Methods and apparatus for tensioning wire in a winding machine

Abstract

The balance of rotors for dynamo-electric machines (e.g., electric motor armatures), which are wound with two diametrically opposite, simultaneously applied coils of wire, is improved by ensuring that wire is fed to both coils in substantially similar quantities. This can be accomplished by monitoring the lengths of the two wires as they are fed to the armature using wire sensors located adjacent to the flyer. Alternatively, wire sensors can be provided to monitor the rate at which wire is being fed towards respective flyers and to measure the rate of change of the lengths of those portions of the wires that are supported by the winding machine dancer arms. A control system processes the measurements from these sensors. A wire tensioner having a hysteresis clutch is also provided that allows the tension applied to a wire being wound to be adjusted rapidly. The wire tensioner also picks up slack that may develop in the wire.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.