Abstract: To efficiently assemble or manufacture a belt by fastening a plurality of elements in a circular manner using a ring. A pair of receiving members for holding the ring respectively includes a first receiving face to which the ring is applied, and a second receiving face which is formed on an outer circumferential side of the first receiving face to hold the element attached to the ring therebetween. A thrust mechanism is adapted to straighten a portion of the ring between the receiving members by moving at least one of the receiving members away from the other receiving member thereby applying a tension to the ring, and to adjust a distance between the receiving members thereby equalizing the tension being applied to the ring in both of a case in which the ring is applied to the receiving member and a case in which the element attached to the ring is applied to the receiving member.

Abstract: A belt assembling method for assembling a belt, by fastening a plurality of plate-like elements in a circular manner, using a ring having a width wider than an opening width of an opening formed in the element. The method includes: holding the elements in an inner circumferential side of the ring in an orientation to open the opening toward an inner circumferential face of the ring; inclining the ring while displacing widthwise by pushing an outer circumferential face of the ring partially toward the opening, at a side of one of open ends of the opening; and relatively moving the ring and the element close to each other thereby letting the inclined ring through the opening to fit the ring with the element.