis with stator clamp mechanisms mounted at spaced locations around its periphery for clamping stators to the turret plate with the axes of the stators coplanar with the axis of reciprocation and oscillation of the winding shuttle used to wind coils on the stators. The turret plate is repeatedly indexed in one direction about its vertical center axis to repeatedly sequentially move each of the stator clamp mechanism to a load/unload station, an optional idle station, a winding station, a coil lead terminating station, and then back to the load/unload station. Parts of the machine are quickly replaceable and other parts are programmably adjustable to accommodate different stator configurations.

Abstract: Armature support pallets are provided with support assemblies which have parts that cooperate with structural features of the armature assembly they carry to maintain the rotary orientation there

Abstract: Stator coil lead wires are coursed along complex, circuitous paths on the end of a stator core and trimmed at a precise predetermined distance from the stator core. Improved end effector wire-guiding tooling members are provided in place of conventional gripper jaws to permit the lead wires to be coursed along complex, circuitous paths. In addition, an improved lead pull assembly, improved temporary wire clamps, and a wire former assembly are provided.

Abstract: An armature manufacturing line includes one or more manufacturing cells, each having a winder facing a fuser and a rotatable armature transfer apparatus that transfers unwound armatures to the winder and wound armatures from the winder directly to the fuser. The armature transfer apparatus has a rotatable turret upon which are mounted a pair of grippers that face in mutually opposite directions and which are movable along mutually parallel axes. Independent drive means drives the grippers along their respective paths of movement relative to the turret. The turret is rotatably driven through 180.degree. in alternately opposite directions to place one gripper in confronting relation with the winder, then in confronting relation with the fuser, and so on. An elevator at the fuser moves wound and fused armatures from the fuser to a conveyor. Different embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A stator winding apparatus is disclosed for use in the manufacture of stators having radially-extending, outwardly-open, coil-receiving slots. Lead wire guide assemblies are provided for guiding lead wires into cavities in individual terminal members mounted on the stator core. In addition, a wire-retaining member is provided to confine a lead wire between the end face of the stator core and the wire retaining member to thereby prevent the lead wire from being inadvertently looped around a portion of the wire-guide tooling provided to guide wire into the stator core slots. Related methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiple phase, multiple pole stator is wound using two coil winding passes per phase. The stator core is indexed in alternate directions between the winding of individual coils of one phase to the next. As a result, the coils of a particular phase are wound using a first stator index direction for the first winding pass and a second stator index direction for the second winding pass. A winding apparatus for such winding has an arbor assembly which includes a tubular shaft having an expandable mandrel at the forward end thereof which is received in the bore of a stator. The mandrel includes a fixed, radially-extending key and at least one pivotal, radially-extending key. The keys are received in slots or keyways provided in the stator bore to lock the stator to the shaft and to rotatably drive the stator during the winding process. An improved combined winding form and lead guide mechanism assembly is also illustrated wherein a lead guide sliding assembly is located in a cavity in the winding form.

Abstract: A wound stator for a permanent magnet electric machine has an array of coils on the outer rim of a generally cylindrical stator body. The stator coils are wound directly on the stator body by providing the stator body with a plurality of mutually circumferentially-spaced, coil-retaining and forming members around which the ends of the stator coils are coursed so that the coil sides project in a direction parallel to the center axis of the stator. Wire connections are formed between coils of a phase, and wire loops are formed between the last wound coil of one phase and the first wound coil of a subsequently wound phase. Mechanisms are provided for clamping the stator start wires and for temporarily retaining the wire loops.

Abstract: An armature manufacturing line includes one or more manufacturing cells, each having a winder facing a fuser and a rotatable armature transfer apparatus that transfers unwound armatures to the winder and wound armature from the winder directly to the fuser. An elevator at the fuser moves wound and fused armatures from the fuser to a conveyor. Different embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: Stator coil lead wires are coursed along complex, circuitous paths on the end of a stator core and trimmed at a precise predetermined distance from the stator core. Improved end effector wire-guiding tooling member are provided in place of conventional gripper jaws to permit the lead wires to be coursed along complex, circuitous paths. In addition, an improved lead pull assembly, improved temporary wire clamps, and a wire former assembly are provided.

