Jig for assembly of segments into a ring geometry

A method of assembling a plurality of segments into a ring comprising the steps of:

• providing a jig comprising:
• a base having an inner hub and an outer housing, the outer housing having a plurality of through holes radially therethrough, wherein said inner hub and said outer housing define a ring-shaped channel therebetween and above said base;
• a plurality of springs fixedly disposed about a perimeter of said inner hub within the ring-shaped channel;
• a plurality of dowels;
• positioning each of the plurality of segments proximate a respective one of said plurality of springs within the ring-shaped channel;
• and
• receiving an inner end of each of said dowels into a respective one of said through holes so as to pinch a respective one of the plurality of segments with a respective one of said plurality of springs, to define a plurality of pinch pairings.

A segmented ring assembly constructed using a method comprising the steps of:

• applying an adhesive between at least one adjacent pair of a plurality of segments;
• positioning each of said plurality of segments proximate a respective one of a plurality of springs fixedly disposed about a perimeter of an inner hub within a ring-shaped channel defined between said inner hub and an outer housing having a plurality of through holes radially therethrough;
• and
• receiving each of a plurality of dowels into a respective one of said plurality of through holes so as to pinch a respective one of said plurality of segments with a respective one of said plurality of springs, to define a plurality of pinch pairings.