Assembly facilitation apparatus and method

An apparatus for assembling a carrier gear of a gear box, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame, the frame including a plurality of wheels, a braking mechanism to prevent rotation of the wheels, and a handle;
• a load plate operatively connected to the frame via a plurality of height adjustable legs, the load plate supporting a carrier gear;
• a lever arm operatively secured to the frame;
• and
• the lever arm is selectively actuatable to move the load plate from a first position, in which the load plate is positioned at least in part over the frame, to a second position in which the load plate is extended from the frame such that the carrier gear is transferable from the frame to a space defined by an input carrier.

A method of assembling a gearbox, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving an assembly apparatus that is supporting a gear proximate to a gear carrier, which defines one or more gear receptacles;
• extending the gear toward the gear carrier while the assembly apparatus is supporting the workpiece;
• and
• levering the gear from the assembly apparatus into the gear receptacle of the gear carrier.