Assembling apparatus, assembling head, and assembling method

Abstract

An assembling apparatus assembles a retainer by engaging a pair of cotter pieces with a valve stem. The apparatus includes an assembling head configured to hold, in a separated state, the pair of cotter pieces in the separated state prepared by a preparation unit and engage the pair of cotter pieces with the upper end of the valve stem. The head includes a storage member including a storage chamber, and a holding unit capable of pressing the pair of cotter pieces stored in the storage chamber against the upper end of the valve stem. The storage member includes first and second abutting portions. The second abutting portion positions the valve stem in the axial direction, and the first abutting portion positions the pair of cotter pieces in the axial direction.

1 . An assembling method of assembling a retainer by engaging a pair of cotter pieces with an upper end of a valve stem, comprising:
 a preparation step of preparing the pair of cotter pieces in a separated state with a gap capable of receiving the upper end of the valve stem;   a holding step of holding, in a separated state, the pair of cotter pieces in the separated state prepared in the preparation step by an assembling head; and   an assembling step of moving the assembling head to a position of the valve stem on which the retainer and a valve spring are set, engaging the pair of cotter pieces with the valve stem by the assembling head, and assembling the retainer,   wherein the assembling head comprises:   a storage member including a storage chamber configured to store the pair of cotter pieces in the separated state from below; and   a holding unit capable of holding, in the separated state, the pair of cotter pieces stored in the storage chamber and canceling the separated state to press the pair of cotter pieces against the upper end of the valve stem,   wherein the holding step includes a step of, when holding the pair of cotter pieces in the separated state, abutting upper end faces of the pair of cotter pieces against a first positioning reference portion of the storage chamber to position the pair of cotter pieces relative to the storage chamber in a vertical direction,   wherein the assembling step includes a step of causing the valve stem to enter the storage chamber and abutting an upper end face of the valve stem against a second positioning reference portion of the storage chamber to position the valve stem relative to the storage chamber in the vertical direction, and   in a state in which the pair of cotter pieces and the valve stem are relatively positioned in the vertical direction, the separated state of the pair of cotter pieces is canceled by the holding unit to engage the pair of cotter pieces with the upper end of the valve stem and assemble the retainer to the upper end of the valve stem.