Insulation feeding, cutting and inserting machines

Apparatus for inserting insulating members into the slots of dynamoelectric machine members, the apparatus being of the type wherein a strip of insulation material is fed along a predetermined path, a length of said material is cut by a knife assembly to form said insulating member, said insulating member is inserted into a slot in the machine member, and the machine member is then rotated about its axis by index means to position another slot for receiving another insulating member, the improvement wherein said apparatus includes a carriage mounted for movement along a path substantially parallel to the path of movement of said strip, said machine member being supported in substantial alignment with said path, means supporting said knife assembly between said carriage and said machine member, Scotch yoke drive means for reciprocally moving said carriage along said path toward and away from said machine member, means responsive to movement of said carriage for feeding said strip toward said machine member so that its leading edge is moved past said knife assembly, means for operating said knife assembly in timed relation to the movement of said strip to cut said insulating member from said strip, and a ram mounted on said carriage for pushing said insulating member into one of said slots as the carriage moves toward said machine member.