Apparatus and method for driving a winding head of a stator winding machine

Stator winding machine for winding an electric motor stator with lead wire, comprising an axially hollow shaft having an axis aligned with the stator being wound, said shaft having an inlet end for said lead wire and an outlet end for the lead wire being wound on said stator, rocking drive means being provided for reciprocation of said shaft along said axis according to a predetermined stroke, means being provided for oscillation of said shaft about said axis, motor means being provided for driving said reciprocation and oscillation, means being provided for balancing said rocking drive means and means being provided for adjusting said stroke, said rocking drive means being eccentrically connected to a driving shaft substantially orthogonal to said axis, wherein said rocking drive means comprise a bar orthogonal to said hollow shaft and to said driving shaft, said bar moving parallel to said hollow shaft and sliding orthogonally to said axis and to said driving shaft.

Method for balancing a stator winding machine comprising an axially hollow shaft having an axis aligned with a stator being wound by the machine, said shaft having an inlet end for said lead wire and an outlet end for the lead wire being wound on said stator, rocking drive means being provided for reciprocation of said shaft along said axis according to a predetermined stroke, means being provided for oscillation of said shaft about said axis, motor means being provided for driving said reciprocation and oscillation, means being provided for balancing said rocking drive means and means being provided for adjusting said stroke, said rocking drive means being provided for adjusting said stroke, said rocking drive means being eccentrically connected to a driving shaft substantially orthogonal to said axis wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• moving said rocking drive means with respect to said driving shaft for adjusting said stroke,
• balancing said rocking drive means by moving a first counterweight with respect to said driving shaft opposite to said rocking drive means, and
• further balancing said rocking drive means by a second counterweight which rotates about said driving shaft in a second plane parallel to said first plane but in a way counter to rotation of said first counterweight, and moving said second counterweight with respect to said driving shaft.

Stator winding machine for winding an electric motor stator with lead wire, comprising an axially hollow shaft having an axis aligned with the stator being wound, said shaft having an inlet end for said lead wire and an outlet end for the lead wire to be wound on said stator, rocking drive means for reciprocation of said shaft along said axis according to predetermined stroke, means for oscillation of said shaft about said axis, motor means for driving said reciprocation and oscillation, means for balancing said rocking drive means and means for adjusting said stroke, wherein

• said means for balancing comprise at least two counterweights and means for causing said counterweights to rotate in opposite directions to each other;
• wherein a driving shaft substantially orthogonal to said axis is provided to which said rocking drive means are eccentrically connected, said counterweights comprising a first counterweight rotating integral to said driving shaft and a second counterweight counter rotating with respect to said driving shaft.