EP0022417B1 - Load of rolls of compressible materials, method for its realization and device to apply such a method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a package of at least two layers of rolls of a compressible material. In this package, the rolls of each layer are placed side by side and in mutual contact, while the rolls of two superposed layers are in mutual contact along their lowermost or uppermost surfaces. In addition, the package contains two contoured panels adjacent the outer layers of the rolls, and two bindings bearing on the contoured panels and orthogonally arranged with respect to each other. The invention applies in particular to the packaging of rolls of fibrous insulating materials.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for making burdens of compressible materials, in particular fibrous insulating materials, which are themselves in the form of rolls.

Various wrappers or wrapping of rolled materials are known which apply either to individual rolls or to rolls assembled end to end. The packaging is, in these different cases, generally constituted by one or more sheets of paper folded over the ends of the roll or of the assembly, or else by sheets of plastic material of the polyethylene sheet type, possibly shrunk by heat treatment. . These various types of unit packaging are no longer capable of satisfying satisfactorily the needs of users in the construction field, because very large quantities of products are handled from the places of production to those of the use.

In the case of light materials, such as insulating materials, the covered volume necessary for the storage of such materials can reach one third of the total storage volume of the construction materials handled by the users. Until now, the palletization technique has solved the problems posed by the handling of heavy materials, such as bricks, cements, etc., but the use of returnable pallets, as well as that of returnable containers , imposes a procedure for recovering this material, with risks of deterioration involving shared responsibility. This solution has not been retained so far for light materials.

As regards the rolls of light materials, it has been envisaged to group together several tens of unitary rollers, such as the individual insulating rollers mentioned above, so as to constitute a burden, for example cubic, which can exceed the volume of 15 m ³ and a weight of several hundred kilos. However, this volume and this weight make it difficult to handle such burdens, unless specific and expensive handling means are used, both on the production sites, in the storage warehouses and at the places of use. This is how handling means constructed for this purpose, such as crane trucks or forklifts, are essential for carrying out such handling, which generally leads to costly investments. In addition, these burdens have such dimensions that they cannot be stored in common warehouses, very often equipped with lockers, racks or attics of insufficient dimensions.

Such bulky burdens could also be stored in the open air, but then they should be waterproof and withstand all weather conditions (frost, rain and sunshine), which would prohibitively increase their price.

It has also been envisaged to produce bundles in which elastic insulating products are collected in compressed forms. Burdens of this type are known, in which compressed fibrous insulating panels are stacked on top of each other (French patent 2,216,811). ). Other burdens of this type contain tubular fibrous products, such as insulating shells, stacked in a flattened state on top of each other (U.S. Patent 3,587,201). Such methods of producing burdens are not feasible from the insulating materials considered, since these cannot be reduced to such a state of compression without drawbacks.

U.S.-A-3,272,329 describes a packaging for rigid materials constituted by drill cores, housed individually in cells of polygonal section, produced by superposing in reverse positions metal members of suitable profile. The carrots thus conditioned are separated from each other and are staggered with respect to each other in honeycomb cells. The assembly is closed, on the side, of the ends of the cells, by end elements, which are fixed on the superimposed metal sheets to form a rigid storage assembly. Such an assembly is therefore not suitable for packaging compressible rollers in contact with each other.

The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a new type of burden of rollers of a compressible material, in particular of insulation rolls, in which the compressible material is only subjected to limited compression, in order to 'avoid permanent deformation, which lends itself to handling by conventional devices such as forklifts and which can be stacked for storage.

• -deux plaques profilées attenant aux couches extrêmes de rouleaux;
• -deux panneaux transversaux disposés respectivement à chaque extrémité desdits rouleaux, lesdits panneaux étant reliés auxdites plaques profilées de manière à former un premier liage de fardeau;
• -un second liage orthogonal audit premier liage, ce second liage prenant appui sur lesdites plaques profilées.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a burden of at least two layers of rollers of compressible material, characterized in that the rollers of each layer are arranged side by side and in contact with each other at the compressed state, while the rollers of two superimposed layers are in mutual contact by their lower or upper generatrix, and in that it comprises:

• -two profiled plates adjoining the extreme layers of rollers;
• -two transverse panels disposed respectively at each end of said rollers, said panels being connected to said profiled plates so as to form a first bundling of burden;
• a second bond orthogonal to said first bond, this second bond bearing on said profiled plates.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the profiled plates adjoining two opposite faces of the load will each have two passages for the fork of a handling device, these passages resulting from the folding or molding of the material constituting these plates. Of course, the transverse panels will in this case include perforations for the passage of said fork, or determined marked areas that perforate said fork during the handling of the burden.

• -on dispose sur une plaque profilée une première couche de rouleaux placés côte à côte et au contact les uns des autres;
• -on empile sur cette première couche au moins une autre couche constituée comme la première couche, les rouleaux de la seconde couche étant en contact par leur génératrice inférieure avec la génératrice supérieure des rouleaux de la première couche;
• -on pose une plaque profilée sur l'empilement et l'on compride celui-ci entre les deux plaques profilées;
• -on applique un panneau sur les extrémités antérieure et postérieure des rouleaux empilés et l'on fixe ce panneau sur la bord desdites plaques profilées de manière à former un premier liage dudit empilement à l'état comprié;
• -on maintient ledit empilement à l'état comprimé avec un second lien orthogonal au premier et prenant appui sur lesdites plaques.

