Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BINDING DEVICE FOR ELONGATED PIPES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTlON
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. ~his binding method has been widely adopted in the
fields of transportation due to its relatively simple
process. While on the other hand, there are some dis-
advantages that the elongated pipes are subjected to
possible damages destroying protective coatings by direct
contacting with the steel wire or the like. Moreover,
since the bundle formed of a plurality oE elongated pipes
is encircled and tightened by a steel. wire whlch contacts
only with some localized or restr:icted suxEace port:ions
of each of the outermost disposed elongated plpes, those
pipes within the bundle may shi:Et and the bunclle is liable
to c.rush or deformation during transportation or storage
in a stacked condition, thus lacking a stable, safe and
quick handling of the elongated pipes. Furthermore, in
this conventional method, no counter-measures are provided
for protecting each of the elongated pipes against bends
or dents.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is ~herefore an object of this invention -to provide
a binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes in
which the above disadvantages are full,v eliminated,
According to this invention the binding device for a
plurality of elongated pipes is comprised of a pair of
pipe reception blocks, first and second sleepers interposing
the blocks therebetween, and a bundling strap encircling
a pair of the pipe reception blocks, and the first and
second sleepers. A plurality of elongated pipes are disposed
side by side or in transverse arrangement with respect to
the longitudinal axes of the pipes each within a space
defined by the concavities formed on one surface of the
blocks. The curvature of the concavities is substantially
e~ual to the external curvature of the elongated pipes. One
of a pair of the pipe reception blocks rests on the first
sleeper, and the second sleeper is placed on the other of a
~, pair of the pipe recep-tion blocks. This assembly :is completed
and integrated by *~ tightly encircled bundling strap means
along the traverse surface of the assemb:ly. This assembly
may be stacked in overlying arrangement with one or more of
other similar assemblies.
The pipe reception block may be made of two regions
of different material, one being the region where the
concavities are formed and the other being the region where
the surface contacting with -the sleeper is Eormed. The
former region is preferably made of rigid polyurethane resin,
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and the latter is preferably made of a veneer plywood.
The both different materials are fixed together with an
approp~iate adhesive agent. The pipe reception block thus
'~ constructed has sufficient mechanical strength to bear
against deformation so that it protects the elongated pi~ s
from deformation and also enables to decrease the ~
of the sleepers which might have otherwise been of a
considerable volume so as to withstand the external forces
imparted during handling or transportation.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages
of the invention will be apparent from the following, more
detailed, description of preferred embodiments taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the binding devices
according to the invention utilized i.n bundling a plurality
of elongated pipes;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a pipe reception
block in overlying a:Liynment with a sleeperi
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a second ernbodimen-t
o~ a pipe recep-tion block in overlying alignment with a
sleeper in which the pipe reception block is truncated;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment
of a pipe reception block in overlying alignment with a
sleeper in which the block has concavi-ties partially broken ou-t;
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Fig. 5 is a ~ront elevational view showing an assembly
comprised of two sleepers, a ~alr of pipe recep-tion bloc~s,
and a supportin~ member inserted within a hole; and
Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes
according to this invention comprises a pair of pipe
reception blocks 2 for cradling within a space formed
therein a plurality of elongated pipes 1, first and second
sleepers 3 interposing the pipe reception blocks 2, and a
.~ bundling strap ~ for tightly encircling a pair of pipe
reception blocks 2 and the first and second sleepers 3.
The bundle assembly using this binding device may be stacked
in multiple on one or more of a similar bundle assembly as
shown in Fig. 1. In this case the intervening sleeper
between the underlying assembly and the overlying assembly is
either the ~irst sleeper of the underlying assembly or the
second sleeper of the overlylng assembly, and either one of
them can be dispensed w:ith. The elong~tecl pi.pe 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.
As best shown in ~igs. 2, 3 and 4, the pipe reception
block 2 is formed to be adapted to receive side by side a
plurality of elongated pipes within spaces 5 which are defined
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by concavi-ties formed on one surface o~ the pipe reception
block 2. A pair of the pipe reception blocks 2 are
confronted with each other in inverted arrangement thus
defining the spaces 5. The radius of the concavity is
substantially equal to that of the elongated pipe to be
embraced within the space 5. The concavities are formed on,
one surface of the block 2 in equal spaced-apart relation to
each other, and between the adjacent concavities there is
formed a plateau section 6.
