Stitcher Equipment

Abstract

To provide a stitcher device capable of moving a building drum after pressing a carcass ply to a carcass band extraction position without retracting.SOLUTION: A stitcher device 10 is a device for pressing a carcass ply 6 that is pressure-bonded to a rubber member 14 and is wound around an outer periphery of a building drum 16 movable along a drum guide path 18 via the rubber member 14. The stitcher device 10 includes an annular frame 30 that is able to surround the outer periphery of the building drum by inserting the building drum 16 thereinto, and a pressure-bonding device 32 provided in the annular frame 30 so as to be able to press the carcass ply 6 from the outer periphery thereof and pressure-bond the carcass ply to the rubber member 14. The annular frame 30 is provided so as to be openable and closable by being divided into a plurality of parts in a peripheral direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a stitcher device used for molding a carcass band in a tire building apparatus for building a green tire. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a pneumatic tire is composed of multiple rubber members and multiple reinforcing members mainly made of cords. Typically, as shown in Fig. 12, each part such as an inner liner 1, a tread rubber 2, a sidewall rubber 3, and a rim strip 4 is made of a rubber member according to the required characteristics, and these rubber members are combined with a belt ply 5, a carcass ply 6, and beads 7, which are reinforcing members including cords, to form a tire T.

[0003] As a method for molding such tires, there is a method in which a cylindrical carcass band is molded by laminating a carcass ply on a rubber member including an inner liner, and then a cylindrical green case is molded by performing bead setting and turn-up on this carcass band, and a cylindrical belt band having a belt and a tread laminated thereon is assembled and combined with the outer periphery of this green case to mold a green tire (unvulcanized tire).In addition, in order to improve productivity, it is known that the process of molding the carcass band, the process of molding the green case, the process of molding the belt band, and the process of combining the green case and the belt band are each performed using a separate molding drum (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] It is also known that in the process of molding a carcass band, a rubber member such as an inner liner is wrapped around the outer periphery of a molding drum that can move along a drum guide path, and the carcass ply is then attached onto it.Then, the carcass ply is pressed from the outer periphery using a stitcher device to expel air between the carcass ply and the rubber member on its inner side, and the carcass ply is pressed against the rubber member (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2006 / 048924 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2007 / 080640 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] When using different molding drums for the process of molding the carcass band and the subsequent process of molding the green case, the carcass band needs to be transferred to the molding drum for molding the green case by a transfer device. At that time, the molding drum is moved to a carcass band removal position in order to deliver the molding drum with the molded carcass band to the transfer device.

[0007] When removing the carcass band in this way, from the viewpoint of productivity, it may be desirable to provide a stitcher device for crimping the carcass ply between the molding position for winding the carcass ply and the removal position of the carcass band. However, in this case, if a stitcher device having an annular frame surrounding the outer periphery of the molding drum is used, in order to move the molding drum with the carcass band after crimping to the removal position, the molding drum must be moved backward once and the stitcher device must be moved out of the drum guide path before being moved forward, which results in a problem that it takes a long time to remove the carcass band.

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and aims to provide a stitcher device that can move the building drum to a carcass band removal position without retracting the building drum after the carcass ply has been pressed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A stitcher device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a stitcher device for pressing a carcass ply, which is wrapped around the outer periphery of a molding drum that can move along a drum guide path via a rubber member, onto the rubber member, and comprises an annular frame into which the molding drum can be inserted to surround the outer periphery of the molding drum, and a pressing device provided on the annular frame so as to press the carcass ply from the outer periphery to press it onto the rubber member, and the annular frame is divided into several parts circumferentially so as to be able to be opened and closed. Effect of the Invention

