Patent ID: 6880237

Claim:
A work chucking/inserting apparatus for chucking a work, for aligning the work with an insertion hole and for inserting the work into the insertion hole, said apparatus comprising: a pushing mechanism for pushing the work toward the insertion hole; three or more chuck fingers, said chuck fingers being arranged in circumferentially spaced positions around a central axis and slidably mounted for advancing and retreating radially in a linear line relative to said central axis, inner surfaces of said chuck fingers serving as chuck surfaces for chucking the work, and outer surfaces of said chuck fingers being tapered at least at tip end portions thereof, tapering inward toward said central axis approaching the tips, for contact with an inlet of the insertion hole; and drive means, comprising a motor, for advancing and retracting said chuck fingers radially in a linear line relative to said central axis and for controlling a chucking force exerted by said chuck fingers.