Winding inserting apparatus and method
United States Patent 1 91 McKinley et al.  
 1 51 Apr. 29, 1975 1 1 WINDING lNSERTlNG APPARATUS AND METHOD 175] inventors: Hollace R. McKinley; Leo M.  
 Schlaudroft, both of Fort Wayne.  
 173] Assignee: General Electric Company. Fort Wayne. 1nd.  
 [221 Filed: Apr. 8. 1974 [21] Appl. No.2 458.461  
 Related 0.5. Application Data [63] Continuation of Scr. No. 306.527. Nov. 15. 1972.  
 Primary E \&#39;uminer-C. W. Lanham Assismnl Evaminer-D. C. Reiley. lll Almrney. Agent. or Firm-Ralph E. Krisher. Jr.  
 [57] ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for winding and inserting stator coils comprising a collapsible coil form about which electrically conductive wire may be wound to thereby create a coil group; whereupon the coil form may be collapsed to relieve the tension on individual turns to allow movement of the coil group into the slots of a stator core. A portion of the coil form supports the coil group and is guided into the bore of a stator by a guide plug which was previously passed therethrough. and which is provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed axially extending keys dimensioned to fit closely between two adjacent stator teeth to assure proper orientation of the stator relative to the guide plug. The movable part of the coil form may be provided with one or more similar keys to assure proper relative orientation of the coil form and the stator after the form has entered the stator bore. and with means for alignably engaging the guide means prior to entering the bore.  
 15 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures WINDING INSERTING APPARATUS AND METHOD CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation of allowed application Ser. No. 306.527. which was filed Nov. I5. 1972 and which is now abandoned.  
  The present invention relates generally to improved apparatus and methods for developing windings in electromagnetic devices. and more particularly to apparatus and method for inserting the wound coils into a stator core. More specifically. the present invention relates to a system for aligning a coil inserting device and a stator core.  
  Stator coil winding and inserting equipment of different types is known in the art. One type is illustrated for example. by US. Pat. No. 2.934.099 to Mason. the entire disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference. The Mason patent discloses (among other things) a coil winding and inserting machine which includes a coil form and a rotatable flier that is supported on a movable carriage. The carriage moves along the coil form while the flier rotates about the form so as to wind coil turns thereon. The coil form includes spaced apart members. selected ones of which are adapted to participate in the coil forming process. These spaced apart members are movable axially relative to a stator during insertion of coils into that stator.  
  Coil winding and inserting machines. of the type known heretofore. function well under many circumstances; however. some motor designs require that members used during a coil insertion process extend in cantilever fashion a substantial distance from the point at which such members are supported; and when these members or tools are extended to insert the coils in the stator. substantial alignment problems may be encountered.  
  Accordingly. it is one object of the present invention to improve the alignment between a stator core and coil inserting means during a coil insertion process.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide means for aligning a coil inserting device with a stator core.  
  It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved coil inserting system.  
  Still another object of the present invention is to pro vide a method of inserting coils in a stator core.  
  The free end of the coil inserting device may experience bending due to gravitational effects as well as movement due. for example. to machine vibration and thus the precise location of that free end is not invariant. lfas is desirable. the coil inserting device is dimensioned to mate with the stator core to very close toler ances. the coil inserting device may on occasion strike the stator core as it is moved toward that core to insert the coils thus resulting in damage to the stator and more importantly to the equipment. To avoid the possibility of impact between the coil inserting device and the stator core, the inserting device may be made somewhat smaller so as to fit within the stator bore in a loose fashion. however under these circumstances. the coils of wire which are supported by the coil inserting device and deposited in the stator slot as that inserting device passes through the stator bore may be damaged due to imperfect alignment of those coils with the stator slots. Thus should the coil strike one of the stator teeth rather than passing between two adjacent stator teeth. insulation on the winding conductor would in all probability. be damaged resulting in a rejected stator.  
