Method and apparatus for controlling a brazing machine
First Claim
1. Apparatus for controlling heating electrodes for forming a brazed joint between an armature wire and a commutator bar, comprising electrodes for heating said armature wire and said commutator bar at the point where they are to be joined, means for moving said heating electrodes into and out of contact with said armature wire and commutator bar so as to form said joint, fiber-optic means for transmitting radiant energy emitted from a point on said commutator bar at or adjacent to said joint and displaced from said heating electrodes as said joint area is being heated, means for converting said radiant energy into a usable electrical signal representative of the temperature of said joint area, and means for deactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area reaches a first predetermined temperature corresponding to the temperature for forming a brazed joint and for reactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area falls to a second predetermined temperature which is below said first predetermined temperature but within the temperature range for brazing to maintain the temperature of said housing electrodes and joint area within the temperature range for brazing while said brazed joint is being formed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel control arrangement is provided for controlling the operation of the heating electrodes of a brazing machine for forming a joint between an armature wire and a commutator bar. The heating electrodes are brought into contact with the armature wire and commutator bar at the point where they are to be joined, and fiber-optic means are provided for collecting radiant energy emitted from a point at or adjacent to the joint area as the joint is being heated. The collected radiant energy is converted into a usable electronic signal representative of the temperature at the joint area, and the heating electrodes are actuated on and off in response to the electronic signal when the temperature at the joint reaches predetermined upper and lower temperature levels. As a result, the temperature of the heating electrodes and joint area is maintained within a desired temperature range while the joint is being formed.
23 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for controlling heating electrodes for forming a brazed joint between an armature wire and a commutator bar, comprising electrodes for heating said armature wire and said commutator bar at the point where they are to be joined, means for moving said heating electrodes into and out of contact with said armature wire and commutator bar so as to form said joint, fiber-optic means for transmitting radiant energy emitted from a point on said commutator bar at or adjacent to said joint and displaced from said heating electrodes as said joint area is being heated, means for converting said radiant energy into a usable electrical signal representative of the temperature of said joint area, and means for deactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area reaches a first predetermined temperature corresponding to the temperature for forming a brazed joint and for reactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area falls to a second predetermined temperature which is below said first predetermined temperature but within the temperature range for brazing to maintain the temperature of said housing electrodes and joint area within the temperature range for brazing while said brazed joint is being formed.
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12. A method for controlling heating electrodes for forming a brazed joint between an armature wire and a commutator bar, comprising the steps of:
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moving said heating electrodes into contact with said armature wire and commutator bar at the point where they are to be joined and actuating said heating electrodes to form said joint, collecting and transmitting radiant energy emitted from a point at or adjacent to said joint and displaced from said heating electrodes as said joint area is being heated, converting said radiant energy into a usable electrical signal representative of the temperature of said joint area, deactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area reaches a first predetermined temperature corresponding to the temperature for forming a brazed joint, and reactivating said heating electrodes in response to said electrical signal when said temperature at said joint area falls to a second predetermined temperature which is below said first predetermined temperature but within the temperature range for brazing to maintain the temperature of said heating electrodes and joint area within the temperature range for brazing while said brazed joint is being formed. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification