Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BINDING DEVICE FOR ELONGATED PIPES
BACKGRO~ND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a binding device for shipping
and the storage of a plurality of elongated pipes.
Prior Art
In those known cases in the prior art, a plurality of
elongated pipes have been accumulated in a bundle and then
tightly secured together with a steel wire or the like. This
binding method however brings about some disadvantages-that
since the elongated pipes within the bundle are likely to
shift and are poorly fixed, the pipes are liable to crush,
bending or damages during storage, handling or transportation,
and moreover it is difficuIt to attain a stable, safe and
quick handling of the elongated pipes. Furthermore, the
elongated pipes which are in direct contact with the adjacent
pipes are subjected to possible damages against the surface
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of the pipes. In addition to the above disadvantages, the
provision of steel wires alone so as to bundle a plurality
of elongated pipes is dangerous in view of a possible
breakage of the steel wires during handling, transportation
or storage, particularly in a stacked storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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It is therefore an object of this invention to provide
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a binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes in
which the above disadvantages are fully eliminated.
It is a further object to provide a novel and improved
binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes with
relatively simple construction and inexpensive material to
manufacture.
According to this invention the binding device for
a plurality of elongated pipes is comprised of sleepers,
spacers and bundling strap means for tightly fastening and
encircling a plurality of sleepers and spacers, whereby the
sleepers and spacers extend respectively in spaced relation
to each other and are assembled to form a plurality of spaces
defined by the surfaces of the sleepers and spacers and
adapted to receive the outer peripheral surfaces of the
elongated pipes in tight contact relation thereto. The
sleepers are disposed in spaced and parallel arrangement
to each other both in an vertical direction one over the
other and in an horizontal direction side by side, and a
plurality of the elongated pipes are placed side by side on
and in transverse relation to each sleeper. The spacers
formed on a respective surface at intervals along its
length a plurality of recesses, which are respectively
adapted to ccuple with each sleeper, are disposed in spaced
arrangement to each other in a transverse relation to the
~5 sleeper.
According to another aspect of the present invention,
the spacers are disposed one by one alternately first to
couple with the one side of the sleepers at their recesses
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and then to couple wi h the other side of the sleepers at
their recesses such that the sleepers are interposed between
the spacers. Each spacer has among recesses formed on the
surface thereof the recesses defined by two right angled surfaces
and having substantially L-shaped cross section at the both
ends of its length. The spacers positioned between the both
ends of the sleepers may respectively be formed to have
only those recesses which couple with the sleepers positioned
between the uppermost and lowermost sleepers. Preferably,
the spacers and sleepers are made of wood, and the bundling
strap means are employed for encircling the sleepers and
spacers in either a parallel or perpendicular direction
relative to the surface of the sleepers on which the
elongated pipes are deposited.
The binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes
thus constructed has sufficient mechanical strength to bear
against deformation, and enables to fix tightly each
elongated pipe within the space defined by the surfaces of
the sleepers and spacers. As a result, the binding device
protects the elongated pipes from crush, bending or damages
during storage, handling or transportation. A stable, safe
and quick handling of the elongated pipes can readily be
obtained by using thus constructed binding device.
While the specification concludes with the claims which
particularly point out and distinctly claim that subject
matter which is regarded as inventive, it is believed the
invention will be more clearly understood when considering
the following detailed description taken in conjunction
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with the accompanying figures of the drawings forming a
part of this specification, wherein like reference characters
designate corresponding parts in the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of
the binding device according to the invention utilized in
bundling a plurality of elongated pipes;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment
of the binding device according to the invention;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a bundle in which the binding
devices are used at-three different position al-ong the axes
of the eight elongated pipes;
Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the bundle shown
ln Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the bundle
shown in Fig. 3; and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment
of the binding device in which the spacers positioned
between the both side two spacers-have no L-shaped recesses
~at the both ends of its length.
DESCRIPTION OF T~IE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
,
;~ A binding device generally designated at 1 for a
plurality of elongated pipes 2 is illustrated which comprises
first and second spacers 3 and 4, sleepers 5, and bundllng
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straps 6 and 7 for tightly fastening and encircling a
plurality of sleepers and spacers. The spacers 3 and 4, and
sleepers 5 are preferably made of wood. The elongated pipes
to be handled with the binding device according to this
invention may be of any size and length having a substantially
circular cross section, such as steel pipes, poly-vinyl
chloride pipes, glass tubes or the like.
Although shown in Figs. 1 to 6 are the bundle assemblies
which includes respec~ively five spacers 3 and 4, three
sleepers 5, and two bundling straps 6 and 7, it is to be
understood that each component may be increased in number so
as to accommodate a greater number of elongated pipes 2,
and in addition the bundle assembly using the binding device
of the invention may be stacked in multiple one by one
overlying upon the other.
