Patent ID: 7281312

Claim:
A method for forming and transferring wave winding segments of wire for an electrical machine comprising the steps of: forming the wave winding segments, said forming step including the steps of providing each wave winding segment a) with a series of straight portions extending transversely in a common plane, and b) with a series of gable-shaped winding heads which connect adjacent ends of adjacent straight portions, each winding head including first and second legs in the common plane, and deforming the winding heads so as to displace at least a portion of one of said first and second legs of each winding head out of the common plane while keeping the straight portions in the common plane; placing the straight portions of the formed wave winding segments in a sequential order into transverse receiving slots of a longitudinal receiver so that adjacent straight portions of at least a section of each wave winding segment are arranged in a same plane in the transverse slots of the longitudinal receiver; and transferring the wave winding segments from the transverse slots of the longitudinal receiver into axial slots in a circumferential surface of a rotatable cylindrical member, which rotatable cylindrical member is one of a transfer tool, rotor, or stator lamination packet.