  It is accordingly a further object ofthe present invention to diminish the likelihood of damage to product or machinery in a coil inserting process.  
  Yet another object ofthe present invention is to provide a coil inserting device of improved reliability.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In carrying out the above and other objects of our invention we provide methods and apparatus which. in a preferred form. include coil inserting means as well as guide means which may be inserted in a stator bore and aligned therewith to very close tolerances. The guide means guides the coil inserting means into the stator bore. In an illustrated embodiment. the guide means is in the form of a guide cylinder having a diameter just slightly less than the stator bore diameter. and includes a plurality of alignment keys axially disposed thereon which keys fit closely between adjacent stator teeth to thereby assure the proper alignment and orientation of the stator core relative to the guide member. The illustrated guide means also includes a series of pins extending axially from one end thereof which engage a corresponding set of holes in a coil inserting tool assembly with the coil inserting assembly being positioned to engage the pins while the guide cylinder is located within the stator and then to force the guide cylinder through the stator bore with the coil inserting device following the guide cylinder through the bore. The coil inserting tool assembly may have similar keys which fit closely between adjacent teeth of the stator to maintain the orientation of the stator once the coil inserting tool assembly has forced the guide cylinder out the opposite end of the stator bore.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The aforementioned and other objects. features. and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description thereof when considered in conjunction with the drawings wherein:  
  FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation partly broken away of a machine embodying the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the ma chine of FIG. I better illustrating the coil form. flier. stator. and guide member;  
  FIG. 3 is a view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 but illustrating the end ofthe tooling after it has passed into the stator bore; and  
  FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the spatial relationship of the tooling, stator and guide during coil insertion.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I we have illustrated a machine embodying the invention in one form. The primary energy sources for the winding and inserting machine 10 is an electric motor I] which drives a clutch and brake mechanism I3 and optionally also a pump for hydraulic and/or air pressure for the fluidically actuated cylinders to be discussed later. A series of driving pulleys I5 transmit the rotary motion by way of belts 17 to another set of pulleys I9; and by appropriate gearing and/or pulley connection. a lead (or feed) screw 21 may be rotated tc move a carriage 23 to the left or right as it is supported by ways 25 of a bed 27. This bed also supports a second carriage 29 which functions as a stator carriage.  
  During a winding operation electrically conductive wire from a source 3l is fed by way of retractable pulley 33 to a winding generating structure 35 which will be discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIG. 2. The winding generating structure 35 wraps wire about a coil form 37 and. at the end of the winding operation. a wire cutter 39 severs the last wound coil turn from the source ofwire and hydraulic cylinder 41 is actuated to move a portion of the coil form 37 toward the right as viewed in FIG. I so as to pass through the bore of a stator 43 held in a stator holder 45. The stator holder 45. supported on a carriage 29. may be moved to the left or right on the ways 25 by actuating the pneumatic cylinder 47. The carriage 29 also supports an air cylinder 49 which when actuated functions to move the guide member 51 to the left into the stator 43. Yet another fluidic cylinder 52 is supported on the carriage 29 and serves to move an arm 53 between the winding position as illustrated in solid lines and an out of the way position illustrated in dotted lines to allow the tooling 37 to move toward the right and into the stator 43. The details of the winding generating structure 35 and the overall operation of the machine are illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2.  
  In FIG. 2 the winding generating structure 35 has a wire dispensing pulley 55 which rotates about the coil form laying wire thereon and which is supported by the flier 57 which in turn rotates in the winding generating structure housing on a ring gear which is driven by a shaft (not shown) from the pulley system I9 of FIG. I. A second direction reversing pulley 59 of course. accepts wire from the pulley 33 of FIG. 1.  
  The coil form or tooling 37 includes a collapsible portion 6I which may optionally be provided with notches as illustrated to separate successive loops or turns of wire but in either event is movable toward turn confining portions of the tooling all as is more fully described in the aforementioned Mason patent. Portion 61 is collapsed to relieve the tension on individual turns and thereby allow movement of the coils into the stator core 43 during the insertion step.  
