Abstract: In an alignment stocker having an opening and plural shelf members, metal rings are pushed between the plural shelf members. The meta rings are deformed into an approximately polygonal shape to pass through the opening, in an arranged State of the metal rings, by pressing and holding from insides thereof, and are extracted from the opening. Using a heat treatment jig, which has the same opening as that of the shelf member and enables the metal rings to be mounted parallel to each other in a vertical direction and to be spaced the predetermined interval from each other, the metal rings held from the insides thereof in the arranged state, are inserted from the opening of the heat treatment jig into the heat treatment jig, are mounted in the heat treatment jig by releasing the inside holding, and then are heated and extracted from the shelf members.

Abstract: Disclosed are a conveyance rack for retaining and conveying resilience-memory metal rings and a method for retaining the metal rings. The conveyance rack is provided with a base and a plurality of retaining shafts which extend parallel to each other, being erected on the base, and which are provided with, on the side walls thereof, a plurality of protrusions abutting on the lower end surfaces of the metal rings. The protrusions abut on the lower end surfaces of the metal rings by point contact.

Abstract: A ring supporting device is provided with six support shafts capable of approaching and separating from the inner walls of metal rings. Each of the support shafts has an exposed side wall having formed thereon annular ridges and grooves. The side walls of the support shafts each have cushioning materials having a height substantially corresponding to the height of each of the grooves. The cushioning materials deform when the inner walls of the metallic rings make contact with the cushioning materials, and this relaxes a force which tries to expand the metallic rings from the inner wall side to the outer wall side.

Abstract: Provided are a conveying jig, a method of manufacturing the conveying jig, and a method of heat-treating metal rings using the conveying jig. The conveying jig is provided with a base and ten holding shafts raised from the base. Ridges and grooves are alternatively provided in the side wall of each holding shaft. The metal rings are held in position by being engaged in the grooves in the holding shafts. The space enclosed within the holding shafts is communicated with the atmosphere, and this allows, when the metal rings held by the conveying jig are subjected to heat treatment in a heat treatment furnace, an atmospheric gas to circulate in the space enclosed within the holding shafts.

Abstract: Disclosed are a conveyance rack for retaining and conveying resilience-memory metal rings and a method for retaining the metal rings. The conveyance rack is provided with a base and a plurality of retaining shafts which extend parallel to each other, being erected on the base, and which are provided with, on the side walls thereof, a plurality of protrusions abutting on the lower end surfaces of the metal rings. The protrusions abut on the lower end surfaces of the metal rings by point contact.

Abstract: Elastic metal rings are pushed between plural shelf members which have an opening, are provided parallel to each other in a vertical direction and are spaced a predetermined interval from each other, the opening having an inner periphery of which total sides are longer than a periphery of each elastic metal ring. Each of all the metal rings is deformed into an approximately polygonal shape, which allows all the metal rings to pass through the opening, from arrangement condition of the metal rings, and all the metal rings are pressed and held from insides thereof and are extracted from the opening. A heat treatment jig, which has the same opening as that of the shelf member and enables the metal rings to be mounted parallel to each other in a vertical direction and to be spaced the above predetermined interval from each other, is used.

Abstract: A ring supporting device is provided with six support shafts capable of approaching and separating from the inner walls of metal rings. Each of the support shafts has an exposed side wall having formed thereon annular ridges and grooves. The side walls of the support shafts each have cushioning materials having a height substantially corresponding to the height of each of the grooves. The cushioning materials deform when the inner walls of the metallic rings make contact with the cushioning materials, and this relaxes a force which tries to expand the metallic rings from the inner wall side to the outer wall side.

Abstract: Provided are a conveying jig, a method of manufacturing the conveying jig, and a method of heat-treating metal rings using the conveying jig. The conveying jig is provided with a base and ten holding shafts raised from the base. Ridges and grooves are alternatively provided in the side wall of each holding shaft. The metal rings are held in position by being engaged in the grooves in the holding shafts. The space enclosed within the holding shafts is communicated with the atmosphere, and this allows, when the metal rings held by the conveying jig are subjected to heat treatment in a heat treatment furnace, an atmospheric gas to circulate in the space enclosed within the holding shafts.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method and device for polishing a metal ring, which is capable of polishing a side edge of the metal ring without performing barrel polishing or polishing by grinding stones. Subsequently to a projecting step of projecting a metal ring W by clearing means 6, a first brush polishing step of polishing one edge of the metal ring W by a polishing brush 60 is performed. Subsequently, an inverting step of inverting the metal ring W whose one edge is polished by the first brush polishing step is inverted by the inverting means 10 is performed. Subsequently, a second brush polishing step of polishing the other edge of the metal ring W which is inverted by the inverting step by the polishing brush 60 is performed. Moreover, a clearing step of clearing the metal ring whose other edge is polished by the second brush polishing step by clearing means 7 is performed.

Abstract: A circumferential length correcting method for a metal ring including: a circumferential length measuring step of passing the metal ring around a driving roller and a driven roller, displacing the driving roller and the driven roller away from each other, and measuring the actual circumferential length of the ring under tension; and a circumferential length correcting step of correcting the circumferential length of the ring by displacing a circumferential length correcting roller by a predetermined distance in a direction in which the metal ring is extended. The method is capable of imparting an appropriate arc shape to the metal ring while correcting the circumferential length to fall within an appropriate value range.

