Method and apparatus for coating stators

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PROVIDING AN INSULATING COATING ON PARTS OF A STATOR, SPECIFICALLY ON THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF SLOTS AND ON THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF OUTER LAMINATIONS WHILE MAINTAINING THE INTERNAL DIAMETER AND OUT DIAMETER OF SAID STATOR SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID INSULATING COATING, COMPRISING (1) MOUNTING SAID STATOR ON A ROTATABLE SUPPORT, (2) ROTATING THE SUPPORTED STATOR ON ITS AXIS WHILE SAID STATOR IS AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO EFFECT FUSION OF PARTICLES OF HEAT-FUSIBLE INSULATING MATERIAL WHICH MAY BE DEPOSITED THEREUPON, (3) DEPOSITING PARTICLES OF HEAT-FUSIBLE INSULATING MATERIAL UPON THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SLOTS AND ON THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF OUTER LAMINATIONS OF SAID STATOR BY DIRECTING SAID PARTICLES TOWARD SAID SURFACES FROM OPPOSING SPRAY SOURCES LOCATED ADJACENT THE OUTER LAMINATIONS OF SAID ROTATING STATOR IN A MANNER SUCH THAT OPPOSING FLOW OF SAID PARTICLES IS EFFECTED FROM SAID SPRAY SOURCES THROUGH EACH SLOT OF SAID STATOR IN SEQUENCE DURING ROTATION OF SAID STATOR, SAID OPPOSING FLOW OF SAID PARTICLES WITHIN EACH SLOT OF SAID STATOR BEING SUCH AS TO CREATE TURBULENCE THEREWITHIN AND THEREBY EFFECT DEPOSITIONS OF SAID PARTICLES UPON THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF EACH SAID SLOT, AND (4) SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING PARTICLES OF SAID INSULATING MATERIAL FROM THE LOCUS OF THE COATING OPERATION BY MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE AIR STREAM FLOWING APPROXIMATELY TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE STATOR, SUCH THAT THE INTERNAL DIAMETER AND OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID STATOR IS MAINTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID INSULTAING MATERIAL.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF PROVIDING AN INSULATING COATING ON PARTS OF A STATOR, SPECIFICALLY ON THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF SLOTS AND ON THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF OUTER LAMINATIONS WHILE MAINTAINING THE INTERNAL DIAMETER AND OUT DIAMETER OF SAID STATOR SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID INSULATING COATING, COMPRISING (1) MOUNTING SAID STATOR ON A ROTATABLE SUPPORT, (2) ROTATING THE SUPPORTED STATOR ON ITS AXIS WHILE SAID STATOR IS AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO EFFECT FUSION OF PARTICLES OF HEAT-FUSIBLE INSULATING MATERIAL WHICH MAY BE DEPOSITED THEREUPON, (3) DEPOSITING PARTICLES OF HEAT-FUSIBLE INSULATING MATERIAL UPON THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SLOTS AND ON THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF OUTER LAMINATIONS OF SAID STATOR BY DIRECTING SAID PARTICLES TOWARD SAID SURFACES FROM OPPOSING SPRAY SOURCES LOCATED ADJACENT THE OUTER LAMINATIONS OF SAID ROTATING STATOR IN A MANNER SUCH THAT OPPOSING FLOW OF SAID PARTICLES IS EFFECTED FROM SAID SPRAY SOURCES THROUGH EACH SLOT OF SAID STATOR IN SEQUENCE DURING ROTATION OF SAID STATOR, SAID OPPOSING FLOW OF SAID PARTICLES WITHIN EACH SLOT OF SAID STATOR BEING SUCH AS TO CREATE TURBULENCE THEREWITHIN AND THEREBY EFFECT DEPOSITIONS OF SAID PARTICLES UPON THE INTERNAL SURFACES OF EACH SAID SLOT, AND (4) SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVING PARTICLES OF SAID INSULATING MATERIAL FROM THE LOCUS OF THE COATING OPERATION BY MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE AIR STREAM FLOWING APPROXIMATELY TRANSVERSE TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE STATOR, SUCH THAT THE INTERNAL DIAMETER AND OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID STATOR IS MAINTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID INSULTAING MATERIAL.