[0010] In the stitcher device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the annular frame equipped with the crimping device is configured to be divided into multiple parts in the circumferential direction so that it can be opened and closed, and therefore, after crimping by the crimping device, the molding drum can be passed by opening the annular frame. Therefore, after crimping of the carcass ply, the molding drum can be moved to the carcass band removal position along the drum guide path without being moved backward. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a stitcher device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a carcass band forming drum, a stitcher device, a transfer device, and a bead set drum in the embodiment; [Diagram 3] A side view of the stitcher device during the bonding stage. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a front view showing the state immediately after crimping in the stitcher device; [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which the fixing by the fixing tool is released after the crimping in the stitcher device is completed. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a front view showing the annular frame of the stitcher device in an open state. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which a molding drum is inserted into the annular frame of the stitcher device. [Figure 8]FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the annular frame of the stitcher device in an open state. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the building drum is moved to a carcass band removal position in the embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged front view showing the arrangement of compression rollers of the stitcher device; [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the opening and closing operation of a stitcher device according to another embodiment; [Figure 12] Cross-sectional diagram of tire structure DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] The stitcher device 10 according to one embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is used in a tire building apparatus for building green tires to press the outer periphery of a carcass ply 6 and bond it to a rubber member 14 on its inner periphery when building a carcass band 12.

[0014] Here, the carcass band 12 is a cylindrical tire component including a rubber member 14 including an inner liner and a carcass ply 6 laminated on the outer periphery of the rubber member 14. Examples of the rubber member 14 include an inner liner 1, a rim strip 4, a sidewall rubber 3, and a squeegee (not shown) (see FIG. 12). The carcass ply 6 is made of one or more ply sheets with reinforcing cords embedded therein, and a ply tape (not shown) may be attached between each ply sheet.

[0015] 2 and 3, the molding drum 16 for molding the carcass band 12 is configured to be movable along a drum guide path 18. The molding drum 16 has a circumferential surface with a width larger than the width of the carcass band 12 to be molded, and is configured to be expandable and contractable by a plurality of pieces for constituting the circumferential surface.

[0016] The molding drum 16 is supported by a drum support 20. The drum support 20 supports the molding drum 16 in a cantilevered state so that it can be rotated at one end of the shaft portion 16A, and is also called a headstock. The drum support 20 is configured to move the molding drum 16 along the drum guideway 18 by running on a rail 22 provided in the drum guideway 18 using a motor.

[0017] The drum guideway 18 includes a rail 22 and a support base 24 that supports the rail 22. The drum guideway 18 extends to each molding position (not shown) so that the molding drum 16 can be moved to each molding position for winding the rubber member 14 around the outer periphery of the molding drum 16 and further winding the carcass ply 6 thereon. The drum guideway 18 also extends to just before the carcass band removal position so that the molding drum 16 can be moved to the stitcher device 10 after winding the carcass ply 6, and then moved to the carcass band removal position (the position of the transfer device 26 shown in FIG. 2) where the transfer device 26 is waiting.

[0018] There is no particular limitation on the means for winding the rubber member 14, such as the inner liner 1 and the rim strip 4, around the circumferential surface of the building drum 16. For example, the rubber member 14 may be formed in layers by spirally winding a ribbon-shaped rubber strip extruded by an extruder around the building drum 16.

[0019] The means for winding the carcass ply 6 around the rubber member 14 is not particularly limited, and for example, the one or more ply sheets may be supplied from each servicer, and the ply sheets may be wound cylindrically around the rubber member 14 of the building drum 16 around which the rubber member 14 is wound. At that time, in order to attach the ply tape between each ply sheet, for example, a ribbon-shaped rubber strip extruded by an extruder may be wound to form a laminate of ply tapes.

[0020] The transfer device 26 is a device for receiving the carcass band 12 from the molding drum 16 and transferring it to a bead set drum 28, which is a molding drum for molding a green case in the next process, and can employ a known configuration.

[0021] The transfer device 26 has a space capable of receiving the molding drum 16, and receives the carcass band 12 from the molding drum 16 by holding the carcass band 12 from the outer circumferential side. After the molding drum 16 leaves the transfer device 26, the bead set drum 28 enters the transfer device 26 and receives the carcass band 12 from the transfer device 26, thereby transferring the carcass band 12 to the bead set drum 28.