  While the flier 57 is revolving about the coil form 37, the lead screw 21 is moving the carriage 23 from right to left as viewed in FIGS. I and 2, and thus the flier 57 lays down successive turns on the coil form from one end to the other. When the carriage 23 reaches its leftmost extent of travel. the flier 57 is stopped and wire cutter 39 severs the wire. The coil form position 61 is then collapsed and the outer most cylindrical segment 63 is moved toward the right over top of the wire which has been layed on thecylindrical segment 67 to thereby hold that particular coil between these two cylindrical segments.  
  Turning briefly to FIG. 3 the cylindrical segments 63 and 67 are seen to be separated by a gap 65 which contains a pusher plate 68 as described in the aforementioned Mason patent and which will be actuable at a later time to force the coils out along the gap and into slots in the core. The engagement of the guide means 51 and a portion of the tooling is illustrated in relation to the stator 43 and the pusher plate 68 in the partial perspective view of FIG. 4. In this view the segment 63 has been omitted to illustrate the action of pusher plate 68 inserting the coil into a pair of slots in the stator. The pins 73 would not in actual practice be visible in this view since they would be engaged with corresponding holes in the end of segment 63.  
  The telescoping cylindrical segments of the tooling are telescoped together after moving toward the right and into the bore of the stator while the pusher plates will have forced the winding turns into the slots of the core. By this time, the air cylinder 52 also will have been actuated to move arm 53 and pulley 33 out of the way for example to the position illustrated in dotted lines at 33&#39; and 53&#39;.  
  Just prior to advancing the tooling toward the stator core. air cylinder 49 will have been actuated to move the guide member SI leftward toward the stator core 43 which guide member 51 is cylindrically dimensioned to just pass through the stator bore with the keys 7| being dimensioned to flt closely between adjacent slot opening defining stator teeth. When the guide member passes through the stator bore, it accurately aligns and orients the stator 43 relative to this guide member. The several dividers 63, 67, and 69 are. as illustrated in FIG. 3, provided with holes spaced so as to engage corresponding pins 73 on the guide member as those several divider plates continue their rightward movement which engagement is illustrated in FIG. 4 and, when the dividers are engaged with the pins 73 on the guide member 51, the air cylinder 49 yields sufficiently to allow a continued rightward movement of dividers and guide member.  
  Before the dividers enter the stator bore, proper relative alignment of the insertion tooling and the stator is maintained by the guide member 51. When the dividers have forced guide member 51 completely out of the stator bore, the coils of wire disposed in the appropriate stator slots may maintain proper alignment of the stator core relative to the tooling or the innermost divider plate 75 may be provided with a key 77 similar to the keys 71 for assisting in maintaining proper alignment between the tooling and the stator core.  
  When the several divider plates have reached their rightmost extension, the pusher plates such as the one at 65 have been actuated to force the several coils from their nested encasement between divider plates to thus complete the process of depositing the coils in the stator slots, both divider plates and pusher plates are retracted to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 for a new winding operation. At this point in the operation, the operator may remove the stator core 43 and revolve it, for example. l8(l for a two-pole machine, replacing it in the stator holder 45 or other means may be provided for indexing the equipment preparatory to inserting another coil group into the stator slots.  
  In summary. the overall machine 10 has a general axis of elongation. The guide member or plug 51 is cylindrical in shape with a central axis of that cylinder lying approximately on the general axis of elongation. This plug 5] is reciprocable along its central axis by the air cylinder 49 moving it through stator bore and subsequently by the tooling pushing it back out of that stator bore. The stator is aligned to the guide means SI and the tooling is also aligned to this guide means 51 so that the tooling may be led into the stator by the guide.  
