Roll end air fitting adapter and method of using same

A roll end air fitting adapter mechanically couplable to an open end of a cylindrical roll extending along a roll axis, the roll end air fitting adapter comprising:

• an adapter ring including:
• an inner ring having a bolt hole pattern receiving fasteners mounting the adapter to the cylindrical roll and defining a central opening concentric with the roll axis when the adapter ring is mounted to the cylindrical roll;
• and
• an outer ring coupled to or formed with the inner ring;
• the inner ring or the outer ring defines, or the inner ring and the outer ring define, an annular air channel extending about the roll axis, the air channel is intersected by a plurality of air passages leading from the air channel through the inner ring, the outer ring or the inner ring and the outer ring to a plurality of peripheral outlet openings disposed at an outer circumferential surface of the inner ring or the outer ring, or at the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring;
• and
• a fitting for coupling an air source to the adapter ring, the fitting received in a port of the outer ring that communicates with the air channel;
• whereby, upon fitting a compliant sleeve onto the adapter ring when the adapter ring is mounted to the cylindrical roll such that an end of the compliant sleeve is disposed along the roll axis with the peripheral outlet openings between the end of the compliant sleeve and the outer ring so that the compliant sleeve overlaps the peripheral outlet openings, and supplying air from the air source to the adapter ring through the air channel and the peripheral outlet openings, the adapter ring facilitates sliding the compliant sleeve onto the cylindrical roll.