Winding appliance for toroidal core coils

An improved toroidal core attaching device for a winding device for toroidal coils including a receptacle sleeve held on a pivotable arm to receive the toroidal core, the core and receptacle being pivotable on the arm into the orbit of an annular wire magazine. The receptacle sleeve is open in a region of its generated surface which is directed to the center of the magazine in the winding position and the receptacle sleeve and toroidal core form a clamp therebetween for an end of the wire. The open region of the receptacle sleeve forms an access opening for the clamping area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a winding appliance for toroidal core 
coils comprising a toroidal core fixing device, including an annular 
magazine for wire guidance and magazining which is conducted through the 
toroidal core opening and may be interrupted in a region of its length, 
whereby the toroidal core and the magazine are rotatable around their 
rotationally symmetrical axes, which axes are preferably aligned 
perpendicular to one another, and comprising a wire feed to the magazine. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Winding appliances for toroidal core coil of this type are known from U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,079,895. The closed magazine thereof comprises a part closed 
during winding which can be hinged open for the replacement the toroidal 
cores. The magazine, moreover, is fashioned such that the magazining of 
the winding wire is already carried out while the toroidal core is being 
wound. The beginning of the wire is manually fixed to the toroidal core 
and is manually guided during the entire winding operation. The threading 
of the beginning of the wire into the magazine is also managed in a very 
involved way since the wire must be threaded between brake rollers which 
effect the required winding tension during winding. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,705 discloses a winding appliance for deflector coils 
comprising a rotatably seated wire supply magazine which is interrupted in 
a region of its length and comprises a rotating coil winder likewise 
interrupted in a region of its length to which the wire is supplied from 
the wire supply magazine. In this winding appliance, too, the beginning of 
the wire is manually fixed to the wire winder urchin and is manually 
guided during the winding operation. 
German Patent No. 28 20 674 (also Great Britian Patent No. 2020624), 
finally, discloses a winding appliance for toroidal core coils comprising 
a toroidal core fixing device, including an annular magazine which is 
conducted through the toroidal core opening, and is equipped with 
rotatably seated casters for wire guidance and magazining and is 
interrupted in a region of its length, whereby the toroidal core and the 
magazine are rotatable around their rotationally symmetrical axes, which 
are preferably aligned perpendicular to one another, and comprising a wire 
feed which is fashioned such that the beginning of the wire is conducted 
between two casters to a fixing element distinct from the magazine for 
fixing the beginning of the wire, this fixing element being likewise 
arranged distinct from the toroidal core and re-releasing the beginning of 
the wire in the course of winding. 
No fixing of the beginning of the wire to the toroidal core ensues given 
this winding appliance. However, care must be exercised to see that, after 
release, the beginning of the wire is kept away from the inside hole of 
the toroidal core by the fixing element; otherwise, the end of the wire 
hinders the faultless guidance of the winding magazine through the hole of 
the toroidal core. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to improve a winding appliance for 
toroidal core coils of the type described above such that, insofar as 
possible, a manual fixing of the beginning of the wire can be omitted but 
that at least the manual guidance of the beginning of the winding wire 
required during the entire winding operation given individual winding 
appliances can be omitted and the fixing and guidance can largely ensue 
automatically. 
For achieiving this object, the invention provides that the toroidal core 
fixing device comprises a receptacle sleeve for the toroidal cores which 
is pivotable into the orbit of the magazine and which is open in that 
region of its generated surface which is directed to the center of the 
magazine in winding position. 
At the beginning of winding, the toroidal core to be wound is plugged onto 
this receptacle sleeve, automatically under given conditions, and the 
receptacle sleeve with the toroidal core is subsequently pivoted into the 
orbit of the magazine. 
Given winding appliances having a wire beginning fixed to the toroidal 
core, the wire beginning must be manually kept away from the hole of the 
toroidal core for a brief time until, due to the rotation of the toroidal 
core during winding, the beginning of the wire is located between the 
receptacle sleeve and the toroidal core. 
Given employment of this toroidal core fixing device in a winding appliance 
for toroidal core coils known from German Patent No. 28 20 674, this 
manual securing of the beginning of the wire is also eliminated. Given 
this preferred winding appliance, it suffices when the fixing element for 
the beginning of the wire, this fixing element being situated remote from 
the toroidal core and from the magazine, does not release the beginning of 
the wire until the wrapped toroidal core is rotated into a position in 
which the released beginning of the wire is pinched between the receptacle 
sleeve and the toroidal core. 
As viewed in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve, the receptacle 
sleeved can be divided in two. The inside cross-section of this and of the 
one-piece receptacle sleeve, of course, is selected larger than the 
cross-section of the magazine. 