[0022] The stitcher device 10 is a device that presses and presses the carcass ply 6 from its entire outer periphery after laminating and attaching the carcass ply 6 onto the rubber member 14. The stitcher device 10 is installed adjacent to a molding position where the carcass ply 6 is wound around a molding drum 16, so as to face the non-supported side of the molding drum 16 supported at one end by a drum support 20.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the stitcher device 10 includes an annular frame 30 into which the forming drum 16 is inserted to surround the entire outer circumference of the forming drum 16. The annular frame 30 is provided so that the forming drum 16 can pass through an inner space thereof in the axial direction. In detail, the annular frame 30 faces the forming drum 16 supported by a drum support 20 in a cantilever manner, and is disposed so as to coincide with the axis of the forming drum 16. The inner circumference of the annular frame 30 is circular and has a larger diameter than the forming drum 16.

[0024] The annular frame 30 is provided with a pressing device 32 for pressing the outer periphery of the carcass ply 6 wound around the outer periphery of the building drum 16 to press the carcass ply 6 against the rubber member 14. The pressing device 32 is not particularly limited as long as it can press the carcass ply 6 to press the carcass ply 6 against the rubber member 14 on the inside thereof.

[0025] In this example, the pressing device 32 is composed of the pressing roller described in Patent Document 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of pressing rollers 34 are arranged on the inner circumference of an annular frame 30 as the pressing device 32. The plurality of pressing rollers 34 are arranged on a concentric circle having a diameter larger than that of the molding drum 16, and are arranged rotatably around the axis in the tangential direction, and are arranged in a circular shape in the circumferential direction at a constant pitch in a plurality of rows (two rows in the figure). As shown in FIG. 10, each pressing roller 34 is supported by a forward / backward moving means 36 such as a cylinder device so that it can be displaced radially inward. The pressing rollers 34, 34 in each row are arranged at a circumferentially shifted position so that there is no gap between them as a whole in the circumferential direction when they are displaced radially inward, and are arranged so that the pressing rollers 34 in the adjacent rows partially overlap in the axial direction. This allows the carcass ply 6 on the molding drum 16 passing inside the circular arrangement of the pressing rollers 34 to be pressed simultaneously all around by the pressing rollers 34 in each row. In addition, in Fig. 1 and Figs. 4 to 6, of the two rows of pressure rollers 34 and advancing / retreating means 36, the row on the front side is indicated by solid lines, and the row on the rear side is indicated by dotted lines.

[0026] The annular frame 30 is divided into a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction so as to be openable and closable. The circumferential direction of the annular frame 30 is the direction on a circle centered on the axis of the annular frame 30, and is the direction along the outer periphery of the building drum 16.

[0027] In this example, the annular frame 30 is a two-part type including a pair of left and right frame portions 38, 40 facing each other in the horizontal direction, and opens and closes in the left-right direction X as shown in Figures 6 and 8. That is, the annular frame 30 includes a pair of left and right frame portions 38, 40 that are movable in a direction perpendicular to its axis, which in this example is a horizontal direction, and the annular frame 30 is opened by moving the pair of frame portions 38, 40 in the horizontal direction away from each other. Here, the direction perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame 30 is a direction perpendicular to the axis (center) of the annular frame 30, and corresponds to the radial direction of the hollow portion having a circular cross section.

[0028] More specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 are formed by dividing the annular frame 30 into substantially equal left and right portions with a dividing plane 42 being a vertical plane parallel to the axial direction of the annular frame 30. The annular frame 30 is opened by moving the pair of frame portions 38, 40 away from each other toward both sides of the drum guideway 18. The annular frame 30 is closed by bringing the pair of frame portions 38, 40 close to each other and joining them together, forming an annular shape capable of surrounding the entire periphery of the building drum 16.

[0029] 1, the annular frame 30 is suspended from a gate-shaped frame 44. The gate-shaped frame 44 is made up of a pair of support pillars 44A, 44A provided on both sides of the drum guideway 18 and a horizontal member 44B bridged between the pair of support pillars 44A, 44A. The horizontal member 44B extends above the drum guideway 18 in a direction perpendicular to the drum guideway 18.