Some of the plateau sections 6 have an aperture 7
formed centrally within its body. A supporting member 8 made
of such as wood block ~see Fig. 5) is adapted to be inserted
in this aperture 7 and capped with the like but inverted
aperture of the overlying pipe reception block 2, and
serves to support the weight of upper bundle assemblies when
the assemblies are stacked in multiple.
Preferably, the pipe reception block 2 is composed of
two regions, one is the region where the concavities are
formed and the other is the region where the sleeper 3
contacts d:Lrectly. The Eormer region is made of such as
rubber, plastic resin, poly-vinyl chloride resin or the like,
and the most proper material may be selected from those among
such materials in accordance with the kind of the pipes to
be employed. In the case of steel pipes, rigid polyurethane
resin has been proved to be most suitable. The lat-ter region
as designated by reference numeral 9 is preferably made of
a veneer plywood. The both regions, i.e., poly-vinyl chloride
resin and the veneer plywood are secured rigidly by a
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suitable adhesive agent. It shoulr~ be noted that due to the
provision of the veneer plywood between the poly-vinyl chlo
ride resin and the sleeper 3, the height of the sleeper 3 is
remarkably decreased which might have otherwise been of a
considerable volume so as to withstand the external Eorces
imparted during handling or transportation. Thus, these
construction affords advantages to prevent the elongated
pipes from any bending or twisting,
A second embodimen-t of the pipe reception block 2 is
shown in Fig. 3 wherein the top of the plateau section 6 is
truncated. This -type of pipe reception block is par-ticular-
ly suitable when the number of bundle assemblies to be
stacked is small and hence the weight imparted direc-tly to
the pipe surface is endurable. Referring now to Fig. 4,
there is shown a third embodiment of the pip2 recep-tion
block 2. As seen from the drawing, the polyurethane vinyl
resin is broken out from the bot-tom oE the concavity. One
of the reasons why these -two types of the embodiments are
adopted resides in that the polyurethane vinyl resin is
relatively expensive so -that it is more practical to try to
decrease the amount o~ the material~
The sleepers 3 are pre~erably and in this embodiment
made of wood, and respectively support and rest on a pair of
the pipe recep~ion blocks 2 in contact with the surfce made
of the veneer plywood 9.
The bundling strap 14 may be hoops, wires, nylon
strings or the like, or any othe known strappiny devices.
The method of bundling or its function when used the
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binding device according to thi.s inventlon will now ~e de-
scribed with reE~rence particularly ~o Figs. 5 an~ 6.
First, a plurali-ty of sleepers 3 are placed on the
ground or shipping location in spaced-apart disposltion. The
pipe reception blocks 2 are then deposited on the respective
sleeper and in turn a plurality of elongated pipes 1 are
seated in each concavity of the blocks 2 thus arranging -the
elongated pipes 1 side by side in transverss relation -to the
sleepers 3. The supporting members 8 are inserted into -the
apertures 7. The supporting members 8 are no-t used when such
conditions are met as the stacked number of ~le bundle as-
semblies is small. After inserting the supporting members 8,
another pipe reception block 2 is placed in inverse arrange-
ment wi-th the already placed block 2 so that the elongated
pipes 1 are embraced within spaces 5 de~ined by confxonting
respective concavities of two pipe reception blocks 2. Then
another sleeper 3 is rested on the upper block 2 to comple-te
one set of bundling ass0mbly. ~ second bundlin~ assembly
constructed similarly as above is stacked on the :Eirst as~
sembly, and one or more o.f the assemblies are stac~ecl in
multiple. These assembl.ies are then .integrated by an en-
circling tightLy bound strap 14. In this case, when it i~
necessary, each assembly may be independently tightly en
circled by the strap 1~. The provision o~ the strap 14 is
effected by encircling it along the transverse sur~ace of -the
binding device as shown in Fig. 1, but it is also possible to
encircle any additional number of straps around the adjacent
elongated pipes 1 or around the binding device in - ~ ----
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parallel direction to the longitudinal axes of the pipes 1.
The elonga-ted pipes 1 thus embraced within the space
5 are out of contact with each other and individually
supported by the concavities. Since the pipe reception
blocks are made rigid enough to endllre the external forces
imparted thereon, the elongated pipes are free of bending or
twisting during transportation and handling.
While there have been shown and described some preferred
embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood
that the present invention is not limited thereto but may be
variously modified and practiced within the scope set forth
in the attached claims.
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