The toroidal core fixing device set forth above significantly contributes 
to the automation of the toroidal core winding operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The winding appliance of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an annular magazine 1 
which is interrupted by a gap at 11 and which carries casters or bearing 
rollers 2 at its one end face, these casters 2 being spaced from one 
another. A drive means 5 includes a drive wheel 4 rotatably seated on a 
shaft, this drive wheel 4, together with further wheels 20, 22 (see FIG. 
3) likewise rotatably seated on shafts, pressing against the outside 
generated surface of a toroidal core 3 held in a toroidal core fixing 
device of FIGS. 3 through 6. In the illustration of FIG. 2, the magazine 
1, which is fashioned as a ring, particularly as a gear rim, is rotated in 
the direction of arrow A. The transport is thereby composed of a conveying 
wheel 15 which, upon rotation in the direction of arrow B, meshes with the 
gear rim of the magazine via intervening conveying wheels 13, 14 which 
rotate in the direction of arrow C. The toroidal core 3 and the magazine 1 
are thereby rotatable around their rotationally symmetrical axes which are 
aligned perpendicular to one another. The elements of the winding 
appliance are thereby arranged on a mounting plate 12, some being rigidly 
arranged and some being rotatably arranged. 
A winding wire 8 is drawn off from a supply reel (not shown in the drawing) 
and is conveyed in magazine direction by means of conveying rollers 6, 7 
which accordingly rotate in the direction of arrow D. A non-rotatable 
clamp element 9 serves the purpose of fixing the beginning of the wire, 
this clamp element 9 being located at a distance from the magazine and 
from the toroidal core 3. 
The magazine 1, which comprises, for example, a gear rim, and the casters 2 
are integrated in a tubularly shaped cladding (not shown in the drawing) 
which is continuously open toward the center of the gear rim, is arranged 
in non-turning fashion and interrupted in a region of its length, this 
cladding comprising a wire passage in the region of the wire feed. 
Adjustable brushes 10 which press against the magazined wire with higher or 
lower pressure depending on the desired winding tension are situated in 
the inside of the cladding (not shown). It is thereby possible to 
appropriately control to winding tension, this being additionally elevated 
at the beginning of winding by the winding-off tension and noticeably 
decreasing when the magazine becomes empty. 
The toroidal core fixing device comprises a receptacle sleeve 30 (see FIG. 
4) arranged on a swivel arm 24, this receptacle sleeve 30 having an 
annular flange 32 for the seating of the toroidal core 3 and having a 
region 31 of its generated surface which is open toward the center of the 
magazine in winding position. 
In the illustration of FIG. 3, the swivel arm 24, which is pivotably seated 
and has it swivel motion damped by a damping means 26, 27 is swivelled 
into the winding position which is directed toward the center of the 
magazine, see arrow direction E. The drive wheel 4 and the further wheels 
20, 22 thereby press against the outside generated surface of the toroidal 
core 3 shown in FIG. 6 which is slipped onto the receptacle sleeve 30. 
FIG. 6 shows the winding position of the toroidal core 3 in which the 
toroidal core 3 has the beginning of its winding wire 8 turned out of the 
open region 31 of the generated surface of the receptacle sleeve 30 and, 
consequently, clamped between the receptacle sleeve and the toroidal core 
and, thus, being secured. The core 3 is rotated relative to the receptacle 
sleeve 30 after an initial convolution of wire is placed on the core to 
thereby carry the initial convolution into damping engagement with the 
sleeve. 
The manner of functioning of this winding appliance and the advantages 
attainable by means of this appliance, especially the advantages with 
respect to automation and outlay reduction, can be illustrated by the 
following example which describes the manufacture of a current 
compensated, double choke. 
(a) The receptacle sleeve 30 with plugged-on toroidal core 3 is swivelled 
into the orbit of the magazine given an appropriate position of the 
magazine 1. 
(b) The wire 8 is inserted between the casters 2. 
(c) The beginning of the wire is fixed in the clamp element 9. 
(d) The magazine is first moved slowly in the direction of arrow A and, 
upon rotation of the toroidal core 3, the wire fitted to the toroidal core 
is clamped between the receptacle sleeve and the toroidal core. 
(e) The beginning of the wire is released and the rotational speed of the 
magazine is controlled. 
(f) The wire is severed from the supply reel. 
(g) The position of the brushes is adapted to the desired winding tension 
and the winding speed is boosted to its maximum speed. 
(h) The rotational motion of the magazine is retarded and the magazine is 
slowly brought into the initial position. 
(i) The magazine is stopped. 
(j) The tail of the wire is removed and the core is subsequently rotated 
further. 
(k) Steps a) through h) are repeated, the winding direction being reversed 
if desired. 
In the work sequence set forth above, each winding for the double choke 
type is separately magazined. Programming can thereby be freely carried 
out, namely dependent upon whether windings in the same direction or in 
opposite directions are desired; furter, the magazine now need only accept 
half as much wire and, thus, can be further miniaturized. 
As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is 
susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications 
which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the 
preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we 
wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such 
modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our 
contribution to the art.