Method and apparatus for inserting a valve into a valve guide

An apparatus for inserting a valve, having a shaft section and an umbrella section provided at one end of the shaft section, into a valve inserting hole of a valve guide, said apparatus comprising:

• a table for placing thereon a cylinder head having the valve guide;
• a valve grasping device including an upper support member for supporting a surface, adjacent the shaft section, of the umbrella section and a lower support member disposed beneath the upper support member for supporting the shaft section with a gap left therebetween;
• an elevator device for moving said valve grasping device in an upward/downward direction;
• a vibrating device for vibrating at least the lower support member of the upper and lower support members;
• and
• a pressing member for pressing the valve into the valve inserting hole of the valve guide,
• wherein the valve grasping device having the valve grasped thereby is lowered, via the elevator device, toward the valve guide with at least the lower support member of the upper and lower support members vibrated by said vibrating device,
• wherein, when the lower end of the valve has been brought into contact with an opening edge of the valve inserting hole of the valve guide as a result of lowering, by said elevator device, of said grasping device with at least the lower support member vibrated by said vibrating device, the valve is pressed into the valve inserting hole by said pressing member, and
• when the lower end of the valve has failed to be brought into contact with the opening edge of the valve inserting hole of the valve guide as the result of lowering, by said elevator device, of the upper and lower support members, said valve grasping device is further lowered after the lower end of the shaft section contacts an upper end surface of the valve guide, to thereby not only cause the upper support member to gradually move away from the umbrella section but also cause a position of supporting, by the lower support member, of the shaft section to be displaced downward so that vibrating movement of the lower end of the shaft section, caused by at least the lower support member being vibrated by said vibrating device, is reduced to allow the lower end of the valve to come to contact the opening edge of the valve inserting hole.