Patent ID: 6293015
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: B23P,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for opening a split ring of the type comprising a piece of wire formed into two circular coils which lie in abutting back-to-back relation separated by a split, the coils defining respective front and rear ring faces, each face terminating in a wire end and each of said wire ends forming a gap with an integral center section of the wire, said method comprising the steps of:(1) rotating the ring on the axis of its coils by engaging the wire end in the gap of the coil on the rear ring face with a drive pin rotatable on the circular arc of the ring;(2) while continuing rotation of the ring, biasing a lead edge of a wedge in a direction generally parallel to the coil axis into contact with the front ring face;(3) causing said edge to initially enter the gap on said front face in response to continuing ring rotation; and,(4) continuing to rotate the ring to cause the wedge to travel along the split and progressively separate the front coil from the rear coil.