Apparatus for forming a form wound stator coil for placement into slots within a stator core from a bobbin having a lower leg including a straight length portion and two nose end arms, and an upper leg including an upper leg straight length portion and two nose end arms, an outer lead end nose defining a lead end inner nose radius, an opposite outer lead end nose defining an opposite lead end inner nose radius and leads the apparatus comprising
- a. lower leg clamping means for clamping the lower leg of the bobbin to maintain the lower leg straight length portion substantially in its original shape and for forming a radius of predetermined dimensions between the lower straight length portion and the lower leg nose end arms;
- b. lower leg clamp positioning means for initially positioning the lower leg clamping means on at least the opposite ends of the lower leg straight length portion;
- c. upper leg clamping means for clamping the upper leg of the bobbin to maintain the upper leg straight length portion substantially in its original shape and for forming a radius of predetermined dimensions between the straight length portion and the upper leg nose end arms;
- d. upper leg clamp positioning means for initially positioning the upper leg clamping means on at least the opposite ends of the upper leg straight length portion;
- e. pivoting means for pivoting the lower leg clamping means about an axis generally equidistant to the distance from the slots within the stator core to the center axis of the stator core;
- f. pivoting means for pivoting the upper leg clamping means about said axis about which said lower leg clamping means is being pivoted;
- g. lead end clamping means for securing the lead end nose, for forming radii between the lead end nose and the upper and lower nose end arms proximate to the lead end nose, and for rotating the lead end nose to a predetermined angle;
- h. opposite lead end clamping means for securing the opposite lead end nose, for forming radii between the opposite lead end nose and the upper and lower nose end arms proximate to the opposite lead end nose, and for rotating the opposite lead end nose to a predetermined angle;
- i. first positioning means for positioning the opposite lead end clamping means with respect to the dimensions of the bobbin;
- j. second positioning means for positioning the lead end clamping means with respect to the dimensions of the bobbin;
- k. first pressure means for selectively applying generally outward directed pressure against the first positioning means;
- l. second pressure means for selectively applying generally outward directed pressure against the second positioning means;
- m. operation means for pivoting the lower leg clamping means to a first predetermined angle and for pivoting the upper leg clamping means to a second predetermined angle and for activating the first and second pressure means to apply a predetermined amount of pressure so that the lower leg clamping means and the upper leg clamping means reach their respective predetermined angles substantially simultaneously;
- n. encoder means for providing feedback to control means of the positions of the lower leg clamping means, the lower leg clamp positioning means, the upper leg clamping means, the upper leg clamp positioning means, the pivoting means, the lead end clamping means, the opposite lead end clamping means, the first and second positioning means, and for providing feedback to control means of the status of the operation means;
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- o. control means for controlling the operation means to position and move the lower leg clamping means, the lower leg clamp positioning means, the upper leg clamping means, the upper leg clamp positioning means,the lead end clamping means, the opposite lead end clamping means, and the first and second positioning means in a predetermined manner so that the clamps can be initially positioned to receive a bobbin having predetermined dimensions, and so that the clamps can close to secure the bobbin, and so that the clamps can be moved and rotated to produce a formed coil having predetermined dimensions.