Patent ID: 6836949

Claim:
A method for loading a sleeve having an inner sleeve radius on a spindle having an outer spindle radius at least as large as the inner sleeve radius, comprising the steps of: loading a sleeve having an internal opening having an inner sleeve radius on a finger arrangement including a plurality of fingers arranged at a common first radius around an imaginary centerline of the finger arrangement, the first radius being no larger than the sleeve radius; moving the fingers radially outwardly from the first radius to a second radius larger than an outer spindle radius of a spindle under application of a force applied by forcing a leading end of the spindle between the fingers; installing the spindle in the internal opening of the sleeve by supporting the spindle on a bed fixed behind the finger arrangement such that a centerline of the spindle is substantially coaxial with the centerline of the fingers and applying a force to a trailing end of the spindle; clamping the sleeve after the spindle is installed and withdrawing the fingers from the clamped sleeve, said clamping being performed with clamps arranged at angularly different positions relative to the fingers such that pressure is applied to portions of the sleeve angularly removed from the fingers; and loading the spindle on a slide disposed behind the finger arrangement, moving the finger arrangement and the bed relative to the slide, and sliding the spindle down the slide to the bed.