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Title: Wedge and spring assembly for securing coils in electromagnets and dynamoelectric machines

Patent Application ·
OSTI ID:206630

A wedge and spring assembly for use in electromagnets or dynamoelectric machines having a housing with an axis therethrough and a plurality of coils supported on salient poles that extend radially inward from the housing toward the housing axis to define a plurality of interpole spaces, respectively between the housing and adjacent coils, the interpole spaces each extending in a direction generally parallel to the housing axis. The wedge and spring assembly includes a nonmagnetic retainer spring and a nonmagnetic wedge. The retainer spring is formed to fit into one of the interpole spaces, and has juxtaposed ends defining between them a slit extending in a direction generally parallel to the housing axis. The wedge for insertion into the slit provides an outwardly directed force on respective portions of the juxtaposed ends defining the slit to expand the slit so that respective portions of the retainer spring engage areas of the coils adjacent thereto, thereby resiliently holding the coils against their respective salient poles. Preferably, the spring retainer and wedge are self-locking wherein wedge is fabricated from a material softer than a material the retainer spring is fabricated from, so that the wedge is securely retained in the slit. The retainer spring is generally triangular shaped to fit within the interpole space and fabricated from berryllium-copper alloy, and the wedge is generally T-shaped and fabricated from aluminum. Alternatively, a wedge and spring assembly includes a wedge having divergent sloped surfaces in which each surface and the respective juxtaposed ends of the retainer spring are angled relative to one another so that the wedge is securely retained in the slit by friction existing between its sloped surfaces and the juxtaposed ends of the retaining spring.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy
Patent Number(s):
PATENTS-US-A8200340
Application Number:
ON: DE96006514; PAN: 8-200,340
OSTI ID:
206630
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English