Jan

""Also, what is done to reverse the single phase AC motor?""

Briefly!!
The run winding and the start winding are usually connected in
parallel. After the motor gets going pretty good the start winding is
disconnected by a centrifical switch. By then the rotation of the motor
is established and the motor continues to gain speed until the running
speed is obtained.

Some other variations are used such as a capacitor connected in series
with the start winding to give some phase shift which shifts the
current through the start winding. This makes the motor turn one way
or the other. Changing the wiring makes the current phase shift through
the start winding change which makes the motor go the other direction.

Some motors have a capacitor and some don't. Some motors have a start
switch and some don't. All depends on the many different schemes of
the motor winding schemes. And there are plenty to go around.

Lots more to this if you would like. It would take me a while to work
up much more discussion.

Bob AZ