[0030] A frame guideway 46 for horizontally moving the pair of frame parts 38, 40 is provided on the horizontal member 44B of the gate-shaped frame 44. The frame guideway 46 includes a rail 48 provided on the upper surface of the horizontal member 44B, and extends above the drum guideway 18 in a direction perpendicular to the drum guideway 18.

[0031] A pair of left and right frame supports 50, 52 for respectively suspending and supporting the pair of frame portions 38, 40 are provided in the frame guideway 46 so as to be slidable along the frame guideway 46. The frame supports 50, 52 include running parts 50A, 52A that can run on the rails 48, and hanging parts 50B, 52B that hang down from the running parts 50A, 52A and hold the pair of frame portions 38, 40, respectively.

[0032] The horizontal members 44B of the portal frame 44 are provided with respective driving units 54, 56 such as cylinder devices for displacing the running parts 50A, 52A of the frame supports 50, 52 back and forth along the rails 48. The pair of frame supports 50, 52 are configured to open and close the annular frame 30 by moving in directions away from and toward each other along the frame guideway 46 by the driving units 54, 56. That is, when the pair of frame supports 50, 52 are moved in directions away from each other by the driving units 54, 56, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 are opened to the left and right, and the annular frame 30 is in the open state shown in FIG. 6. Then, when the pair of frame supports 50, 52 are moved in directions approaching each other by the driving units 54, 56 from that state, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 are brought close to each other and joined together, and the annular frame 30 is in the closed state shown in FIG. 1.

[0033] A fixing portion 58 for fixing the annular frame 30 in a closed state is provided on the bottom side of the annular frame 30. In this example, the fixing portion 58 is composed of a pair of frame side engaging portions 60, 62 provided on the bottom portions of the pair of frame portions 38, 40, respectively, and a guideway side engaging portion 64 provided on the drum guideway 18 side.

[0034] 1, the frame side engaging parts 60, 62 are configured to be integrated to form a convex shape narrower toward the tip (i.e., the lower end) when the annular frame 30 is closed. In other words, the pair of frame side engaging parts 60, 62 are formed by dividing a cross-sectionally tapered convex part provided on the bottom surface of the annular frame 30 into two parts, left and right, on the extension of the dividing surface 42, and when the annular frame 30 is closed, the pair of frame side engaging parts 60, 62 are joined to form a cross-sectionally tapered convex part having inclined surfaces on both the left and right sides (a trapezoidal convex part that is gradually narrower toward the tip in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame 30).

[0035] The guideway side engaging portion 64 has a recessed shape into which the integrated frame side engaging portions 60, 62 fit, and the frame side engaging portions 60, 62 fit together to fix the annular frame 30 in a closed state. That is, the guideway side engaging portion 64 has a recessed portion 64A whose both side surfaces are inclined so that the width becomes narrower toward the bottom side, corresponding to the tapered convex portions of the frame side engaging portions 60, 62.

[0036] The guideway side engaging part 64 is supported so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction by an advancing / retreating means 66 such as a cylinder device. The advancing / retreating means 66 is attached to the lower surface of the support base 24 of the drum guideway 18, and its output shaft 66A protrudes upward from an opening 68 provided in the support base 24, and the guideway side engaging part 64 is attached to the upper end of the output shaft 66A.

[0037] The method of compressing the carcass ply 6 and then removing the carcass band 12 using the above-mentioned stitcher device 10 is as follows.

[0038] After the carcass ply 6 is attached onto the rubber member 14 wound around the molding drum 16 (see FIG. 2), the molding drum 16 is moved to the stitcher device 10 and inserted inside the annular frame 30 to press the carcass ply 6 (see FIG. 7).

[0039] As a method of pressing the carcass ply 6, the pressing roller 34 of the annular frame 30 may be displaced radially inward in advance by the advancing / retracting means 36, the molding drum 16 may be advanced axially inside the annular frame 30 in this state, and the carcass ply 6 on the molding drum 16 may be pressed from one end to the other end by the pressing roller 34 at the same time as the advancement. Alternatively, with the pressing roller 34 positioned radially outward, the molding drum 16 may be advanced inside the annular frame 30 up to near the axial center, and the carcass ply 6 may be pressed by displacing the pressing roller 34 radially inward by the advancing / retracting means 36 while the molding drum 16 is moved to both sides in the axial direction based on the vicinity of the center.

