Abstract: An armature includes a shaft supporting a slotted core and a commutator having peripherally spaced hook-like tangs. The armature is automatically wound on a flyer-type winding machine which has a set of concentric tubular shields surrounding the commutator and a pair of wire gripper units diametrically arranged relative to the shields. The gripper units are pivotally supported by a member which surrounds the shields and is supported for rotation on the axis of the armature shaft. A set of fluid cylinders are arranged to rotate or index the member and gripper units between a lead pick-up position and a lead terminating position through an intermediate winding position to provide for faster winding of each armature.

Abstract: An armature winding machine supports a combined armature loading and unloading mechanism which includes a turret supported by a carriage for rotary indexing movement on a horizontal axis. The carriage is supported for horizontal linear movement by a set of guide rods projecting outwardly from the winding machine, and the carriage and turret are moved between inner and outer positions by actuation of a fluid cylinder. The turret includes a set of annularly arranged gripping members which successively grip the unwound armatures supplied from a vertically moveable magazine located above the turret. While each unwound armature is being transferred to the winding station by the turret, a wound armature is simultaneously transferred by the turret to an unloading station where it is released from its gripping member. The turret automatically indexes in response to linear movement of the carriage.