Oct. 27, 1953 F. S.

KORSKI 2,657 324

CAST ROTOR
Filed March 28, 1952
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Patented Oct. 27, 1953 2,657,324

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,657,324
CAST ROTOR,
Frank S. Korski, Brentwood, Mo., assignor to
The Emerson Electric Manufacturing Com
pany, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri
Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 279,170
4 Claims. (C. 30-21)
1. 2
The present invention relates generally to dy of the stack. Such burrs must be removed be
namo-electric machines, and more particularly cause of the destructive effects should they be
to a cast rotor forming a part of such machine. come loosened after the motor is in operation
Cast roto's have been made for many year'S, a situation that is particularly bad in a hermeti
but during all of this time certain problems have cally sealed refrigeration motor unit. The re
existed in respect thereto; and it is a broad obs moval of burrs and Slivers which were thus
ject of this invention to overcome or minimize formed by the finishing operations is usually ac
such problems. complished by chamfering the end laminations.
A typical cast squirrel-cage rotor consists of a But this has the disadvantage that Some metal
10 valuable to the electrical characteristics of the
stack of circular laminations with a number of
transverse slots adjacent the periphery of the rotor is removed by Such chamfering.
stack, the slots being usually somewhat twisted. Broadly speaking, the objects of the present
In manufacture, the stack of laminations is Suit invention are to accomplish a rotor with each
ably disposed in a mold assembly, and metal, and all of the following advantages: an increased
usually aluminum, is cast into the Various slots connecting area between the end ring and the
and also cast into two end rings, one on the face conductors with which the end ring is cast inte
of each end lamination of the stack of lamina gral, the elimination of the need to cut into the
tions. The conductors in the slots and the end end laminations in order to accomplish a de
rings are cast in a unitary or integral structure. burring thereof after the rotor is machined, and
The rings have been located adjacent the pe an elimination of the spreading of the end laim
riphery of the stack of laminations, and actually ination during the machining operation, and the
approached the actual periphery as closely as WaS elimination of the necessity of cutting into the
practical. However, in present methods of mold end laminations and possibly the end rings in
ing and making cast rotors, it has been necessary order to remove flashing fins and burrs, and
that the radially outermost edge of the end rings 32 5
finally to obtain a stronger, more durable rotor
be disposed a Substantial distance in Wardly from and to obtain it more cheaply.
the periphery of the stack of laminations, in order The present invention, in brief, provides a ro
to avoid making a mold with so thin an edge por tor of the type having integrally cast end rings
tion that it cannot stand up in service. A product and slot conductors, such as a Squirrel-cage ro
of this has been that fashing fins or the like re 30 tor, wherein the end rings include integrally cast
sulted, these extending radially outwardly from outer edge portions that extend outwardly at
the rings, over the face of the outermost lami least substantially to the outer periphery of the
nations, to or beyond the outer periphery of the laminations after the finishing operation is per
rings. These fins or flashings are irregular in formed thereon. The details of this and the
shape and must be machined off, because other 35 manner in which it is obtained will appear from
wise they may break off in service of the mo the description hereafter. The present applica
tor and get among the moving parts where they tion is a continuation-in-part of application
can do great damage. This involves a machin Serial No. 268,234, filed January 25, 1952.
ing operation of substantial proportion, but it In the drawings:
also almost always results in a reduction of the 40 Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a con
outer laminations, and of the rings, with con pleted cast rotor for dynamo-electric machines
sequent loss of electrical efficiency of the motor. incorporating the teachings of the present in
Another disadvantage in the former type mo Vention;
tor with the end ring somewhat inset from the Fig. 2 is an edge view of the rotor of Fig. 1;
periphery of the stack of laminations is that in 45 Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view substantially
the machining of the laminations after the cast diametrical, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;
ing operation is performed, the portion of the Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken
end lamination that projects beyond the Outer substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and
periphery of its end ring is not backed up, So Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of
that when the machining tool that is turning 50 the upper left hand corner of the rotor shown
down the periphery of the stack of laminations in Fig. 3 illustrating certain features of the
comes to this end lamination, it tends to Spread present improvement.
it from the adjacent lamination. Also, there are Referring to the drawing more particularly by
likely to be burrs at the start and at the finish reference numerals, 2 indicates generally a cast
of the machining cut, on the Outer laminations 55 rotor for a dynamo-electric machine, Such as a
 2,657,324.
3 4.
motor, incorporating the teachings of the present
invention. The rotor 2 includes laminations 4,
cast aluminum end rings 6, and conductors 8
around the periphery of the rotor, the conduc
tors being cast integrally with the two end rings
6. Conventionally, the laminations 4 are
slightly twisted, giving a consecutive slight mis
alignment of the openings 20, and hence of the
conductors 8, cast into these openingS 20, in
a manner indicated by the broken lineS d in
Fig. 2.
