Shepherd Products, U.s., Inc.

Kenneth E Cooper

A method of forming a stem and assembling a snap ring in a groove in the stem without expansion of the snap ring. A stem blank is formed having a reduced diameter extension. A snap ring is slid over the extension without expansion of the snap ring and is positioned against a lower support surface. An orbitally rotating punch is inserted at an angle into the top end of the extension thereby deforming the top end and forming a continuous, tear free collar which forms an upper wall of a groove defined between the collar and the support surface. The snap ring lies within the groove and is free to move from the support surface towards the collar.

Method of forming a stem and assembling a snap ring in a groove in the

A stem with a specially constructed groove and a snap ring is disclosed along with a method of forming the groove and assembling the snap ring whereby a snap ring is first assembled about a reduced diameter portion of a stem on which a support surface of larger diameter has been formed and a retention groove is then formed by peening over the top end of the stem to form a collar which becomes the upper wall of the groove and retains the snap ring about the stem.

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South Bend, IN, United States of America

Kenneth E Cooper