  Wire is dispensed onto the coil form with one or more turns of wire on a given one of the divider plates forming a coil in a coil group. The side turn portions of each coil are to be placed in a specific pair of stator slots. The coils in turn establish the windings of all or part of a single pole in the finished motor as will be understood. Turns of several coils may be laid on the several divider plates. respectively. except for the outer most divider plate 63 which functions merely to confine in a desired manner the coil of greatest span during the coil insertion process. These divider plates. in conjunction with the pusher plates which separate them. function as a coil inserting device.  
  ln a preferred sequence of operations. a core is placed in holder 45; winding turns are developed: cylinder 49 advances the member 51 along the bore of the core; carriage 29 moves toward the free extremity of the winding turn insertion tooling until the member 51 engages the insertion tooling and approximately at which time tension is relieved from the winding turns by collapsing the coil forms; and thereafter the insertion tools insert the winding turns in the stator core as the tools advance along the stator bore. trailing behind the member 51 that is moved back through the stator bore by the insertion tools. The member 51 thereafter is driven to its home position by retraction of cylinder 49.  
  Of course. the sequence just described may be varied. For example. the sequence of initial actuation of cyliners 47 and 49 relative to one another may be reversed at the beginning of an insertion cycle.&#34; Even in this case however, member 5l would guide the insertion tooling at least until the free extremity of such tooling had entered the bore of the stator core.  
  From the foregoing description of the improved winding and inserting apparatus and method. it will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in forms other than the forms specifically illustrated and described herein. For example. guide means may be utilized in conjunction with or during the practice of. the apparatus and methods described in Arnold et al. US. Pat. No. 3.579.8l8.  
  Accordingly. while the present invention has been described in detail and summarized with respect to a specific embodiment. numerous modifications will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be made without departing from the invention. it is therefore intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.  
  What we claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent of the United States is;  
  1. Apparatus for axially inserting conductive winding turns into a stator core having a bore comprising:  
 means for supporting a slotted stator core;  
 winding turn placing means adapted to pass along the bore of a stator core and to place portions ofwinding turns in slots of the stator core;  
 a guide member sized for movement through the bore of the stator core while in engagement with the winding turn placing means to lead the thus engaged winding turn placing means along the bore of the stator core; and  
 guide member supporting structure arranged to hold the guide member in spaced relation to the winding turn placing means.  
  2. A method of inserting winding turns into placement within a core of dynamoelectric machine comprising the steps of:  
 disposing in engagement with one another winding turn placing means and guide means for guiding engagement with a core;  
  6 relatively moving the placing means and core in guid ing relation with the guide means toward an alignet relative position;  
 displacing the winding turns from the winding turi placing means along the core toward a preselectet position therein. and relatively moving the guidt means and placing means away from one anothe by moving guide means supporting structure Whllt the guide means is supported thereon.  
  3. A method of inserting at least one winding turn 0 at least one coil of at least one coil group into a stato core comprising the steps of:  
 placing at least one turn of conductive wire along 1 winding turn accommodating locale determined by longitudinally extending coil inserting means;  
 relatively moving from opposite ends of the bore 0 the stator core a longitudinally extending guide means and the coil inserting means. so that the guide means extends along the bore of the core ir a first direction from a first side of the core towarc a second side ofthe core and so that the coil insert ing means is in interengaging aligned relationship with the guide means;  
 moving. while in the interengaged aligned relation ship. the coil inserting means and the guide mean: relative to the stator core in a direction toward th first side of the stator core from the second side 0 the core at least until at least selected portions 0 one tum of conductive wire is disposed in prese lected slotsof the stator core and at least a portior of the coil inserting means is disposed within [ht bore of the stator core; and  
 relatively moving at least the stator core. the guide means and the inserting means in order to with draw the inserting means and the guide means frorr the bore of the stator core.  
