PRESTRESSED SUPPORT RING OF MULTIPLE USE Russian patent published in 2018 - IPC E21B17/00 F16J15/02 E21B19/00 

FIELD: manufacturing technology.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions refers to the sealing of the annular gap between two tightly fitting elements. Support ring is divided by a cut allowing the support ring to be compressed in diameter to fit the support ring and the sealing ring into the annular groove, wherein the cut defines the respective shapes of the two ends of the support ring, which cooperate with each other to fix the support ring in a configuration with a compressed diameter. At least one of the two ends has a cavity for receiving a tool for applying force to move the two ends apart from each other and releasing the support ring with an exit from the configuration with a compressed diameter and expanding this support ring to remove the sealing ring from the annular groove. Method for replacing the sealing ring comprises using said tool to expand the support ring so that the sealing ring can be removed from the annular groove, removing the sealing ring from the annular groove and replacing it with a replaceable o-ring and compressing the support ring in diameter so that it is fixed in a configuration with a compressed diameter, and the support ring and the replacement O-ring are seated in the annular groove.

EFFECT: unlocking the support ring with an exit from the configuration to remove the O-ring from the annular groove.

18 cl, 12 dwg