EXPANDER FOR EXPANDING A TUBULAR ELEMENT

摘要

AN EXPANDER (12) FOR RADIALLY EXPANDING A TUBULAR ELEMENT (1) BY AXIAL MOVEMENT OF THE EXPANDER (12) THROUGH THE TUBULAR ELEMENT (1) IS PROVIDED. THE EXPANDER (12) COMPRISES AN EXPANDER MEMBER HAVING A FRONT PART (14) OF A FIRST CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE, A REAR PART (18) OF A SECOND CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE LARGER THAN THE FIRST CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE, AND AN INTERMEDIATE PART (16) ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID FRONT PART (14) AND REAR PART (18) AND HAVING A CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE VARYING BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZES. THE EXPANDER MEMBER IS PROVIDED WITH FLUID SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURISED FLUID TO THE INNER SURFACE OF THE TUBULAR ELEMENT (1) AT A LOCATION OPPOSITE SAID INTERMEDIATE PART (16) WHEN THE EXPANDER MEMBER IS ARRANGED IN THE TUBULAR ELEMENT (1).(FIG. 1)