As best shown in Fig. 2, the first spacers 3 have
respectively on its surface at intervals along its length a
plurality of recesses, in this embodiment, three recesses 8,
9 and 10. The recesses 8 and 10 are formed at the both ends
of its length to have a substantially L-shaped cross section,
that is, the recesses 8 and 10 being defined by two right
angled surfaces of the spacer 3, while the recess 9 being
defined by three surfaces each intersecting at a right angle.
Similarly to the first spacers 3, the second spacers 4 have
three recesses 11, 12 and 13, the recesses 11 and 13 having
a substantially L-shaped cross section. The only difference
between the both spacers 3 and 4 is the depth of the recesses,
the recesses 8, 9 and 10 having a longer depth in relation
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to the width of the first spacers 3 than that of the recesses
11, 12 and 13.
The sleepers 5 is formed so as to have the same cross
section as that of the recesses 9 and 12, so that the sleepers
5 are coupled with the spacers 3 and 4 in relatively tight
contact relation to each other.
The sleepers 5 are disposed in spaced and parallel
arrangement to each other both in a vertical direction one
over the other and in a horizontal direction side by side,
and a plurality of the elongated pipes 2 are placed side by
side on and in transverse relation to the sleeper 5. The
sleepers 5 and spacers 3 and 4 extend respectively in spaced
relatipn to each other and are assembled to form a plurality
of spaces 14 defined by the surfaces of the sleepers 5 and
lS spacers 3 and 4 and adapted to receive the outer peripheral
surfaces of the respective elongated pipes 2 in tight contact
relation thereto.
The first spacers 3 are located at the both end portion
of the sleepers 5, while the second spacers 4 are located
between the first spacers 3, thus in association with the
sleepers 5 forming a plurality of spaces 14. The first and
second spacers 3 and 4 are disposed one by one alternately
first to couple with the one side of the sleepers 5 at their
recesses and then to couple with~the other side of the
2S sleepers 5 at their recesses such that the sleepers are
supported and interposed between the first and second spacers
3 and 4.
The bundling straps 6 and 7 may be hoops, wires, nylon
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strings or the like, or any other known strapping devices.
The provision of the bundling straps 6 and 7 is effected by
encircling them around the sleepers 5 and spacers 3 and 4,
one being fastened in perpendicular direction relative to~
the surface of the sleepers 5 on which the pipes 2 are
deposited, and the other being fastened in parallel direction
relative to the surface.
The second spacers 4 may be modified as seen from Fig. 6
which is slightly different from those shown in Fig. 2.
In this embodiment, the second spacers 4 positioned between
the both end portion of the sleepers 5 are respectively
formed to have only those recesses 12 which couple with the
sleepers 5 positioned between the uppermost and lowermost
sleepers 5, without having the recesses 11 and 13.
The method of bundling or its function when used the
binding device according to the present invention will now
be described.
First, a plurality of first or lowermost sleepers 5 are
placed on the ground or shipping location in spaced-apart
and parallel disposition, with the bundling straps 6
underlying on each sleeper 5. Then, the elongated pipes 2 are
seated on the lowermost sleepers 5 in a equal spaced-apart
and parallel relation to each other. A plurality of second
or intermediate sleepers 5 are placed on the pipes resting on
the lowermost sleepers 5 at just the upright position of the
respective lowermost sleepers 5. The second spacers ~ are
coupled with the lowermost and intermediate sleepers 5 so as
to interpose them between the spacers 4. The uppermost
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sleepers 5 are deposited on the pipes 2 resting on the
intermediate sleepers 5 and also between the recesses 13 of
the second spacers 4. After coupling the first spacers 3
with the both end portions of the sleepers 5 at the recesses
8, 9 and lO, all the sleepers 5 are arranged so as to tightly
embrace within each space 14 the elongated pipes 2. Lastly,
the bundling straps 6 and 7 are drawn around thus constructed
bundling assembly in order to tightly secure and integrate
all the components.
The elongated pipes 2 thus embraced within the spaces
14 are out of contact with each other and individually
supported by the spaces. Since the spacers 3 and 4 and sleepers
5 are made of xigid enough to endure the external forces
imparted thereon, the elongated pipes 2 are free of bending
or twisting during handling and transportation. Moreover,
the bundling assembly formed by using the binding device of the
invention can afford to attain a stable, safe and quick
handling of the elongated pipes, with relativley simple
construction and inexpensive material.
~lthough the invention has been described in its
preferred form with a certain degree of particularity,
it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred
form has been changed in the details of construction and
the combination and arrangement of parts may be restored to
without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention
as hereinafter claimed.
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