US3337145A

US3337145A - Coil winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3337145A
Application number: US446952A
Authority: US
Inventors: George B Keck
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1965-04-09
Filing date: 1965-04-09
Publication date: 1967-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1984-08-22

Description

Aug. 22, 1967 G. B. KECK COIL WINDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOE QBKE mm BY (1 C ATTO'ENE:

Aug. 22, 1967 G. B. KECK c011. WINDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1965 3,337,145 COIL WINDING APPARATUS George B. Keck, Western Springs, Ill., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y.. a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,952

7 Claims. (Cl. 242-355) v ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for winding material onto spools wherein a plurality of arbor members are supported for rotation about an axis and for relative axial movement therebetween to receive and support spools between adjacent ones of the members and to effect a driving connection with the spools for rotation of the spools together in response to rotation of the end arbor member by a selectively operable drive therefor.

This invention relates to a coil winding apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for winding coils simultaneously on a plurality of coil supporting forms.

Heretofore, as far as is known, coils supported on a particular type of individual coil supporting form, such as spools having iron cores therein, were wound one at a time. Manifestly, this method of winding spool supported coils individually is time consuming and ineflicient.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for winding simultaneously a plurality of coils on individual coil supporting forms.

An apparatus illustrating certain features of the invention for simultaneously winding coils on a plurality of spools may include a motor-driven headstock supported in a frame for rotation about a horizontal axis. The headstock has a seat for receiving and supporting one end of a spool for rotation about the axis and for effecting a driving connection therewith. Supported movably on a slide of the frame below the axis are brackets in each of which a coupling member is mounted for rotation about the axis and for axial movement with the bracket. One end of the coupling member is provided with a seat for supporting the other end of the spool and effecting a driving connection therewith.

The opposite end of the coupling member is provided with a seat for supporting the first end of another spool and effecting a driving engagement therewith. Several of such brackets and spool supporting coupling members may be provided to support a plurality of spools in a row in interconnected relation to one another. A tailstock is supported on the frame for rotation about the axis and for supporting the other end of the last spool of the row of spools. By means of a lever, the tailstock is moved toward the headstock to an operative position to effect the clamping of the spools between the headstock, the coupling members, and the tailstock for rotation together in response to rotation of the headstock.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the coil winding mechanism embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational sectional view of a coil supporting spool of a type on which a coil is to be wound in the present apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the coil shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

United States Patent Referring to the drawings, the present apparatus is designed to wind simultaneously a plurality of coils on coil supporting forms such as composite spools 12. Each composite spool 12 comprises a dielectric spool 13 having a sleeve 14 and round and

square heads

15 and 16, respectively, at opposite ends of the sleeve, and an iron core 18 supported within the sleeve and with the ends of the core projecting slightly beyond the spool. A plurality of terminals 20 are secured to the square head 16 and extend therefrom in a direction parallel with the axis of the spool. The round spool head 15 has an aperture 22 formed therein.

The coil winding apparatus comprises a drive shaft 25 which is supported in a frame 26 for rotation about a horizontal axis 28 and is driven by a motor 30. Secured to the drive shaft 25 is a headstock 32 which serves as a holder for supporting the terminal end of a composite spool 12 for rotation about the axis 28. The headstock has an axially directed shank 34 at the end of which is formed a circular flange 36. The flange is provided with a recessed seat 38 having a square portion 39 for receiving the square head 16 of the spool and establishing a driving connection therebetween and having a portion 40 for receiving the projecting end of the core 18. In addition, the flange is provided with clearance apertures 41 for receiving the terminals 20 of the spool 12.

The opposite end of the spool is supported in a seat 44 of a holder or coupling member 46. The coupling member is supported in a ball bearing 48 and is mounted therewith in a vertically disposed portion of an adjustable L-shaped bracket 50. The lower portion 51 of the bracket is provided with a dovetail slot 52 (FIG. 5) and is mounted on a dovetail guide 53 for horizontal movement parallel to the axis 28. The guide 53 is fixedly mounted on a spacer 54 which is secured to a horizontal portion 55 of the frame 26.

The coupling member 46, in the recessed seat portion 44 thereof, is provided with a projecting pin 58 (FIG. 4) which engages in the aperture 22 of the round head 15 of the composite spool 12 for eifecting a driving connection therewith. At the opposite end thereof, the coupling member 46 has a shank portion 60 extending axially from the bracket 50, and has a circular flange 62 formed on the end of the shank similar to the flange 36 on the headstock 32. In like manner, the coupling member 46 is provided with a recessed seat 64 for receiving the square spool head 16 and effecting a driving connection therewith and for receiving the end portion of the core 18, and is also provided with apertures 66 for receiving the terminals 20.

A plurality of the adjustable brackets 50 and coupling members 46 is provided for supporting a plurality of the spools 12 between adjacent ones of the coupling members 46.

