Abstract: A brush assembly is provided that facilitates a longer usable brush life and permits easy brush assembly replacement. The brush assembly includes an arc-shaped brush and a pivot arm, with the mounting end of the arc-shaped brush bound or otherwise mounted with respect to one end of the pivot arm. The end of the pivot arm that is not bound to the arc-shaped brush typically includes a female cylindrical slot for mating with a male shaft that is prefabricated in the motor housing, parallel to the rotor's axis. When the disclosed brush assembly is installed into an electric motor, the pivot arm slot is slidably positioned onto the shaft in the motor housing, enabling the brush assembly to pivot about the shaft on a plane that is perpendicular to the rotor's axis of rotation. A biasing spring force impels the brush assembly to pivot inward toward the rotor in the longitudinal direction of the brush, and maintains the operating end of the arc-shaped brush in contact with the rotating faces of the commutator.

Abstract: Brush card or holder assemblies are disclosed. The assemblies avoid any need for a separate plastic cap and utilize a lead wire (which could be or include a rod or other electrically-conductive device) both electrically to connect a brush to an external component and mechanically to fix the position of one end of a mechanism, such as a spring, for biasing the brush toward the surface of a commutator or other rotating machine element.

Abstract: Addressed herein are commutators and methods of manufacturing them. The methods permit the carbonaceous material and core of a commutator to be molded simultaneously, rather than in a two-step process, and can eliminate one of two curing procedures used in connection with other manufacturing techniques. The necessity of machining the inner surface of the commutator shell to remove undesired excess phenolic or other material additionally is avoided by use of the techniques detailed herein. Commutators formed according to these methods may have increased useful lives and provide better performance than others presently available.