Method for forming windings on rotors of electric motors or the like
United States Patent Schubert et a1.  
 METHOD FOR FORMING WINDINGS ON ROTORS OF ELECTRIC MOTORS OR THE LIKE Inventors: Klaus Schubert. Bottrop; Klaus Grohmann, Dusseldorf. both of Germany Assignee: Robert Krups. Solingen-Wald.  
 Germany Filed: May 6, 1974 Appl. No.: 467,274  
 Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 218.783. Jan. 18 1972.  
 abandoned.  
 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 19. 1971 Germany 2102354 [52] U.S. Cl. 29/598; 29/205 D; 29/605; 242/703; 242/705 B, 242/711 [51] Int. Cl. &#34;02k 15/04 [58] Field of Search 29/598. 596. 205 D. 205 R. 29/605; 242/703, 7.05 B, 7.11  
 156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.779.886 1/1957 Hunsdorf 29/598 1 Apr. 22, 1975 2.904.269 9/1959 Eminger 29/596 3.101.180 8/1963 Sadorf 242/711 3,658.26) 4/1972 Giuseppe 242 111 3.685.119 8/1972 Gcber 29/205 D 3.713.209 1/1973 Biddison 29/598 3.812.570 5/1974 Mason 29/205 D Prt&#39;rmtr E.\&#39;umt&#39;nerCarl E. Hall Attorney. Agent. or Firm-Michael S. Striker (57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for winding several rotors for electric motors or the like in a simultaneous operation has a row of equidistant winding stations and an endless chain conveyor which transports sets of fresh rotors to the winding stations and simultaneously removes freshly wound rotors from such stations. The rotors at the winding stations are automatically clamped and indexed at selected intervals preparatory to formation of discrete windings. The conveyor supports movable caps which shield the commutators of rotors at the winding stations during the formation of discrete windings but allow for the placing of conductors over hooks provided on the commutators prior to formation of the first winding and upon completed formation of each subsequent winding.  
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 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for forming windings on rotors or armatures of electric motors or the like.  
  It is already known to provide successive rotors for electric motors with a desired number of discrete windings which extend into slots provided in the peripheral surfaces of the rotors. It is also known to form the windings on rotors which are provided with commutators and to place the conuctors over suitable retainers on the commutators prior to formation ofthe first discrete winding and upon completed formation of each subsequent winding.  
  ln presently known winding apparatus. the rotors are transported seriatim to a single winding station by means of a converyor which resembles a turnstile with four prongs. The conveyor is turnable through angles of 90 and is provided with receptacles for rotors. one on each of the four prongs. The prongs are caused to dwell first at a combined loading and unloading station where a freshly wound rotor is removed from the receptacle to be replaced with a fresh rotor. and there upon to the aforementioned single winding station where the rotors are provided with a desired number of windings. The combined loading and unloading station is normally located diametrically opposite the winding station. Wedges or like plugging elements are driven into the slots ofa freshly treated rotor at a third station which follows the winding station and precedes the combined loading and unloading station. The latter sta&#39; tion is provided with means for clamping a rotor and for indexing the thus clamped rotor upon completion of successive windings.  
  A drawback of the just described conventional apparatus is that they can wind only a single rotor at a time. Since a single attendant is normally capable of supervising and servicing several winding stations, it is customary to mount several winding apparatus close to each other so that they can be supervised by a single person. The cost of winding is rather high and the out put is low because each apparatus is capable of treating only one rotor at a time.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tors can be wound in a simultaneous operation so that the number of rotors which can be wound per unit of time can be increased to a multiple of the output of apparatus which are operated in accordance with conventional methods.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved apparatus which can wind substantial numbers of rotors in a simultaneous operation so that its output is much higher than the output of aforedescribed conventional apparatus.  
  A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which. even though capable of simultaneously winding a large number of rotors, can be supervised by a single attendant which can also supervise one or more additional apparatus.  
  Another object of the invention is to provide the winding apparatus with novel clamping. centering, orienting and indexing means for a large number of rotors.  
  Still another object of the invention is to provide the winding apparatus with novel and improved means for supplying wire-like conductors to a plurality of winding stations and for synchronizing the operation of all winding devices which are employed to simultaneously form discrete windings on a substantial number of rotors.  
  An ancillary object of the invention is to provide the improved winding apparatus with novel conveyor means for treated and untreated rotors.  
  An additional object ofthe invention is to provide the winding apparatus with novel means for severing conductors upon completion of simultaneous winding of a plurality of rotors.  
  One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved method of applying windings to rotors of electric motors or the like. and more particularly to rotors of the type having angularly spaced peripheral slots for reception of convolutions of wire-like conductors. The method comprises the steps oftransporting a plurality of rotors to a plurality of dis crete winding stations. simultaneously forming windings on the rotors at the winding stations so that the treatment of all such rotors is started and completed at the same time. and thereupon removing the thus treated rotors from the winding stations. In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment. the method further comprises the step of transporting a second plurality of fresh rotors to the winding stations simultaneously with the removing step so that a fresh set of rotors is delivered to the winding stations simultaneously with completed removal of treated rotors. The rotors are preferably transported simultaneously along an endless path which may be defined by a simple endless link chain or the like. A first portion of such path is adjacent to the winding stations and the treated rotors are removed and fresh rotors introduced at a second por tion of the path. The locus of removal oftreated rotors from the path may but need not coincide with the locus of insertion of fresh rotors, depending upon the overall length of the path and on the number of working stations. If the path is long enough. two or more sets of fresh rotors can be held in readiness for transport to the winding stations.  
