FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Automatic superconducting tape winding machine
APPLICANTS
Crompton Greaves Limited, CG House, Dr Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, Maharashtra, India, an Indian Company


INVENTOR
Sathe Mahesh Kashinath, Crompton Greaves Limited, Industrial Design Centre (IDS), CG Global R&D Centre, Kanjurmarg (East), Mumbai 400042, Maharashtra, India, an Indian National
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an automatic superconducting tape winding machine.
PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION
Copper conductors used in electrical power devices such as transformers, fault current
limiters, motors or generators are being replaced by superconducting tapes (including
wires) because of their superior electrical properties such as zero electrical resistance,
perfect diamagnetism or sharp transition from superconducting state to normal state. Use
of superconducting tapes in electric power devices also increases the efficiency of the
devices considerably besides substantially reducing the size and weight of the devices.
Superconductors are generally classified as low temperature or conventional
superconductors and high temperature superconductors. The low temperature
superconductors are metallic alloys based (such as NbTi or Nb3Sn), whereas the high
temperature superconductors are ceramic based [Yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO)
or Bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSCCO)]. Superconductors are generally
wound into the required shapes and sizes on winding formers mounted for rotation about
a horizontal axis. Usually the winding formers are mounted for rotation about a
horizontal axis between the chuck and centre of the head stock and tail stock respectively
of floor mounting type of machines like lathe machines. Superconducting tapes to be
wound on the formers are fed onto the formers from winding spools having
superconducting tape wound thereon and slidably mounted on holding shafts disposed in
the proximity of the formers vertically inclined. The windings spools are held manually
for the sliding movement on the holding shafts to facilitate winding of the tapes on the
formers. Holding the winding spools manually is quite inconvenient and cumbersome and

also increases manpower required for the winding operation. As a result, cost is increased and productivity is reduced. Besides it also leads to operator fatigue. Also during starting, switching off and breaking of such machines there are also possibilities of jerking. As the winding spools are manually held it is difficult and practically impossible to respond and adjust to the jerks promptly and instanteously. This can lead to kinking or deformation or breaking of the superconducting tapes.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an automatic superconducting tape winding machine, which avoids the necessity of manually holding winding spools and is user rnendry and which is srrnpfe in construction and easy and convenient to operate.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic superconducting tape winding machine, which eliminates operator fatigue and increases productivity and is cost effective.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic superconducting tape winding machine, which prevents kinking or deformation or breaking of the superconducting tapes during winding.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided an automatic; superconducting tape winding
machine comprising a winding former disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis, a

winding spool slidably mounted on a holding shaft disposed in the proximity of the winding former vertically inclined and sliding movement regulator means for regulating the sliding movement of the winding spool in synchronization with the rotational movement of the winding former.
The following is a detailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are front view, back view, plan view, side view and isometric view of the automatic superconducting tape winding machine according to an embodiment of the invention, respectively;
Fig 6 is a crosssectional view at X in Fig 5; and
Fig 7 is a section at A-A in Fig 5.
The automatic superconducting tape winding machine 1 as illustrated in Figs 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings comprises a winding former 2 disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis. The winding former is, for instance, mounted for rotation between the centre (not shown) of the tail stock (not shown) and chuck (not shown) of the head stock (not shown) of a floor mounting type machine like lathe machine (not shown). The lathe machine has not been illustrated and described as it is not necessary for understanding the invention. However, it is to be clearly understood that the winding former can also be

mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis on any other rotary machine, drive or device. Helical groove on the winding former is marked 3. 4 is a hexagonal nut mounted on the winding former in thread engagement with the helical groove on the former. 5 is a winding spool mounted on a linear bearing 6 which in turn is mounted on a holding shaft 7 horizontally disposed in the proximity of the winding former and vertically inclined. The holding shaft is supported on upstanding shaft holding brackets 8 and 9. Slots in the holding brackets for the holding shaft to pass through are marked 8a and 9a, respectively. The holding shaft is held in position in the slots in the holding brackets with padding 10 which may be made of rubber. The holding shaft is tightly held against the holding bracket 8 by a bolt 11 engaged in a bolt hole 12 provided at the proximal end of the holding shaft and tightened against the holding bracket 8. The holding shaft is made of a mechanically strong material like steel and is provided with an antifriction coating 13 like rubber coating on the outer surface thereof so as to ensure smooth sliding of the winding spool on the holding shaft. The sliding movement of the winding spool is regulated or controlled by a regulator member 14 projecting upwardly from the hexagonal nut. The holding shaft passes through an oblong slot 15 in the regulator member. A pair of diagonally oppositely spaced bail bearings 16 are held in housings 17 which are held in the regulator member in slots (not shown) provided therein with circlips 18. The ball bearings are biased in the direction of the leading surface of the winding spool by springs 19. The ball bearings abut against the leading surface of the winding spool so as to maintain the spacing between the leading surface of the winding spool and the confronting surface of the winding spool. The hexagonal nut is preferably made of fibre reinforced plastics. The sliding movement regulator member may be integrally moulded

