Improvements in Armatures for Dynamos or Electric Motors.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Armatures for Dynamos or Electric Motors.
I, BARRON DOUGLAS SOUTHARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 167 Adams Street, in the City of Chicago, County of Cook and State of
Illinois; Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying drawings
My invention relates to certain structural improvements applicable to armatures
designed for use in dynamos or electric motors. More particularly it pertains to
In this class
that class of armatures known as the Gramme er-cylinder armatures.
of armatures the wire is wound longitudinally upon the outer surface of a cylindrical
core, returning through the interior of the latter until the entire surface of the
armature or such portions thereof as may be desired, are completely covered by
several layers of the wire. A series of wires radiating from the commutator,
connect at different points with the wire wound upon the cylinder, dividing the
latter into a number of coils connected in series, the end of each coil and the
commencement of the succeeding coil being connected with the same part of
the commutator. It will readily be seen that in case any one of these coils burns
out or is otherwise injured, so as to necessitate replacing it with new wire, it is a job
of no little difficulty to unwind the coil from the cylinder and rewind the latter with
new wire, and one that cannot be entrusted to the ordinary mechanic who may have
charge of the dynamo or inotor, so that when an accident of this sort happens, it is
necessary to remove the armature and send it to the factory for repairs.
involves a considerable expense as well as a great loss of time and its accompanying
inconvenience; and it is the purpose of my invention to remove these objections by
so modifying the structure of the armature that the destructible portions may be
made of uniform size, so as to be readily interchangeable, and also so that such
parts may be easily and quickly applied to the armature or removed therefrom,
placing it in the power of persons who know nothing about the winding of armatures
or the principles governing the same, to readily make any repairs likely to become
necessary in ordinary use.
This
To such end my invention consists broadly in dividing the cylindrical-core
longitudinally into sections, each of which supports one or more of the coils of the
wire, and in so uniting the sections-and-supporting them from the shaft or arbor
that any one of them or any number, may be taken out, without disturbing the
others, by simply disconnecting the coils to be removed, from-those adjacent
thereto.
I do not limit myself to any particular construction, as a great variety would
answer the general purposes of my invention more or less satisfactorily. I shall,
however, proceed to describe, fully and specifically, my preferred construction,
together with a few modifications thereof, and shall then point out and define the
essential features of said invention, both broadly considered and in connection with
certain minor and supplementary improvements below described.
S
In the drawings presented herewith,
on and view of an armature embodying my improvements;

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 are detail views ;
Figure 5, 6 and 7-are is an illustration of certain modifications;
Figure 6 is a detail section and
Figures 9 and 10 7 and 8 illustrate an application of my improvements to a disc
armature.
Applying reference letters to the different parts shown in these drawings, A is
an arbor or shaft upon which the armature is journalled; B is a commutator mounted
upon said shaft; C, C¹³, are end plates.or spiders, supported upon the arbor, A, and
rigid therewith; and D is a cylindrical iron core, supported between the spiders, C, C'.
This core is composed of a large number of thin metal plates, d, stamped out in the
form shown in Figure 4. When a sufficient number of these plates are arranged as
seen in said figure, they form a thin ring or annular disc, the square projections, d
fitting into notches, d³, and having holes, de, stamped through them. The inside of
the disc contains a series of notches, d³, and the outside is bridged over by
projecting tongues, d', so as to leave openings, d², near the periphery. The plates, d,
are coated upon one side with suitable insulating material, and in constructing the
core, these rings are built up one upon the other until they form a cylinder of the
desired length. In actual practice, however. the plates, d, are not put together in
rings at first, but are piled up until they form a section of the length of the cylinder
desired, the cross section of which is equal to the flat side of one of the metal plates.
A rod, d', is then passed through the holes provided in the plates, securing them all
together. When the sections are placed together to form the cylinder, the
openings, d², become channels, extending from end to end thereof, and the notches, d³,
become longitudinal grooves upon the inner surface of the cylinder. Coils, E, of
insulated wire, are wound, of uniform size and shape, as seen, reduced, in Figure 3,
and, preferably, wound or otherwise coated with suitable insulation, e. These coils
are fitted to the channels, d², and grooves, d³, so that when a section of the cylinder
formed by the plates, d, arranged side by side, is separated from the other sections,
a coil can be slipped into place or removed, without winding or unwinding. After
all of the laminated sections are fitted with coils and arranged in the form of a
cylinder, the spiders, C, C, are secured to the ends of said cylinder by means of the
pins, d', the ends of the wire forming each coil are connected respectively with those
of the adjacent coils, and the joints between the same connected by wires, F, to the
parts of the commutator. The spider, C, may be secured to the arbor, A, in any
suitable manner, but the spider, C, should be made movable longitudinally thereof,
and provided with a clamping device, by means of which it can be secured in any
desired position and also readily moved therefrom to permit of the insertion or
removal of the armature or any portion thereof. Figure $6 illustrates a construction
which answers the purpose, the clamping device consisting of a set screw, c, threaded
to the spider and bearing upon the surface of the arbor.
It will readily be seen that the above construction renders the different sections
of the cylinder, together with the coils carried thereby, entirely distinct and
separable from each other, except as they are connected by the supporting spiders
and the connected ends of the wire coils. This is the important feature of our
invention, and the advantages gained by it are of great value, both in the first
construction of the armature, and in repairs that may be required later. It enables
the coils, E, to be wound by machinery before they are applied to the core of the
armature. This is a great saving, as in the winding of armatures of this class it
has been necessary heretofore to employ skilled labour; whereas, with proper
machinery, these coils can be wound by boys, or ignorant persons, whose time is of
little value. A large amount of time is also saved, as will readily be seen by any
one who reflects upon the difference between winding a coil of wire upon a bobbin
rotated by machinery, and winding such a coil about the shell of a cylinder, passing
the wire through the interior of the latter at cach turn. It is the intention to
manufacture coils of uniform sizes to fit the differently proportioned armatures
required, and to furnish these coils in any desired quantities, ready for application.