[0040] After the carcass ply 6 has been pressed in this manner, the pressing roller 34 is displaced radially outward by the advancing / retracting means 36 (see FIG. 4). Thereafter, the fixing by the fixing portion 58 is released on the bottom side of the annular frame 30. In detail, as shown in FIG. 5, the guideway side engaging portion 64 is displaced downward by the advancing / retracting means 66 to release the engagement with the frame side engaging portions 60, 62. This allows the fixing to be released in a short time immediately after the completion of pressing.

[0041] Thereafter, the pair of frame supports 50, 52 are slid away from each other by the drive units 54, 56. As a result, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 open to the left and right, and the annular frame 30 enters an open state, as shown in Figures 6 and 8.

[0042] When the annular frame 30 is in the open state, a gap is formed between the pair of frame portions 38, 40 through which the drum support 20 can pass along the drum guide path 18 together with the building drum 16. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 9, the drum support 20 can be passed through the gap between the pair of frame portions 38, 40 and moved to a carcass band removal position where the building drum 16 is handed over to the transfer device 26.

[0043] At the carcass band removal position, the molding drum 16 is inserted into the transfer device 26, and in this state, the transfer device 26 receives the carcass band 12 by holding the carcass band 12 from the outer circumferential side. Thereafter, the molding drum 16 moves on the drum guideway 18 to exit the transfer device 26 and return to the molding position for winding the rubber member 14 through the gap between the pair of frame portions 38, 40.

[0044] After the molding drum 16 has passed through the gap between the pair of frame portions 38, 40, the pair of frame supports 50, 52 are slid toward each other by the drive units 54, 56 to be joined together (see FIG. 5).

[0045] Thereafter, they are fixed by the fixing portion 58 on the bottom side of the annular frame 30. In this example, the guideway side engaging portion 64 is displaced upward by the advancing / retreating means 66 to engage with the frame side engaging portions 60, 62. That is, the guideway side engaging portion 64 is moved upward to fit into the recess 64A of the tapered convex portion formed by joining the pair of frame side engaging portions 60, 62. As a result, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 are fixed on the bottom side of the annular frame 30, and the annular frame 30 is in a closed state.

[0046] With the above, the removal of the carcass band 12 from the building drum 16 is completed.

[0047] In this embodiment, the annular frame 30 equipped with the crimping device 32 is configured to be openable and closable to the left and right in the stitcher device 10 provided between the molding position for winding the carcass ply 6 and the removal position of the carcass band 12. Therefore, after crimping by the crimping device 32, the left and right frame parts 38, 40 are moved to both sides of the drum guide path 18 to open the annular frame 30, so that the molding drum 16 can pass through the gap between the pair of opened frame parts 38, 40 together with the drum support body 20. Therefore, after crimping the carcass ply 6, the molding drum 16 can be moved forward to the carcass band removal position without being moved backward once. Therefore, the time required to remove the carcass band 12 can be shortened.

[0048] In addition, the annular frame 30 is of a hanging type, that is, it is supported by hanging it from the frame guide path 46 provided above the drum guide path 18 via the frame supports 50, 52, and the annular frame 30 is fixed at its bottom side by the fixing portion 58 so that the annular frame 30 is in a closed state. Therefore, the pair of frame portions 38, 40 can be fixed so as not to be displaced left and right due to the pressure when the carcass ply 6 is pressed by the pressing device 32.

[0049] Furthermore, since the fixing portion 58 is configured by fitting a cross-sectionally tapered convex portion formed by joining the pair of frame side engaging portions 60, 62 into a recess 64A of the guideway side engaging portion 64, the axis of the annular frame 30 can be positioned and fixed by the guideway side engaging portion 64. Therefore, when the two-part left and right annular frame 30 is closed, its axis does not shift left and right relative to the axis of the forming drum 16, and the axis of the forming drum 16 and the annular frame 30 can be aligned with each other with a simple configuration.