Abstract: The invention provides a circumferential length correcting method for a metal ring including: a circumferential length measuring step of passing the metal ring around a driving roller and a driven roller, displacing the driving roller and the driven roller away from each other, and measuring the actual circumferential length of the ring under tension; and a circumferential length correcting step of correcting the circumferential length of the ring by displacing a circumferential length correcting roller by a predetermined distance in a direction in which the metal ring is extended, the method being capable of imparting an appropriate arc shape to the metal ring while correcting the circumferential length to fall within an appropriate value range, and a circumferential length correcting apparatus therefor.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method and device for polishing a metal ring, which is capable of polishing a side edge of the metal ring without performing barrel polishing or polishing by grinding stones. Subsequently to a projecting step of projecting a metal ring W by clearing means 6, a first brush polishing step of polishing one edge of the metal ring W by a polishing brush 60 is performed. Subsequently, an inverting step of inverting the metal ring W whose one edge is polished by the first brush polishing step is inverted by the inverting means 10 is performed. Subsequently, a second brush polishing step of polishing the other edge of the metal ring W which is inverted by the inverting step by the polishing brush 60 is performed. Moreover, a clearing step of clearing the metal ring whose other edge is polished by the second brush polishing step by clearing means 7 is performed.

Abstract: A metal ring loading and unloading apparatus is capable of loading and unloading a metal ring quickly and highly accurately for increased efficiency. The metal ring loading and unloading apparatus has a moving unit 41 slidably movable along a rail 48 which extends from a loaded ring placement unit 8 to an unloaded ring placement unit 11. On the moving unit 41, there are mounted a loaded ring delivering unit 9 for holding and delivering a metal ring W on the loaded ring placement unit 8 and an unloaded ring delivering unit 10 for removing the metal ring W from support rollers 3, 4 and delivering the metal ring W to the unloaded ring placement unit 11. The loaded ring placement unit 8 has a pressing unit for radially pressing the metal ring W to deform the metal ring W into a substantially elliptical shape. The loaded ring delivering unit 9 has a loaded ring gripping unit 26 for gripping the metal ring W deformed by the pressing unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting the circumferential length of a metal ring has a drive roller 2 and a driven roller 3 positionable closely to each other for training a metal ring W therearound, and a correcting roller 4 disposed between the drive roller 2 and the driven roller 3. The apparatus also has a first displacement applying unit for displacing the drive roller 2 and the driven roller 3 away from each other when the metal ring W is trained around the drive roller 2, the driven roller 3, and the correcting roller 4.

Abstract: A drum slicing apparatus is capable of highly accurately and efficiently slicing a drum made of a thin metal sheet which is relatively highly flexible. The drum slicing apparatus has a support shaft rotatable about its own axis, a cylindrical drum holder supported on the support shaft for holding the drum by pressing engagement with an inner circumferential surface of the drum over an entire length thereof, and a slicing device having slicing edges for slicing the drum into the metal rings by engaging and cutting into the drum at predetermined cutting positions thereon while the drum is being rotated by the support shaft through the drum holder.

Abstract: An apparatus for correcting the circumferential length of a metal ring has a drive roller 2 and a driven roller 3 positionable closely to each other for training a metal ring W therearound, and a correcting roller 4 disposed between the drive roller 2 and the driven roller 3. The apparatus also has a first displacement applying unit for displacing the drive roller 2 and the driven roller 3 away from each other when the metal ring W is trained around the drive roller 2, the driven roller 3, and the correcting roller 4.

Abstract: A metal ring loading and unloading apparatus is capable of loading and unloading a metal ring quickly and highly accurately for increased efficiency. The metal ring loading and unloading apparatus has a moving unit 41 slidably movable along a rail 48 which extends from a loaded ring placement unit 8 to an unloaded ring placement unit 11. On the moving unit 41, there are mounted a loaded ring delivering unit 9 for holding and delivering a metal ring W on the loaded ring placement unit 8 and an unloaded ring delivering unit 10 for removing the metal ring W from support rollers 3, 4 and delivering the metal ring W to the unloaded ring placement unit 11. The loaded ring placement unit 8 has a pressing unit for radially pressing the metal ring W to deform the metal ring W into a substantially elliptical shape. The loaded ring delivering unit 9 has a loaded ring gripping unit 26 for gripping the metal ring W deformed by the pressing unit.

Abstract: A drum slicing apparatus is capable of highly accurately and efficiently slicing a drum made of a thin metal sheet which is relatively highly flexible. The drum slicing apparatus has a support shaft rotatable about its own axis, a cylindrical drum holder supported on the support shaft for holding the drum by pressing engagement with an inner circumferential surface of the drum over an entire length thereof, and a slicing device having slicing edges for slicing the drum into the metal rings by engaging and cutting into the drum at predetermined cutting positions thereon while the drum is being rotated by the support shaft through the drum holder.

Abstract: A workpiece machining system for simultaneously machining the opposite surfaces of workpieces such as discs for disc brakes includes at least two machining apparatus disposed on a workpiece transfer path between a first workpiece inlet conveyor line and a second workpiece outlet conveyor line, for machining respective workpieces while holding and rotating the workpieces in the same attitude as that in which they are conveyed along the first and second conveyor lines. The workpiece machining system also includes a transfer apparatus for transferring the workpieces from the first conveyor line through the machining apparatus to the second conveyor line while maintaining the workpieces in the same attitude.

Abstract: An apparatus for machining a bevel gear has an apparatus frame, a spindle head provided on the apparatus frame for rotatably supporting a spindle on which a machining tool is mounted, and an indexing unit provided for holding a workpiece such that the workpiece is indexed by one pitch of teeth to be formed thereon to perform machining of tooth spaces with the machining tool. The spindle is horizontally and rotatably held on a spindle head such that the spindle is immovable in the axial direction of the spindle. The spindle head is movable back and forth in the axial direction and is movable in a lateral direction at right angles to the axial line. A column is provided on the apparatus frame in front of the spindle head such that the column is turnable about a vertical axial line at an arbitrary angle. The indexing unit is provided in a plurality of pieces on an external periphery of the column at a distance between each of the indexing units.