Armature paper feeding, cutting, and inserting device

Abstract

A machine for driving and variable length cutting of the paper used in the armature of an electric motor rotor. The machine comprises a feed distance covered by the paper between shaping rollers, over which a pressure wheel is located which pushes the paper against a ledge and then slips. A paper cutting blade is inserted between the wheel and the ledge. Transfer devices located between the blade and the ledge transfer the cut paper to a bending fixture, which gives the paper the shape of the rotor slot. The paper is pushed into the rotor slot by inserting devices. The rotor is moved from the conveyor on which it is supplied to a suitable position to receive the paper. Locking elements connected to the ledge vary the length of the cut paper with respect to the height of the rotor slots where the paper is inserted.

I claim: 
     
       1. A machine for driving and variable length cutting of a paper web for use in the armature of an electric motor rotor comprising: a variable position ledge;   a pressure drive wheel which pushes an end edge of said paper web against said ledge by means of frictional engagement of the paper, and which then slips against said paper;   means for feeding a paper web to said pressure wheel;   means for cutting said paper web between said ledge and said pressure wheel to produce a paper sheet;   means for shaping said paper sheet to fit in a slot of said rotor;   means for transferring said paper sheet to said shaping means;   means for conveying said rotor to a position suitable to receive the shaped paper sheet; and   means for inserting said shaped paper sheet into said rotor slot.   
     
     
       2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said means for feeding said paper web to said pressure wheel comprises a set of paper-shaping rollers. 
     
     
       3. The machine of claim 1 wherein said paper web extends downward, forming a slack loop, after exiting said means for feeding paper to said pressure wheel, the minimum and maximum downward extension being regulated by sensors spaced vertically apart by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
       4. The machine of claim 3 wherein said sensors comprise photocells. 
     
     
       5. The machine of claim 1 wherein said means for conveying said rotor includes locking elements. 
     
     
       6. The machine of claim 1 further comprising means for detecting the length of said rotor slot, said detecting means being connected directly to said ledge. 
     
     
       7. The machine of claim 6 wherein said detecting means forms part of said means for positioning said rotor to receive said shaped paper sheet. 
     
     
       8. The machine of claim 9 wherein said means for positioning said rotor comprises thrust blocks which pinch the rotor adjacent the ends of the slot, at least one such block being movable and connected to an actuator cylinder which positions said ledge, with respect to said cutting means, at a distance substantially equal to the distance between said thrust blocks. 
     
     
       9. The machine of claim 1 wherein said pressure wheel is kept in contact with said paper web by means of a lever operated by an actuator cylinder. 
     
     
       10. A method for driving and variable length cutting of a paper web for use in the armature of an electric motor rotor comprising the steps of: feeding said paper web substantially continuously from a paper supply to a slack loop;   intermittently withdrawing said paper web from said slack loop with a pressure drive wheel;   pushing an end edge of said paper web against a variable position ledge by frictionally engaging said paper web with said pressure drive wheel so that said pressure drive wheel slips relative to said paper web when said end edge of said paper web is against said variable position ledge;   cutting said paper web between said ledge and said pressure drive wheel to produce a paper sheet;   shaping said paper sheet to fit in a slot of said rotor;   positioning said rotor in a position suitable to receive the shaped paper sheet; and   inserting said shaped paper sheet into said rotor slot.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of detecting the length of said rotor slot prior to cutting said paper web to produce a paper sheet. .Iadd. 
     
     
       12.  Apparatus for cutting a length of insulating material from an end of an elongated strip of said material for insertion in an electric motor part having a length which is subject to variation, said apparatus comprising: means for automatically measuring the length of said electric motor part;   means responsive to said means for automatically measuring for feeding out a length of said strip which bears a predetermined relationship to the measured length of said electric motor part;   means for severing said length of said strip fed out by said means for feeding out from the remainder of said strip; and   means for inserting said length of said strip in said electric motor part. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein said means for automatically measuring comprises:   a first reference surface for contacting a first end of the length of said electric motor part;   a second reference surface for contacting a second end of the length of said electric motor part while said first end is in contact with said first reference surface; and   means for automatically bu releasably biasing said second reference surface into contact with said second end while said first end is in contact with said first reference surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The apparatus defined in claim 13 wherein said means for severing is disposed at a predetermined first location relative to said first reference surface. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.  .  The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein said means for feeding out comprises a strip end stop surface for stopping the feeding out of said strip when an end of said strip contacts said strip end stop surface, said strip end stop surface being connected to said second reference surface so that when said second reference surface is in contact with said second end, the distance along said strip from said means for severing to said strip end stop surface bears said predetermined relationship to the measured length of said electric motor part. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The method of cutting a length of insulating material from an end of an elongated strip of said material for insertion in an electric motor part having a length which is subject to variation, said method comprising the steps of: placing a first end of said length of said electric motor part in contact with a first reference surface;   automatically biasing a second reference surface into contact with a second end of the length of said electric motor part;   detecting the location of said second reference surface relative to said first reference surface in order to produce an output indication of the distance between said first and second reference surfaces while said first and second reference surfaces are respectively in contact with said first and second ends;   using said output indication to control the length of said strip which is allowed to be fed out past a cutter; and   cutting said strip with said cutter when the length of said strip fed out past said cutter bears a predetermined relationship to said distance between said first and second reference surfaces. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein said output indication is the location of a strip end stop surface relative to said cutter. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The method defined in claim 17 wherein said step of using said output indication comprises the step of feeding said strip out past said cutter until an end of said strip contacts said strip end stop surface. .Iaddend.