  4. A method of placing side turn portions of at leas one coil group having at least one coil comprised of a least one winding turn in spaced apart slots along 2 bore of a magnetizeable core defined by spaced apar and axially extending surfaces of the core. the methoc comprising the steps of:  
 supporting at least one turn of electrically conductive wire on winding turn placing means; moving a stator core and a locating means relative tc the winding turn placing means so that the locating means and the winding turn placing means entei opposite ends of the bore of the stator core. witl the locating means extending axially along the stator and with the locating means and stator core positioned relative to one another in predeterminec alignment; interengaging the winding turn placing means and locating means while the locating means and statoi core are positioned relative to one another in predetermined alignment so as to positively ensure that the winding turn placing means and the stator core are in predetermined alignment by reason ol their mutual alignment with the locating means;  
 substantially simultaneously moving, while remaining interengaged. the winding turn placing means anc locating means axially relative to the core with tht locating means guiding the winding turn placing means at least adjacent to the spaced apart and axi ally extending surfaces of the core while the locat ing means and stator core are positioned relative tc one another in predetermined alignment;  
 transferring side turn portions of the at least one winding turn of the at least one coil to the magnetizeable core from the winding turn placing means; and withdrawing the winding turn placing means and the locating means from the stator core.  
  5. In a winding turn handling machine having coil inserting means for use in placing selected portions of winding turns in slots of a stator core having a bore extending between first and second ends thereof. wherein at least a part of the coil inserting means is movable into one end of the bore of a stator core and movable axially along the stator bore from the one end for placing at least portions of winding turns into slots of the stator. the improvement comprising:  
 guide means movable into the second end of the stator bore and proportioned to pass through the stator bore and align the stator relative to the guide means;  
 said guide means being supported for movement relative to the coil inserting means and being provided with first alignment means for maintaining a predetermined orientation of a stator relative to the guide means. and second alignment means adapted to mesh with at least part of the coil inserting means to thereby align the at least part of the coil inserting means with the guide means;  
 said guide means being movable into meshing engagement with the at least part of the coil inserting means and further being movable to lead the at least part of the coil inserting means through the stator bore; and  
 third alignment means on said at least part of the coil inserting means for maintaining alignment of the said at least part of the coil inserting means and the stator core after the at least part of the coil inserting means enters the bore of the stator core.  
  6. Apparatus for axially inserting conductive winding turns into a stator core comprising:  
 means for supporting a slotted stator core having a bore extending between first and second ends thereof;  
 winding turn carrying means adapted to move into one end ofthe bore ofthe stator core. to pass along the bore of the stator core and to place portions of winding turns in slots of the stator core; and  
 a reciprocable guide member supported for sequential movement into the second end and through the bore of the stator core and into engagement with the winding turn carrying means and thereafter back through the bore ofthe stator core to lead the thus engaged winding turn carrying means into the bore of the stator core.  
  7. Apparatus for inserting winding turns in a stator core having a bore extending between opposite ends thereof comprising:  
 guide means having a central axis and reciprocable along that axis;  
 means for supporting a stator core with the stator bore axis approximately corresponding with the central axis; and  
 winding turn inserting means movable in a path generally parallel to the central axis and along the bore of a stator for placing selected portions of winding turns in slots of the stator core, said winding turn inserting means and said guide means entering opposite ends of the bore and being provided with registering means for ensuring a predetermined relative alignment ofthc winding turn inserting means and guide means. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the guide means is configured to pass along the stator bore and align the stator bore axis with the central axis.  
  9. The apparatus ofclaim 8 wherein said guide means is provided with at least one key that extends parallel to the central axis, said key being dimensioned to fit closely between two adjacent teeth of the stator to assure proper orientation of the stator relative to the guide means.  
  10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the winding turn inserting means forms a part of a coil form on which electrically conductive wire may be placed to form prewound coils.  
  ll The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the winding turn inserting means is provided with at least one key extending parallel to the central axis, said key being dimensioned to fit closely between two adjacent teeth of the stator after the winding turn inserting means has passed into the bore of the stator to thereby assure proper orientation of the stator relative to the winding turn inserting means.  