  The forming step preferably comprises providing each of the rotors at the winding stations with a plurality of discrete angularly offset windings and indexing the rotors through identical angles subsequent to for mation of each discrete winding. The rotors at the winding stations may be clampingly engaged and held between stationary and yieldable (e.g.. spring-biased) clamping surfaces. Such engaging step may further comprise placing all of the rotors at the winding stations into exact parallelism with and at predetermined (preferably identical) distances from each other. It is normally desirable to properly orient all of the rotors at the winding stations prior to the forming step so as to insure that selected slots of all of the rotors assume predetermined angular positions for reception of conductors.  
  Each rotor may be provided with a commutator having a plurality of hook-shaped or otherwise configurated retainers for convoluted conductors. The conductors are placed over the retainers of the respective commutators prior to formation of the first discrete winding and upon completed formation of each subsequent windingv The commutators may be shielded during the formation of windings to prevent engagement of eonductprs with the comm utators while the conductors are being coiled onto the respective rotors. The windings are preferably formed by revolving arms which are provided at the winding stations and the shielding step preferably comprises shielding at least those sides of the commutators which face the respective arms so that the arms can perform orbital movements which. in the absence of shielding. would result in the placing ofconductors onto the retainers of the respective commutators. When the contmutators are shielded. the arms convolute the conductors and cause them to enter into selected slots of the respective rotors. The speed of the arms is preferably increased gradually to a normal operating or full speed during the initial stage of formation of discrete windings and such speed in gradually reduced shortly prior to completion of each discrete winding. This insures that the arms can be arrested in predetermined angular positions. All of the arms are preferably rotated at identical speeds by resorting to a single prime mover.  
  The conductors are preferably withdrawn from discrcte sources of supply. one for each winding station. Each conductor is preferably gripped in a region lo cated intermediate the source and the respective wind ing station upon completion of the forming step. i.e.. upon completed formation of the desired number of discrete windings on the rotors which dwell at the winding stations. The conductors are preferably severed in automatic response to removal of freshly treated rotors front the winding stations. for example. by tearing the conductors in the regions where the conductors are gripped upon completed formation ofa desired number ofwindings. The number ofturns in each discrete winding can be varied at will.  
  The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, how ever. both as to its construction and its mode of operation. together with additional features and advantages thereof. will be best understood upon perusal of the fol lowing detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. is a plan view of a winding apparatus which embodies the invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view as seen in the direction of arrow 2 shown in FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line Ill-Ill in FIG. 2&#39;.  
  FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view ofa conveyor which forms part of the winding apparatus. the view being taken in the direction of arrow 4 shown in FIG. 1;  
  FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of the conveyor as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VV of FIG. 4;  
  FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line Vl-Vl of FIG. 4;  
  FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VII-VI| of FIG. 4&#39;.  
  FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 4;  
  FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line lX-IX of FIG. 4;  
  FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line X-X of FIG. I;  
  FIG. II is a fragmentary plan view of the conveyor. further showing a combined gripping and severing or tearing device for a wire-like conductor;  
  FIG. [2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the parts at one of the eight winding stations shown in FIG. I;  
  FIG. 13 is a horizontal sectional view as seen in the direction of arrows from the line XIII-X||I of FIG. I2.  
  FIG. 14 is an enlarged side elevational view ofa mow able cap for the commutator of a rotor.  
  FIG. I5 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. l4;  
  FIG. 16 is a plan view of a guide for conductors. one such guide being provided at each winding station;  
  FIG. 17 is aside elevational view of the guide shown in FIG. [6:  
  FIG. I8 is a diagram ofa portion ofthe programming system which controls the operation of the apparatus shown in FIGS. ll7;  
  FIG. I9 is a diagram of another detail of the programming system;  
  FIG. 20 is a diagram of a further detail of the pro-- gramming system.  
  FIG. 21 is a diagram of still another detail of the programming system;  
  FIG. 22 is a diagram of an additional detail of the programming system:  
  FIG. 23 is a diagram ofanother detail of the programming system; and  
  FIG. 24 is a diagram of a further detail of the programming system.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown an apparatus which is utilized to form windings on the rotors 20 for electric motors or the like. The rotors 20 are shown in FIGS. 10 to I4 and 16-17. The apparatus includes a series of eight winding or coil forming stations I, II, III. IV. V. VI. VII and VIII which. as shown in FIG. 1. form a row of equidistant stations.  
  The frame or housing of the apparatus includes a lower portion or base 21 (see particularly FIG. 3) which is movably or fixedly secured to the floor and supports an upper portion including two substantially plate like frame members or walls 22. 23 located in par allel vertical planes and connected to each other at the ends by transversely extending distancing members 24 of U-shaped profile (see FIG. I). The main prime mover 25 of the apparatus is installed between the walls 22, 23 FIG. 3) and its output shaft carries a driver gear 26 located behind the rear wall 23. The housing of the prime mover 25 is bolted to the wall 23. It is assumed that the prime mover 25 is a variable-speed polyphase motor with adjustable braking action. for example. a