The rotor illustrated in the dra WingS is a
finished rotor. It is evident, particularly from
Figs. 2, 3 and 5, that the ring has an in
tegrally cast, extension 22 projecting from its
outer periphery at its base. As illustrated, this
extension 22 is firsto-conical, and after the
machining of the rotor, its radially outermost
edge Substantially coincides With the Outer pe
riphery of the arminations 4. The angle be
tween the conical Surfage and the face of the
laminations is Substaitially less than 90°, for
a reason that will be explained. The extension
22 thereby acts as a chainfered Support that
backs up the airiinations of the rotor and pro
vides for a very Solid, strong Potor accomplish
ing the objectives previo Sly Set forth.
In the construction of this type of roto, one
of the typical methods of inoiding is to mount
a stack of Stamped out, a inations On 3.5
arbor with a rold plate on each of the opposite
faceS. Each Old plate aS atin aan Ular grOOVIe
to receive metal that forms the end ring. A
Wedge camp or the like inay a passed through
the arbor so as to clanp the Stack of aimina
tions very tightly between the two mold plates
On the opposite faces of the Stack. Of allina
tions. The foregoing sub-asserably is then in
Serted into a well, and liquid aluminum is forced
into the cavities to form the two end rings and
the conductors all as an integral Structure.
The former construction of the mold piates
has been to rake them slightly Smaller in outer
giannetter than the diarieter of the airinations.
Then it has been necessary to have a Sufficient
imass of raterial in the plates 3round the rims
between the Outer peripheries and the ring cavi
ties to avoi chip in ani raakiing of the noids
in use, and as to seal off the flow of renetial. The
inin turn dir tance considere practical has been
in the order of 5%. radial extent from the outer
edge of the rinsi cavity to the outer periphery
of the joid plate.
A difficulty With this has been that, it is im
possible to have a tight sealed fit of the ring
afrainst the la Ninaticin, Rround the entire pe
riphery of each plate. Consequently, When the
aluminum was cased to low into the mold
rings and the conductors, it artially flashed out
to form fins 2xtending along ang Sonetimes be
iyond the otterinost lainination. Such fashing
fins had to be turned off by machining after the
roldin Was completed because otherwise they
Ilirht corne off during operation of the notor
and interfere with the continued operation
thereof. Also, in order to get the fins con
inletely off, and owing to the fact, that the larini
nations right not be corpiately true with re
Spect to being transverse to the axis of the rotor,
there has been a considerable loss, by the ma
Chining oreration, in the outer laminations, as
Veil 2S in the €n? rings themselves. Conse
Guently, the machining operation was itself
tedious and furtherinore, it reduced the anount
of metal available in the outer laminations, and
in the end rings, thereby reducing the electrical
characteristics of the rotor.
in the present rotor, the mold plates may be
asically the same as heretofore used except that
the cavities for the end rings are extended radial
ly outward so as to provide for the chamfered
extensions 22 of the ring is. This reais, of
course, that the end ring cavities are extended
SOne What beyond the Outer limitS Of the COn
ductor's of the rotor. In order to avoid having
a narrow edge in each mold plate which night
chip off or break in use, the mold plates are ex
tended an adequate distance beyond the Outer
periphery of the laminations to provide sufficient
strength. Yet, it will be understood that with
this arrangement there is an actual area of con
tact of only approximately 6' between the
annular land area of the mold plates beyond
the Outer limits of the cavities foilining the ex
20 tensions 22 of the end riiigs í 6, and the lamina
tions. This narrow %' surface is much superior
fron the Standpoint of forning an effective nold
Seal than is the larger lanc area, heretofore ena
ployed. Hence, there is a substantial reduction
25 in the fashing fins that are for sned.
IHOWeyer, the fashing finis becone a less Seri
OUIS factor in the piesent type of rotor for ail
other reason. The 64'', or approximately that,
by which the laminations extend radially beyond
30 the outer limit of the chamfered extensions 22,
is Substantially the amount of the iaminations
that is inachined off in order to obtain the fin
ished rotor. Consequently, when the machining
tool moves across the rotor, turning down the
peripheries of the anninations (it ray imove from
right to left, for example, in SigS. 2 and 3 of the
diraWingS) , the final larmination is not pent over
by the tool in the machining operation. Fur
ther nore, this peripheral turning operation it
Self machines off any fashing fins that Inay exist,
because the extensions 22 cause the rings to ex
tend out to the periphery of the rotor, eliminat
ing the formerly existing rotor face-area between
the rings and the periphery, across which area
the fins night form, and eliminating any need
for machining down the face of the rotor. And
even if there be certain irregularities or if there
be slivei's after the inachining operation is fin
ished, Such slivers are of Such minor nature that
5 () they may be easily machined off by the lightest
Cut right at the edge of the final lantination.
Consequently, the present rotor does not have
the end lamination machined down on its face
to eliminate fins and slivers as has heretofore
been necessary. Also, the end rings are not re
Guired to be turned down in the process of elimi
nating the fia,Shing fins and Sivers.