  12. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising first fluidic means for moving the guide means in a first direction along the central axis and along the stator bore; and second fluidic means for moving the winding turn inserting means in a direction generally opposite to the first direction until the guide means and the winding turn inserting means engage one another, and thereafter to force the guide means back along the stator bore while the guide means lead the winding turn inserting means into the stator bore.  
  13. A method of inserting at least one winding turn of at least one coil of at least one coil group into a stator core comprising the steps of:  
 placing at least one turn of conductive wire along a winding turn accommodating locale determined by longitudinally extending coil inserting means;  
 relatively moving longitudinally extending guide means, the stator core, and the coil inserting means. so that the guide means extends along the bore of the core in a first direction toward a first side of the core and so that the coil inserting means is in interengaging aligned relationship with the guide means;  
 moving the coil inserting means and guide means relative to the stator core in a direction toward the first side of the stator core from a second side of the core at least until at least selected portions of one turn of conductive wire is disposed in preselected slots of the stator core and at least a portion of the coil inserting means is disposed within the bore of the stator core; and  
 relatively moving at least the stator core and inserting means in a direction to withdraw the inserting means from the bore of the stator core, and moving the guide means relative to the inserting means by moving a guide means supporting structure while supporting the guide means thereon.  
  14. A method of placing side turn portions of at least one coil group having at least one coil comprised of at least one winding turn in spaced apart slots along a bore of a magnetizeable core defined by spaced apart and axially extending surfaces of the core, the method comprising the steps of:  
 supporting at least one turn of electrically conductive wire on winding turn placing means;  
 moving a stator core and locating means relative to one another, with the locating means extending axially along the stator bore and with the locating means and stator core positioned relative to one another in predetermined alignment;  
 interengaging the winding turn placing means and loeating means while the locating means and stator core are positioned relative to one another in predetermined alignment so as to positively ensure that the winding turn placing means and stator core are in predetermined alignment by reason of their mutual alignment with the locating means;  
 substantially simultaneously moving the winding turn placing means and locating means axially relative to the core with the locating means guiding the winding turning placing means at least adjacent to the spaced apart and axially extending surfaces of the core while the locating means and stator core are positioned relative to one another in predetermined alignment;  
 transferring side turn portions of the at least one winding turn of the at least one coil to the magnetizeable core from the winding turn placing means; and  
 moving the locating means to a position spaced from the placing means by moving locating means supporting structure having the locating means supported thereon.  
 15. In a winding turn handling machine having coil inserting means for use in placing selected portions of winding turns in slots of a stator core wherein at least a part of the coil inserting means is movable into the bore of a stator core at one end thereof and movable axially along the stator bore from the one end for placing at least portions of winding turns into slots of the stator. the improvement comprising:  
 guide means proportioned to pass through the stator bore and align the stator relative to the guide means; said guide means being movable relative to the coil inserting means and being provided with first alignment means for maintaining a predetermined orientation ofa stator relative to the guide means. and second alignment means adapted to mesh with at least part of the coil inserting means to thereby align the at least part of the coil inserting means with the guide means; said guide means being adapted for meshing engagement with the at least part of the coil inserting means and being movable to lead the at least part of the coil inserting means through the stator bore; third alignment means on said at least part of the coil inserting means for maintaining alignment of the said at least part of the coil inserting means and the stator core after the at least part of the coil inserting means enters the bore of the stator core: and means for supporting the guide means after selected portions of winding turns have been placed in stator core slots.  
  l 1 it It It UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,879,842 Dated April 29, 1975 H&#39;ollace R. McKinley et a1. Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:  
 The drawing should appear as shown on the attached sheets.  
 Signed and Scaled this twenty-second Day of July 1975 [SEAL] A ttest:  
 RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN ANPSI/ng ff&#34; Commissioner ofParents and Trademarks FORM PO-105O (IO-69] USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U 5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE;  
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 Patent No. 3,879,842