page_text: If, in the use of an armature, a coil burns out, it will be detached from the adjacent
coils, the screw, c, loosened, the spider, C', slipped off of the armature, the section
of the core bearing the injured coil drawn out, said coil removed and a new one put
in its place, the section returned to its position, the spider, C, replaced, the ends of
the new coil joined to those of its neighbours, and the armature will be again ready
for use.
It is hard to conceive how a person, even if not possessed of the slightest
mechanical ability, can fail to perform so simple an operation, after having once
been shown how it is done.
_
In Figures 3 and 5, certain modifications in the form of the plates,-/;-are showн→
also in Figure 5, a modified form of the connecting rods or-pins, is illustrated. As
far as the general purpose of the invention is concerned, namely, the-makin 5 of the
eore in longitudinal sections, the shape of these small-pieces-is entirely-immaterial+
that shown in Figure-1 is, however, preferable, as-the-wire-coils-em-be-readily
slipped into position-after-winding them, which would not be trae-of-the-forms-seen
in-Figures 5-and-6. In Figure 75, an additional improvement in the construction of
the spiders, C, C', is shown. Said improvement consists in making said spiders of
a central portion, c², and of two or more separate outside portions, ³, removably
secured to the central portion. This may be thought preferable in some instances,
as it will enable an injured part to be taken out and replaced, without disturbing
any of the outside sections of the spiders, except the one in which the injured part
is located.
My preferred construction has another very important advantage, due to the
construction of the armature in separable longitudinal sections to which the coils of
wire may be readily applied before the sections are put together, and to the
provision upon each of these sections, of projecting tongues, d', which, when
the sections are assembled in the form of a cylinder, close in over the outside of the
coils and retain the latter in place. This dispenses with the necessity for the use
of binding wires, thereby enabling the armature to be brought much nearer to the
field magnets, and rendering the motor much more efficient. The outside of the
cylinder presents a continuous metallic surface, which can be trued up and
accurately centered by placing the armature in a lathe and turning it down until the
surface of the armature becomes a perfect cylinder, concentric with the axis of the
journals.
.
Figures 7 and 10 8 illustrate the application of certain of my improvements to what
is technically known as a disc armature. The plates, d, are here made similar in
shape to those before described, except that they have projecting tongues, d', at
both sides. These plates are built up radially, and, of course, gradually decrease
in size from the periphery of the armature, inward. The sections of this armature
are slipped into place or removed, in radial lines, and the rods, d³, necessarily
radiate from the shaft of the armature. A metal band, M, is placed about the
entire armature, to aid in holding it securely together.
It will be noticed that all of the advantages heretofore mentioned in connection
with the cylinder armature, are present in this modified application to a disc
armature. The flat faces of the disc can be turned down into perfect planes,
perpendicular to the axis of the journals, and hence, can be brought as near as may
be desired to the faces of the field magnets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1 In an armature of the class described, the combination of a series of
independently removable sections, suitably connected together in the form of a
eylindrical core, divided longitudinally by the joints between the sections, as and
for the purpose stated; substantially as described.
2 In an armature of the cylinder or dise type, the combination with an arbor, of
a core, composed of a number of longitudinal sections containing one or more coils
of wire, said-sections being removably supported from the arbor and connected

page_text: together, whereby any one of them, together with its coil or coils of wire, may be
detached, without disturbing the rest; substantially as described.
3. In an armature of the class described, the combination with an arbor bearing
a suitable commutator, of a cylindrical core, composed of a series of removable and
interchangeable-sections, suitably supported from said arbor, and a series of coils
of wire of uniform size, removably-supported upon said sections and properly
connected with the commutator; substantially-as-described.
4-In an armature of the class described, the combination of a core, composed of
thin metal plates, d, secured together to form independently removable longitudinal
sections, separable coils of wire moanted upon these sections, and suitable devices
for supporting the core and securing the different sections thereof together;
substantially-as described.
5 In an armature of the class described, the combination with the longitudinally
divided-core and the separable-coils of wire-mounted thereon, of the spiders, C, C₁₂
composed of a central portion and surrounding separable portions detachably secured
therete substantially as described.
6-In-an-armature of the class-described, the combination with suitable-supporting
devices, of a cylindrical core, composed of thin plates, d, of uniform-size, secure
together-in-separable longitudinal sections, a series of interchangeable coils of wire
mounted upon these sections, and suitable connecting wires uniting the ends of suid
eoils substantially as described.
7 In-an-armature of the class described, the combination with suitable supporting
devices, of a series of separable longitudinal sections, a series of coils of wire
mounted-upon these sections, and projecting portions rigid with the sections, adapted
to retain said-eoils in place; substantially as described.
1-In an armature of the class described, the combination with suitable supporting
devices, of a series of coils of wire mounted upon these sections and wound parallel to
the axis of rotation, and portions rigid with the sections projecting outside of the coils of
wire and adapted to retain them in place against centrifugal force; substantially as
described.
2-In a device of the class described, a ring or disc armature composed of a series of
separable sections, a series of coils of wire mounted upon these sections, and a series of
tongues rigid with the sections, projecting between the coils and the field magnets, whereby
the coils are retained in place, and prevented from striking the field magnets; substantially
as described.
Dated this 26th day of February A.D. 1891.
BARRON DOUGLAS SOUTHARD.