Patent ID: 7207267

Claim:
An apparatus for mounting a tubular sleeve on a cylinder, the cylinder having an open end with at least one air aperture formed in an outer surface of the cylinder proximate the open end, the air aperture for radially expanding the sleeve and providing air bearing flotation thereto, the air bearing being pressurized air provided through the at least one aperture, the apparatus comprising: an end cap sealingly engaging an end of the sleeve distal to the cylinder open end so that at least a portion of the sleeve is free to engage the cylinder open end thus forming a substantially closed cavity between the end cap, the sleeve, and the cylinder open end; an air supply for providing pressurized air through the at least one aperture to aid in mounting the sleeve onto the cylinder and in removing the sleeve from the cylinder; a vacuum source for selectively evacuating air from the cavity to draw the sleeve onto the cylinder; and, an auxiliary air supply connectable to introduce additional pressurized air into the cavity to aid in removing the sleeve from the cylinder.