We may note that the turning or achining
of the la Nainations is performed not only to ob
60 tain a Smooth rotor with a uniforn air gap, but
actually to provide the necessary air gap, it being
Understood that usually the rotor laminations
are Staped out of the stator anninations in
Such Wise that machining is necessary in order to
65 Obtain any air gap at all and in order to have
a Uniform air gap.
In considering the presenti casÈ rotor, it will
be seen, especially from Figs. 3 and 5, that there
is a larger cross-sectional area of connection be
tWeen the ring 3 and the several conductors 8.
Consequently, there is better electrical coianni
Cation between these parts than has been pos
Sible heretofore With the old type of ring con
Struction without the chamfered extensions 22.
In addition, a more durable rotor is provided,

and yet it is a rotor that may be manufactured
at a considerable savings over the formerly used
rotor.
With the use of the extension 22 having its
conical surface at substantially less than 90 to
the face of the laminations (approximately 45
being desirable), any problem of matching the
outer periphery of the ring with the outer, ma
chined periphery of the laminations is eliminated.
If the ring, in other words, were designed to have
the same outer diameter as that of the machined
laminations, the production department would
have a very difficult task, because irregularities
make the matching of the cast and the machined
surfaces almost impossible. And if it be attempt
ed to make the ring coincide with the lamina
tions, Small steel chips may be forced into the
aluminum, or the steel surface of the rotor may
become Smeared with aluminum. Another ad
vantage of the angular Surface is that it facili 20 form diameter in stacked concentric array, a, plu
tates any removal of chips, since With the edge
like surface, only a light tool touch will remove
any chips present.
It is understood that modifications may be
made Within the compass of the present inven 25 in parallel abutting relation with the outer face
tion. We have referred to the projections or ex
tensions of the end rings as being chamfered and
frusto-conical. Wariations may be made in the
Specific shape of these extensions 22. The rea
son for using the frusto-conical shape is that 30 about 45° to the surface of the end lamination and
that is the simplest one that requires a minimum
of aluminum. Aluminum beyond that shown
is to some extent wasted. However, variations
can be made in this construction and in the
shapes, if desired.
What is claimed is:
1. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine com
prising a plurality of circular laminations of uni
form diameter in stacked concentric array, a, plu
rality of conductors disposed adjacent the pe
riphery of said stacked array and extending gen
erally transversely thereto, and at least one end
ring integral With said conductors and disposed
in parallel abutting relation with the outer face
of an end lamination of said stacked array, the 4 1686,699
radially Outer part of the end ring having a frus
to-conical tapered surface that extends both
radially out Wardly and axially inwardly toward
the end lamination at an included angle of not
less than 30, and terminates at said end lamina - 5 2,01,116
tion in a sharp peripheral edge that extends
around the rotor, the sharp edge having a diam
eter substantially coinciding with the outer pe
riphery of the Stack of laminations.
2. The rotor of claim 1 wherein the diameter of
said peripheral edge exceeds the diameter of a
circle circumscribing the plurality of conductors.
3. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine COm
2,657,824
6
prising a plurality of circular laminations of uni
form diameter in stacked concentric array, a, plu
rality of conductors disposed adjacent the periph
ery of said stacked array and extending general
ly transversely thereto, and at least one end ring
integral with said conductors and disposed in par
alle abutting relation With the Outer face Of an
end lamination of Said stacked array, the radially
Outer part of the end ring having a tapered sur
face that extends both outwardly and toward
the end lamination at not more than about 45° to
the surface of the end lamination and termi
nates at said end lamination in a sharp peripher
all edge that extends around the rotor, the sharp
edge having a diameter substantially coinciding
With the outer periphery of the stack of lamina
tions.
4. A rotor for a dynamo-electric machine con
prising a plurality of circular laminations of uni
rality of conductors disposed adjacent the pe
riphery of said stacked array and extending gen
erally transversely thereto, and at least one end
ring integral With said conductors and disposed
of an end lamination of said stacked array, the
radially outer part of the end ring having a ta
pered surface that extends both outwardly and
toward the end lamination at not more than
terminates at Said end lamination in a sharp pe
ripheral edge that extends around the rotor, the
sharp edge having a diameter substantially coin
ciding with the outer periphery of the stack of
35 laminations, the portion of the end ring having
the tapered surface constituting an auxiliary
projection outward from that part of the end
ring next to the end lamination.
FRANK. S. KORSKI.
40
References Cited in the file of this patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
Number Name Date
1592,939 Kamaky ------------ July 20, 1926
??aurier - - - - - - - - - - - - - Oct. 9, 1928
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1,819,48 Coates et al. -------- Aug. 18, 1931
1925,052 Lual1"Sh --------~----- Aug. 29, 1933
2,065,213
Potter ------------ Aug. 13, 1935
Dolan ------------- Dec. 23, 1936
2,176,871 Harrell et al. -------- Oct. 24, 1939
2,292,167 Smith -------------- Aug. 4, 1942
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2,368,295 GOTan ---------------- Jan. 30, 1945
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