[0050] The fixing method by the fixing portion 58 is not limited to mechanical fixing by engagement between the pair of frame side engaging portions 60, 62 and the guideway side engaging portion 64 as described above, but may be, for example, fixed by an electromagnetic method.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the annular frame 30 is divided into two parts, but the number of parts is not limited as long as the annular frame is divided into a plurality of parts, and it may be divided into, for example, three or four parts.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the pair of left and right frame portions 38, 40 are moved away from each other on both sides of the drum guideway 18 to open the annular frame 30, forming a gap through which the molding drum 16 passes together with the drum support 20. When the annular frame is composed of three or more frame portions, the frame portions may be similarly provided to be movable in the axis perpendicular direction of the annular frame, and the annular frame may be opened by moving the frame portions in directions away from each other in the axis perpendicular direction. This forms a gap through which the molding drum passes together with the drum support, and the molding drum can pass through the gap to be moved to the carcass band removal position.

[0053] The movement direction of the frame portions 38, 40 when the annular frame 30 is opened or closed is not limited to the direction perpendicular to the axis of the annular frame 30 (the left-right direction X in the above embodiment). For example, as in another embodiment of a stitcher device 10A shown in Fig. 11, the annular frame 30A may be configured to be opened or closed by rotating a pair of left and right frame portions 38, 40 back and forth, respectively.

[0054] That is, the pair of left and right frame parts 38, 40 are provided rotatably about vertical shafts 70, 72 respectively installed on both sides of the drum guideway 18, and from the closed state shown in Fig. 11, as shown by the arrow, one frame part 38 rotates rearward, i.e., toward the molding position of the carcass ply 6, and the other frame part 40 rotates forward, i.e., toward the removal position of the carcass band 12. For this reason, the dividing surface 42 is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the annular frame 30, so that the leading ends of the frame parts 38, 40 do not interfere with each other when they rotate.

[0055] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims, as well as in the scope and spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...inner liner, 6...carcass ply, 10, 10A...stitcher device, 12...carcass band, 14...rubber member, 16...molding drum, 18...drum guideway, 30, 30A...annular frame, 32...pressing device, 38, 40...frame portion, 46...frame guideway, 50, 52...frame support, 54, 56...driving portion, 58...fixing portion, 60, 62...frame side engaging portion, 64...guideway side engaging portion

Claims

1. A stitcher device for pressing a carcass ply, which is wound around an outer periphery of a building drum movable along a drum guideway via a rubber member, onto the rubber member, comprising: an annular frame into which the molding drum is inserted to surround the outer periphery of the molding drum; a pressure-bonding device provided on the annular frame so as to press the carcass ply from an outer periphery to be pressure-bonded to the rubber member, The annular frame is divided into a plurality of parts in a circumferential direction so as to be openable and closable, and is a two-part type including a pair of frame parts facing each other in a horizontal direction, The stitcher apparatus further comprises: a frame guideway extending above the drum guideway in a direction intersecting the drum guideway; a pair of frame supports that suspend and support the pair of frame portions, respectively, and that open and close the annular frame by moving in directions away from and toward each other along the frame guideway; a fixing portion that fixes the annular frame in a closed state at a bottom side of the annular frame; Equipped with The fixing portion is a pair of frame side engagement parts provided at bottoms of the pair of frame parts, the pair of frame parts being integrated together when the annular frame is closed to form a convex shape with a narrower width toward its tip; a guideway-side engaging portion that is provided on the drum guideway side and has a recess into which the pair of integrated frame-side engaging portions are fitted, and that fixes the annular frame in a closed state by the pair of integrated frame-side engaging portions being fitted; A stitcher apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The stitcher apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the annular frame includes a pair of frame portions movable in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the annular frame, and the pair of frame portions move in the direction perpendicular to the axis and away from each other to open the annular frame.

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