A tailstock 68 is provided which has a recessed seat 69 for receiving the head 15 and end portion of the core 18 of the spool 12 and which cooperates with the adjacent coupling member 46 to support the last spool of the row of spools. The tailstock has a spindle 70 and is mounted therewith in a sleeve 72 for rotation and against axial movement relative thereto. The sleeve 72, in turn, is mounted for axial movement in the bore of a cylindrical shell 74 and is stressed for movement toward the headstock 28 to a normal position against a ledge 75 of the shell by a spring 76 interposed between a threaded plug 77 in the shell and the sleeve 72. The shell is supported 89 for limited axial movement in a bore 79 of a supporting bracket 80 which is fixedly secured to the frame 26.

Mechanism under control of an operating lever 81 is provided for imparting axial movement to the cylindrical shell 74 to move the tailstock 68 to and from an advanced position in engagement with the end spool of a row of spools (FIG. 1) and a retracted position (FIG. 4). A shaft 82 is connected to and supports the lever 81 for pivotal movement on the supporting bracket 80 and has a crank disc 83 secured thereto. A crank pin 84 on the disc 82 has a roller 85 thereon which rides in a vertical slot 86 in the cylindrical shell for imparting axial movement of the shell and the tailstock in response to actuation of the lever.

As the lever 81 is moved to its operative position and the tailstock 68 is moved into engagement with the endmost spool 12, the spring 76 is compressed and stresses the tailstock toward the headstock 32 to effect the movement of the spools 12 and the spool supporting members; namely, the headstock 32, the coupling members 46, and the tailstock 68, into engagement with one another, and .the clamping of the spools 12 between adjacent ones of the spool supporting members for rotation together.

A handwheel 88 is secured to the drive shaft adjacent the headstock for manual adjustment thereof to facilitate the placement of the spools 12 in winding position in the apparatus.

In the operation of winding coils onto the spools 12, each of the spools to be wound has the leading end of a wire 78 (FIG. 1) from a supply thereof attached to a terminal 20 of the spool and wound partially around the spool sleeve and secured thereto adjacent the square head 16 by suitable means such as adhesive tape. It will be understood that the first bracket 50 has been moved previously to the left as viewed in FIG. 1 to provide clearance for the placement of the first spool 12 into the winding apparatus. The first spool is moved so as to insert the terminals 20 into the apertures 41 in the flange 36 of the headstock and to place the square head 16 and end of the core 18 in the seat 38 of the headstock and thereby establish a driving connection therewith. With the spool 12 held in alignment with the axis 28, the adjacent bracket 50 is moved toward the headstock to bring the coupling member 46 into engagement with the spool 12 and effect the nesting of the round spool head 15 and core end in the seat 44 of the coupling member 46 and the insertion of the pin 58 in the recess 22 of the spool head 15. The spool 12 is thereby interconnected with and supported by the headstock 32 and coupling member 46 for rotation therewith about the axis 28.

Thereafter, the terminal end of successive spools 12 are inserted in the seat 64 of successive coupling members 46 and the cooperative adjacent brackets 50 are moved into engagement with the opposite end of the spools to effect the support and interconnection of the several spools 12 and coupling members 46. After the terminal end of the last spool has been nested in the seat 64 of the last coupling member 46, the lever 81 is moved to operative position to effect movement of the tailstock 68 to the advanced position in nesting engagement with the other end of the spool 12, and the compression of the spring 76 of the tailstock to maintain the spools 12 and the

spool supporting members

32, 46 and 68 in interconnected relation to one another during the coil winding operation.

On completion of the winding of the row of coils, the lever 81 is moved to its starting position to effect the return of the tailstock 68 to its retracted position in disengaged relation to the endmost spool 12 and permit the removal of successive ones of the wound coils from the apparatus.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for winding material on spools, which compromises:

a plurality of spool supporting members;

means for mounting said members for rotation about an axis and for relative axial movement therebetween, the opposing end portions of adjacent ones of said members having means for supporting an end portion of a spool in coaxial alignment with said axis and for effecting a driving engagement therewith so that the spools maybe placed between and supported by adjacent members and interconnected thereby for rotation together with said spool supporting members;

means for holding said members and the spools in interconnected relationship for rotation together; and

means for rotating one of said members to impart rotation to all of said members and the spools supported thereby.

2. An apparatus for winding material on spools, which comprises:

a plurality of spool supporting members;

means for mounting said members for rotation about an axis and for relative axial movement between said members, the opposing end portions of adjacent ones of said members having means for supporting a spool in coaxial alignment with said axis and effecting a driving engagement with the spool so that the spools may be placed between and supported by adjacent ones of said members and interconnected thereby for rotation together;

resilient means for stressing said members axially toward one another into engagement with the spools therebetween for rotation of said members and the spools together; and

3. A coil winding apparatus, which comprises:

a rotatable first member having means at one end thereof for supporting for rotation therewith one end of a first spool on which material is to be wound;

a rotatable second member having means at one end thereof for supporting for rotation therewith the other end of the first spool and having means at the other end thereof for supporting for rotation therewith one end of a second spool;

a rotatable third member having means at one end thereof for supporting for rotation therewith the other end of the second spool;

means for supporting said members for rotation about an axis and for relative axial movement between said members to permit the first and the second spools to be placed between and supported by adjacent ones of said members;

means for moving said third member axially toward said first member to effect relative movement between said members and the spools therebetween into interconnected relationship for rotation of all of said members and the spools together; and

means for rotating one of said members to impart rotation to said members and the spools.

