Retainer assembling apparatus and retainer assembling method

A retainer assembling apparatus which assembles a retainer to a valve stem via a cotter which engages with an engaging groove formed on the valve stem, the cotter comprising a pair of cotter segments, said apparatus comprising:

• a cylindrical body including a first hole allowing the valve stem to enter;
• a guide member which forms a lower end of said cylindrical body and includes a second hole through the guide member, the retainer attached with the cotter being brought into contact with the guide member, the second hole being coaxial with the first hole;
• a holding portion which holds the retainer contacting said guide member;
• a push-up shaft which enters from a lower end of the retainer held by said holding portion and pushes up the pair of cotter segments into said guide member;
• an axial body which is arranged in said cylindrical body to be coaxial with said push-up shaft and to be coaxially movable;
• and
• a cylindrical contact member which is mounted around said axial body and is arranged in said guide member to be freely movable in an axial direction of said axial body,
• wherein said second hole includes a tapered inner circumferential portion which is formed into a tapered shape, a diameter of which is increased upward, on an inner circumferential wall lower portion thereof,
• wherein said cylindrical contact member includes a tapered outer shape portion, a diameter of which is decreased downward to fit the tapered inner circumferential portion of said second hole, on a lower portion thereof,
• wherein the pair of cotter segments pushed up into the guide member are separated and opened outwardly with being guided by the tapered inner circumferential portion of said second hole,
• wherein said tapered outer shape portion of said cylindrical contact member acts to bear down the cotter segments pushed up into the guide member so as to open up the cotter segments toward the tapered inner circumferential portion of said second hole, and
• wherein said guide member includes a flange portion protruding in a radial direction, and said flange portion includes a slit in which said holding portion is inserted.