Patent ID: 6155094
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: H02K

Abstract:
Apparatus for forming the end turns of a round wire coil of an electrical machine, said apparatus including a press tool for forming a compressible mass into an annulus of a given inner diameter, a given outer diameter and a given axial length, the press tool comprising:a radially movable inner tool part which is expandable to form the compressible mass to the given inner diameter, said radially inner tool part comprising a first array of radially movable members and a second array of radially movable members which are interposed between respective radially movable members of the first array of the radially movable inner tool part, each radially movable member of the first array of the radially movable inner tool part comprising a head which has a working face curved to the given inner diameter, and each radially movable member of the second array of the radially movable inner tool part comprising a head which has a central portion and opposed sloping outer portions, the central portion being curved to the given inner diameter and each opposed sloping outer portion being shaped for sliding contact against a rear face of the head of an adjacent member of the first array of the radially movable inner tool part;a radially movable outer tool part which is contractible to form the compressible mass to the given outer diameter, the radially movable outer tool part comprising a first array of radially movable members and a second array of radially movable members which are interposed between respective radially movable members of the first array of the radially movable outer tool part, each radially movable member of the first array of the radially movable outer tool part comprising a head which has a working face curved to the given outer diameter, and each radially movable member of the second array of the radially movable outer tool part comprising a head which has a central portion being curved to the given outer diameter and each opposed sloping outer portion being shaped for sliding contact against a rear face of the head of an adjacent member of the first array of the radially movable outer tool part; andan axially movable annular member having a working face for forming the compressible mass to the given axial length when advanced to its axially extended position;whereby the radially movable inner and outer tool parts are respectively expandable and contractible to compress the compressible mass to the given inner and outer diameters respectively such that the heads of the radial movable members of the first and second arrays of the radially movable inner and outer tool parts from continuous substantially annular surfaces during at least a part of movement of the inner and outer tool parts;the improvement comprising a body part for surrounding the axially movable annular member when in its axially retracted position with the working face of the axially movable annular member flush with the body part to substantially eliminate gaps into which the compressible mass might become trapped;and wherein said axially movable member in its extended position is extended between said radially movable outer tool part and said radially movable inner tool part.