Abstract: A stator winding machine has a turret plate mounted for rotation about a vertical axis with stator clamp mechanisms mounted at spaced locations around its periphery for clamping stators to the turret plate with the axes of the stators coplanar with the axis of reciprocation and oscillation of the winding shuttle used to wind coils on the stators. The turret plate is repeatedly indexed in one direction about its vertical center axis to repeatedly sequentially move each of the stator clamp mechanism to a load/unload station, an optional idle station, a winding station, a coil lead terminating station, and then back to the load/unload station. Parts of the machine are quickly replaceable and other parts are programmably adjustable to accommodate different stator configurations.

Abstract: A wound stator for a permanent magnet electric machine has an array of coils on the outer rim of a generally cylindrical stator body. The stator coils are wound directly on the stator body by providing the stator body with a plurality of mutually circumferentially-spaced, coil-retaining and forming members around which the ends of the stator coils are coursed so that the coil sides project in a direction parallel to the center axis of the stator. Wire connections are formed between coils of a phase, and wire loops are formed between the last wound coil of one phase and the first wound coil of a subsequently wound phase. Mechanisms are provided for clamping the stator start wires and for temporarily retaining the wire loops.

Abstract: A stator winding machine has a turret plate mounted for rotation about a vertical axis with stator clamp mechanisms mounted at spaced locations around its periphery for clamping stators to the turret plate with the axes of the stators coplanar with the axis of reciprocation and oscillation of the winding shuttle used to wind coils on the stators. The turret plate is repeatedly indexed in one direction about its vertical center axis to repeatedly sequentially move each of the stator clamp mechanism to a load/unload station, an optional idle station, a winding station, a coil lead terminating station, and then back to the load/unload station. Parts of the machine are quickly replaceable and other parts are programmably adjustable to accommodate different stator configurations.

Abstract: A stator winding machine has a turret plate mounted for rotation about a vertical axis with stator clamp mechanisms mounted at spaced locations around its periphery for clamping stators to the turret plate with the axes of the stators coplanar with the axis of reciprocation and oscillation of the winding shuttle used to wind coils on the stators. The turret plate is repeatedly indexed in one direction about its vertical center axis to repeatedly sequentially move each of the stator clamp mechanism to a load/unload station, an optional idle station, a winding station, a coil lead terminating station, and then back to the load/unload station. Parts of the machine are quickly replaceable and other parts are programmably adjustable to accommodate different stator configurations.

Abstract: A fusing electrode is mounted on a vertically movable carriage which is raised by a first air actuator and lowered by gravity into engagement with a commutator tang. During a fusing cycle, different pressures are applied between the fusing electrode and the tang by means of a fast-acting air actuator that has a downwardly-extending piston rod engageable with the carriage and which is controlled by a programmable pressure regulating valve. To increase the response time and the force follow through of the second air actuator, the programmable pressure regulating valve is mounted directly on top of the second air actuator with its air outlet located as close to the cylinder of the second actuator as permitted by the air fittings which connect them. Surge tanks associated with the programmable valve assist in ensuring speedy response times.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for successively loading workpieces, such as unwound armature assemblies, along a predetermined axis into a workpiece processing machine using an elongate main beam and a staging assembly with workpiece grippers connected to the main beam by a motion multiplier.

Abstract: A wound stator for a permanent magnet electric machine has an array of coils on the outer rim of a generally cylindrical stator body. The stator coils are wound directly on the stator body by providing the stator body with a plurality of mutually circumferentially-spaced, coil-retaining and forming members around which the ends of the stator coils are coursed so that the coil sides project in a direction parallel to the center axis of the stator. Wire connections are formed between coils of a phase, and wire loops are formed between the last wound coil of one phase and the first wound coil of a subsequently wound phase. Mechanisms are provided for clamping the stator start wires and for temporarily retaining the wire loops.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for successively loading workpieces, such as unwound armature assemblies, along a predetermined axis into a workpiece processing machine using an elongate main beam and a staging assembly with workpiece grippers connected to the main beam by a motion multiplier.