4. An apparatus for winding material on spools, which comprises:

a rotatable first member having means at one end thereof for supporting one end of a first spool;

a rotatable second member having means at one end thereof for supporting the other end of the first spool and having means at the other end thereof for supporting one end of a second spool;

a rotatable third member having means at one end thereof for supporting the other end of the second spool;

means for supporting said members for rotation about an axis and for relative movement between said members to permit the first and the second spools to be placed between and supported by adjacent ones of said members;

means for stressing said third member toward said first member to grip the spools between said members and be interconnected thereby for rotation of all of said members and the spools; together; and

5. An apparatus for winding coils on a plurality of spools, which comprises:

a first member mounted for rotation about an axis and against axial movement and having means at one end for supporting one end of a spool for rotation therewith;

a plurality of second members mounted for rotation about said axis and for axial movement toward and from one another and said first member, each of said second members having means at each end thereof for supporting one end of a spool for rotation therewith;

a third member mounted for rotation about the axis and for axial movement toward said second members and said first member and having a seat in one end thereof directed toward the adjacent second member for supporting one end of a spool for rotation therewith;

means for moving said third member axially toward said second members and said first member to clamp the spools therebetween and be interconnected thereby for rotation of all of said members and the spools together; and

means for rotating said first member.

6. An apparatus for winding material onto spools, which comprises:

a frame;

a first spool supporting member mounted on said frame for rotation about an axis and against axial movement, said member having means for supporting one end of a first spool for rotation about said axis and for establishing a driving connection therewith:

an element mounted on said frame for movement parallel to said axis;

a sec-0nd spool supporting member mounted on said element for rotation about said axis and for axial movement with said element, said second spool supporting member having means at one end thereof for supporting the other of the first spool for rotation about the axis and for establishing a positive driving connection therewith and said second spool supporting member having means at the other end thereof for supporting one end of a second spool for rotation about the axis and for establishing a positive driving connection therewith and interconnecting the spools for rotation together;

a third spool supporting member;

means on said frame for supporting said third spool supporting member for rotation about said axis and for axial movement, said third spool supporting member having means for supporting the other end of the second spool for rotation about the axis, the arrangement of said spool supporting members being such as to permit the assembly and supporting of the first and the second spools between adjacent ones of said spool supporting members and the interconnection of all of said spool supporting means and the spools for rotation together;

means for moving said third spool supporting member axially to a position for holding the spools and said spool supporting members in engagement with one another; and

means for rotating said first spool supporting member to impart rotation to all of said members and the spools.

7. An apparatus for simultaneously winding coils on a plurality of headed spools, which comprises:

a plurality of spool supporting means;

means for supporting said plurality of spool supporting means for rotation about an axis and in axially spaced relation to one another, each spool supporting means having a first spool engaging means rotatable therewith at one end thereof for supporting one end of a spool and effecting a driving engagement between the spool and said spool supporting means and having a second spool engaging means rotatable therewith at the other end thereof for supporting the other end of another spool for rotation and for efiecting a driving engagement between the spool and said spool supporting means, said first spool engaging means of one spool supporting means and said second spool engaging mean of an adjacent spool supporting means cooperating to support a spool therebetween, and said first and said second spool engaging means of adjacent spool supporting means being supported for relative axial movement therebetween to permit the insertion of a spool therebetween;

means for maintaining said first and said second spool engaging means in engagement with the spool; and

means for rotating one of said spool supporting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0. 3,337,145 August 22, 1967 George B. Keck t error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified the hat the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and is corrected below.

line 5, for "compromises" read comprises Column 4,

- axial line column 5, line 2, after "relative" insert 9, for "spools;" read spools Signed and sealed this 13th day of August 1968.

(SEAL) Edward M. Fletcher, J r.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

Claims

1. AN APPARATUS FOR WINDING MATERIAL ON SPOOLS, WHICH COMPROMISES: A PLURALITY OF SPOOL SUPPORTING MEMBERS; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS AND FOR RELATIVE AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN, THE OPPOSING END PORTIONS OF ADJACENT ONES SAID MEMBERS HAVING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN END PORTION OF SPOOL IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID AXIS AND FOR EFFECTING A DRIVING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH SO THAT THE SPOOLS MAY BE PLACED BETWEEN AND SUPPORTED BY ADJACENT MEMBERS AND INTERCONNECTED THEREBY FOR ROTATION TOGETHER WITH SAID SPOOL SUPPORTING MEMBERS; MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID MEMBERS AND THE SPOOLS IN INTERCONNECTED RELATIONSHIP FOR ROTATION TOGETHER; AND MEANS FOR ROTATING ONES OF SAID MEMBERS TO IMPART ROTATION TO ALL OF SAID MEMBERS AND THE SPOOLS SUPPORTED THEREBY