Connecting-rod fracture splitting apparatus

A connecting-rod fracture splitting apparatus which includes two divided mandrel members for being inserted into a hole of a large end section of a connecting rod, a wedge for being driven into between the divided mandrel members, and an actuator advancing the wedge to move the divided mandrel members away from each other, and which splits the connecting rod by fracturing the large end section of the connecting rod,

• the actuator comprising:
• a bottomed cylinder having a piston accommodated therein;
• a piston rod connected to the piston and having one end portion extending out of the cylinder through a lid, the lid closing an opening of the cylinder, and connected directly or indirectly to the wedge;
• and a free piston slidably mounted on the piston rod and abuttable against an upper surface of the piston,
• wherein, by pressure fluid being supplied by a pressure fluid source to exert force on the upper surface of the piston, the free piston is positioned upward of the piston while imparting a preload to the hole of the large end section, and
• wherein, by pressure fluid being supplied by the pressure fluid source to exert force on a region upward of the free piston, the free piston is driven downward to collide against the upper surface of the piston, so that the divided mandrel members are moved apart from each other, via the piston rod and the wedge, to fracture the large end section of the connecting rod.