Device for winding an annular article having inwardly directed slots

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR MECHANICALLY WINDING SLOTTED STATOR SHEET STACKS FOR ELECTRICAL MACHINES, COMPRISING MEANS TO MOUNT A STATOR SHEET STACK FOR TURNING MOVEMENT ABOUT THE CENTRAL AXIS THEREOF, A CARRIER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SUCH AXIS, AT LEAST ONE WIRE GUIDING MEMBER, MEANS MOUNTING THE MEMBER ON THE CARRIER FOR MOVEMENT AWAY FROM AND TOWARDS SUCH AXIS, AND OPERATING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS, THE CARRIER AND THE MEMBER, SAID OPERATING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING THE MEMBER TOWARDS THE AXIS AND MOVING THE CARRIER AXIALLY THROUGH THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS WHILE THE STACK MOUTING MENS IS STATIONARY IN SUCH A POSITION THAT THE MEMBER PASSES THROUGH ONE OF THE SLOTS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE MEMBER AWAY FROM THE AXIS AFTER IT HAS PASSED THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS, MEANS FOR THEN TURNING THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS IN ONE DIRECTION BY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT WHILE THE MEMBER IS STATIONARY, MEANS FOR THEN WITHDRAWING THE MEMBER AXIALLY TOWARDS THE AXIS AND MOVING THE CARRIER BACK THROUGH THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO MOVE THE MEMBER THROUGH ANOTHER OF THE SLOTS WHILE THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS REMAINS STATIONARY AND MEANS FOR THEN TURNING THE STACK MOUNTING MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION BY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT WHILE THE MEMBER REMAINS STATIONARY, SAID STACK MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING A RING, AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED GUIDE FINGERS REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON EACH FACE OF THE RING AND EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREFROM, SAID GUIDE FINGERS BEING LOCATED IN THE AREAS BETWEEN THE SLOTS OF AN ARTICLE CARRIED BY SAID RING, SAID OPERATING MEANS MOVING THE MEMBERS FURTHER FROM THE AXIS THAN SAID FINGERS, ALL SAID GUIDE FINGERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL AND SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT