Elongated roller assembly and methods of making and replacing a roller

A method of replacing a roller in a device wherein the length of the roller to be replaced is greater than the available replacement space so that a fully assembled replacement roller cannot be inserted into the device comprising:

• (a) making a first roller segment that is shorter than the replacement space by inserting an outer tubular roller member onto a first internal connector, leaving a portion of said first internal connector extending therefrom, and securing said outer tubular roller member to said first internal connector to prevent movement of said first internal connector within said outer tubular roller member;
• b) inserting at least a portion of said first segment within said confined space;
• (c) assembling a second roller segment by inserting a second outer tubular roller member onto said extended portion of said first internal connector so it abuts in adjacent alignment against said first outer tubular roller member of said installed first segment, and attaching said second outer tubular roller member to said first internal connector to prevent movement of said second outer tubular roller member on said first internal connector so as to form said second segment;
• (d) attaching said outer tubular roller member of said second segment to said outer tubular roller member of said first segment;
• and
• (e) repeating steps (a) through (d), as needed, wherein after step (d) an internal connector is inserted onto said last-installed segment.

A method of making a rigid roller comprising:

• (a) inserting at least one outer rigid tubular member on a rigid internal bridging connector so that said outer tubular members abut in adjacent alignment, said internal bridging connector being substantially shorter in length than the finished length of the roller;
• (b) securing said outer tubular members to said internal bridging connector to prevent movement of said internal bridging connector relative to said outer tubular members;
• (c) securing said outer tubular members to each other;
• and
• (d) after step (c), repeating steps (a) through (c) as needed to produce a roller of sufficient length, each repeating of steps (a)-(c) being performed with an additional rigid internal bridging member and an additional rigid tubular segment, wherein prior to commencing said repeating of steps (a)-(c), first inserting said additional rigid internal bridging connector onto one of said previously installed rigid tubular roller segments.