Stator coil lacing cord securing apparatus and method

In a machine for wrapping lacing cord around a generally toroidal shaped end windings of a component of an electrodynamic machine and knotting the cord of the type including a turntable having an aperture for mounting said component, means for rotationally indexing said turntable, a cord supply finger, cord supply finger actuation means for causing rotation and linear motion of said cord supply finger, a lacing needle, lacing needle actuation means for moving said lacing needle, the improvement comprising:

• controller means for causing said cord supply finger actuation means and said lacing needle actuation means to undergo the following steps:
• extending said lacing needle in a generally radial direction along a first axial end of said end windings to engage said lacing cord, retracting said lacing needle forming a first lacing cord loop, moving said lacing needle axially to a second axial end of said end windings, extending said lacing needle and engaging said lacing cord, retracting said lacing needle thereby forming a second lacing cord loop which is pulled through said first loop, extending said lacing needle in a generally radial direction along said second axial end of said end windings to engage said lacing cord, retracting said lacing needle thereby pulling said lacing cord through said second loop and thereby forming a knot, and cutting said lacing cord.

In a machine for wrapping lacing cord around the end windings of a stator having a central longitudinal bore and automatically knotting the end of said lacing cord after said end windings of said stator has been completely wrapped, using a machine of the type including means for rotatably indexing said stator, lacing cord supply means located in said stator bore, and a lacing needle movable axially and radially with respect to said stator for engaging said lacing cord and drawing said lacing cord radially outward to define loops of said lacing cord which become intertwined to wrap said end windings, and the improvement comprising:

• controller means for controlling said means for indexing, said lacing cord supply means, and said lacing needle, said controller means upon completion of wrapping of said end windings being operable to actuate said lacing needle to engage said lacing cord and knot said cord by pulling said lacing cord through the last loop of said lacing cord formed during said wrapping, said controlling means controlling axial movement of said lacing needle by modulating fluid flow to a fluid activated cylinder which positions said lacing needle.