High voltage coil winding machine

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• the winding form having a first plate and second plate and a core therebetween defining the cavity;
• the second plate having an edge with exit and entrance guide pins extending therefrom;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• and
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• the winding form having a first plate and a second plate and a core therebetween defining the cavity;
• the winding form including a fastener removably securing the first plate, the second plate and the core together, the first plate and core forming a unitary member to which the second plate is removably secured by the fastener;
• the fastener including a pin lock fastener and the winding form including a complementary bore formed therein for receipt of the pin lock fastener;
• the pin lock fastener including a shaft, an inner end and an outer end, the outer end having a radially extending locking element and the inner end including an actuator coupled to the locking element which releases the locking element when operated so to permit the shaft to be at least partly withdrawn from the complementary bore;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding section, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• and
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity and including a transfer pallet;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• the transfer means including spaced apart guide grooves and the transfer pallet including edges configured for slidable engagement within the guide grooves;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• and
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity and including a transfer pallet;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• the transfer means including a track configured for guidably supporting the transfer pallet for movement along the track;
• fly minding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station whereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• and
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• and
• the fly winding means including:
• a winding arm, coupled to a source of wire, having an outer end and a wire winding guide assembly at the outer end;
• means for rotating the winding arm about a coil winding axis, the winding arm configured so the wire winding guide assembly guides the wire into the cavity of a winding form at the winding station;
• the winding arm rotating means including a hollow drive spline having an interior bore defining a wire path portion through which the wire passes from the wire supply to the winding arm, the drive spline including first and second ends, the winding arm fixed to the second end;
• and
• means for moving the winding arm along the coil winding axis according to the circumferential position the wire is to occupy within the cavity;
• the winding arm axial moving means including:
• a drive brace connected to the first end of the drive spline, the drive brace including a drive nut;
• a drive screw engaging the drive nut:
• means for rotating the drive screw within the drive nut so to drive the drive nut and drive brace therewith parallel to the coil winding axis and the drive spline along the coil winding axis.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• the fly winding means including:
• a winding arm, coupled to a source of wire, having an outer end and a wire winding guide assembly at the outer end:
• and
• means for rotating the winding arm about a coil winding axis, the winding arm configured so the wire winding guide assembly guides the wire into the cavity of a winding form at the winding station;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• and
• the winding form including a winding post and the fly winding means including a wire engaging device which traps the wire against the winding post at the start of the window of a winding form.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• a dynamic wire tensioner, engaging the wire along a tension path segment between a source of the wire and the fly winding means, for maintaining at least a desired tension on the wire between the tensioner and the fly winding means;
• and
• the dynamic wire tensioner including a moving surface, along the tension path segment, frictionally engaging the wire and moving in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the wire.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• a dynamic wire tensional, engaging the wire along a tension path segment between a source of the wire and the fly winding means, for maintaining at least a desired tension on the wire between the tensioner and the fly winding means;
• and
• the dynamic wire tensioner including:
• a disc rotating in a first rotary direction and having an outer circumferential surface, the wire being wrapped around the circumferential surface at least once to define the tension path segment, the wire moving opposite the direction of movement of the circumferential surface;
• and
• means for biasing the wire against the circumferential surface so to maintain frictional engagement between the circumferential surface and the wire.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• and
• a tape dispenser between a wire source and the fly winding means for applying lengths of electrical insulating tape to selected points along the wire.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity with a predetermined shape;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining inteconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• securing means for securing said coil bundles generally insaid predetermined shape;
• the securing means including heating means for heating the coil bundles;
• and
• the securing means including means for cooling the coil bundles following the heating means.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity with a predetermined shape;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• securing means for securing said coil bundles generally in said predetermining shape, the securing means includes heating means for heating the coil bundles;
• the heating means including a source of heat movable between a winding form heating position and a retracted position;
• the source of heat including a heated surface and the heating means including means for moving the heated surface into physical contact with the winding form with the source of heat at the heating position;
• and
• the heated surface including first and second heated surfaces positioned on opposite sides of the winding form.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity with a predetermined shape;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• securing means for securing coil bundles generally in said predetermined shape, the securing means including heating means for heating the coil bundles;
• the heating means including a source of heat movable between a winding form heating position and a retracted position;
• the source of heat including a heated surface and the heating means including means for moving the heated surface into physical contact with the winding form with the source of heat at the heating position;
• and
• the source of heat including a radiant heat surface spaced apart from the winding form.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity with a predetermined shape;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• securing means for securing said coil bundles generally in said predetermined shape, the securing means including heating means for heating the coil bundles;
• and
• the heating means including a plurality of heating station between the coil winding station and the coil removal station.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• and
• the coil removal station including a winding form disassembly station, a coil unloading station and a winding form reassembly station.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding;
• a coil bundle arbor at the coil removal station, the arbor having an outer end sized for receipt of the coil bundles;
• and
• the outer end of the arbor including a coil bundle retention projection.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and therafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• removing means for removing said cound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected and assembling said wound coil bundles in a relationship for functioning together as a continuous winding of a transformer;
• a coil bundle arbor at the coil removal station, the arbor having an outer end sized for receipt of the coil bundles;
• and
• the winding form including first and second portions separable to expose the coil bundle on the first portion.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of separate winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for independently moving each of said coil from a winding station, to an intermediate station and a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• processing means at said intermediate station for performing a predetermined process on said wound coil bundle during the winding of a subsequent coil bundle by said fly winding means;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected for functioning together as a winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for moving each of said coil winding forms form a winding station, to an intermediate station and a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles:
• processing means at said intermediate station for performing a predetermined process on said wound coil bundle during the winding of a subsequent coil bundle by said fly winding means, said processing means including means for securing said wound coil bundle into a desired shape, the securing means including means for heating the coil bundle;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected for functioning together as a winding.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles having a pie-shape for assembly into a toroidal winding comprising:

• a plurality of separate winding forms, each such winding form having a pie-shape for assembly into a toroidal winding;
• transfer means for separately moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles having said pie-shape;
• and
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coils remaining interconnected for forming at least a portion of a toroidal winding of a transformer.

A machine for winding interconnected coil bundles comprising:

• a plurality of separate winding forms, each such winding form having a winding cavity;
• transfer means for independently moving each of said coil winding forms from a winding station, to an intermediate station and a coil removal station, and thereafter, to return said coil winding form to said winding station;
• fly winding means for winding wire into said winding cavities of sequential ones of said winding forms at said winding station thereby forming said interconnected coil bundles;
• processing means at said intermediate station for performing a predetermined process on said wound coil bundle;
• removing means for removing said wound coil bundles at said coil removal station with said coil bundles remaining interconnected for functioning together as a winding of a transformer;
• control means for controlling said coil winding machine for initiating the transfer of coil winding forms between said stations, said control means responding to the last to be completed of said windings by said fly winding means, said performing a predetermined process by said processing means, and said coil removing by said removing means to transfer said winding forms upon said last to be completed of said winding, performing and removing.