together with the hexagonal nut with the same material or may be separately made with a material selected from aluminium or steel and fixed to the hexagonal nut. In order to wind a superconducting tape 20 wound on the winding spool on the winding former, the winding spool with the superconducting tape wound thereon is mounted on the holding shaft over the linear bearing. Because of the inclination of the holding shaft in the vertical plane, the winding spool is free to slide down on the holding shaft under gravitational force. Normally the sliding movement of the winding spool is arrested by the movement regulator member abutting against the winding spool through the ball bearings. During rotational movement of the winding former, the superconducting tape starts getting wound on the winding former. Due to rotation of the winding former the hexagonal nut on the former in thread engagement therewith describes a h'near motion on the winding former in the forward direction ie in the direction of the sliding movement of the winding spool. As the sliding movement regulator member is abutting against the winding spool through the ball bearings, the sliding down movement of the winding spool on the holding shaft is regulated by the regulator member in synchronisation with the rotational movement of the winding former and the linear movement of the nut on the former and the superconducting tape gets wound on the former automatically. The spring biased ball bearings maintain the spacing between the leading surface of the winding spool and the confronting surface of the regulator member. The antifriction lining on the holding shaft ensures a smooth and frictionless sliding movement of the linear bearing and winding spool on the holding shaft. The invention eliminates manual holding of the winding spool and facilitates automatic winding of the superconducting tape on the former. Therefore, it is easy and convenient to carry out the winding of the superconducting tape on the

former. As a result, productivity is increased and cost is reduced. There is no operator fatigue. The winding machine is also simple in construction and user friendly. Also if there are any jerks during starting, switching off and braking of the driving machine, the automatic winding machine is quick and instantaneous to respond and adjust to the jerks so as to avoid kinking, deformation or breaking of the superconducting tapes.
The above embodiment of the invention is by way of example and should not be considered to be limitative of the scope of the invention. The sliding movement regulator means of the winding spool comprising the hexagonal nut and the sliding movement regulator member can be of a different configuration or construction. The rotational movement of the former may be given by a different rotary machine or rotary mechanism. The holding shaft maybe of a different construction / configuration and may be mounted differently. The material of construction of the hexagonal nut and regulator member and the holding shaft may be different. The spacer means construction may be different. Embodiment comprising such variations of the invention are obvious to those skilled in the art and are to be construed and understood to be within the scope of the invention.

We claim :
1. An automatic superconducting tape winding machine comprising a winding former disposed for rotation about a horizontal axis, a winding spool slidably mounted on a holding shaft disposed in the proximity of the winding former vertically inclined and sliding movement regulator means for regulating the sliding movement of the winding spool in synchronization with the rotational movement of the winding former.
2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sliding movement regulator means comprises a hexagonal nut mounted over the winding former in thread engagement therewith and a sliding movement regulator member upwardly projecting from the hexagonal nut, the sliding movement regulator member being provided with an oblong slot for the holding shaft to extend therethrough, the sliding movement regulator member facing the leading surface of the winding spool and spacer means for maintaining the space between the leading surface of the winding spool and confronting surface of the sliding movement regulator member.
3. The machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hexagonal nut and the sliding movement regulator member are made of fibre reinforced plastics.
4. The machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hexagonal nut and the sliding movement regulator member are integrally moulded with fibre reinforced plastics.

5. The machine as claimed in claims 2, wherein the hexagonal nut is made of fibre reinforced plastics and the sliding movement regulator member is made of a mechanically strong material selected from steel or aluminium.
6. The machine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the spacer means comprises a pair of diagonally oppositely located spring biased ball bearings mounted in the sliding movement regulator member and abutting against the leading surface of the winding spool.
7. The machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the winding spool is slidably mounted on (he holding shaft over a linear bearing.
8. The winding machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the holding shaft comprises an antifriction coating on the outer surface thereof.
9. The machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the holding shaft is made of a mechanically strong material selected from steel and the antifriction coating comprises rubber coating.
Dated this 16th day of February 2009