The subject of the invention is also a method for producing such a burden, characterized in that:

• -a first layer of rollers placed side by side and in contact with each other are placed on a profiled plate;
• -on this first layer is stacked with at least one other layer constituted as the first layer, the rollers of the second layer being in contact by their lower generatrix with the upper generatrix of the rollers of the first layer;
• - a profiled plate is placed on the stack and it is compressed between the two profiled plates;
• a panel is applied to the front and rear ends of the stacked rollers and this panel is fixed to the edge of said profiled plates so as to form a first binding of said stack in the compressed state;
• the said stack is maintained in the compressed state with a second link orthogonal to the first and bearing on said plates.

• -une assise pour la plaque profilée inférieure et l'empilement des couches de rouleaux, cette assise comportant des supports individuels pour les rouleaux de la couche inférieure de fardeau, lesdits supports ayant une forme épousant celle desdits rouleaux et étant réglables en position les uns par rapport aux autres;
• -un plateau supérieur, mobile par rapport à ladite assise sous la sollicitation de moyens de compression; et
• -des butoirs latéraux constituant un gabarit de fardeau.

The subject of the invention is also a device for implementing this method, characterized in that it comprises:

• a seat for the lower profiled plate and the stacking of the layers of rollers, this seat comprising individual supports for the rollers of the lower layer of burden, said supports having a shape matching that of said rollers and being adjustable in position by relation to others;
• an upper plate, movable relative to said seat under the stress of compression means; and
• - side bumpers constituting a burden gauge.

Advantageously, the side buffers will have openings for the passage of strips or similar tying members.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un fardeau de six rouleaux;
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective de ce même fardeau;
• la figure 3 illustre le gerbage d'une pluralité de fardeaux de six rouleaux et de neuf rouleaux;
• les figures 4 et 5 sont deux vues en élévation, l'une de face et l'autre latérale, d'un dispositif pour la mise en oeuvre de l'invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the implementation of the invention. In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a burden of six rollers;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same burden;
• Figure 3 illustrates the stacking of a plurality of bundles of six rolls and nine rolls;
• Figures 4 and 5 are two elevational views, one from the front and the other side, of a device for implementing the invention.

The burden according to the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 consists of six rollers 1 of a compressible material, for example a fibrous thermal insulator. These rollers are grouped into two superimposed layers of three rollers, the rollers of the same layer being arranged in parallel and in mutual contact, while the rollers of the upper layer rest by their lower generatrix on the upper generatrix of the rollers of the first layer.

The rollers of the lower layer are supported by a plate 2 of molded plastic or cardboard, which has been shaped to follow the shape of the rollers 1 and to provide triangular passages 3 for a fork of a handling device.

Similarly, an identical plate 2 covers the rollers of the upper layer.

Panels 4, also made of plastic or cardboard, are arranged against the ends of the rollers 1 and are made integral with the plates 2 by flaps 5 laminated against these plates. The plates 2 and the panels 4 thus form a first binding enclosing the rollers 1. The panels 4 have cutouts 6 facing the passages 3 of the profiled plates 2.

A second bond, orthogonal to the previous one, consists of two strips 7 of plastic, polypropylene for example, which grip the rollers 1 perpendicular to their axis.

Finally, a cover 8 made of a retractable material, for example polyethylene with a thickness of between 0.07 mm and 0.15 mm, envelops the assembly constituted by the rollers 1, the profiled plates 2, the panels 4 and the straps 7.

The binding formed by the plates 2 and the panels 4 keeps the batch of rollers 1 in height and prevents it from being deformed laterally, while the strapping using strips 7 prevents the longitudinal sliding of the rollers. The cover 8 made of retractable material protects the burden from the weather.

For the handling of such a burden using a forklift, it will suffice to pierce the cover 8 by means of the fork and to engage the teeth thereof in the cutouts 6 of the panels 4 and the passages 3 of the plates 2. It is thus possible to easily stack several burdens, identical or not, on top of each other, as seen on Figure 3. We can make loads of six or nine rolls, or even more. For example, Figure 3 shows a stack of burdens of six and nine rolls.

• . Fardeaux de six rouleaux:
  • -diamètre des rouleaux: 500 à 550 millimètres,
  • -longueur du fardeau: 1 600 mm,
  • -largeur; (longueur des rouleaux): 1 200 mm,
  • -hauteur du fardeau: 860 mm,
  • -poids du fardeau: environ 95 kg,

The Applicant has thus produced bundles of rolls of fibrous thermal insulation, having the following characteristics:

• . Loads of six rolls:
  • -diameter of the rollers: 500 to 550 millimeters,
  • -length of the burden: 1600 mm,
  • -width; (roll length): 1,200 mm,
  • -load height: 860 mm,
  • -weight of the burden: about 95 kg,

One can stack three such loads, for a total of 18 rolls.

• -diamètre des rouleaux: 500 à 550 millimètres,
• -longueur du fardeau: 1 600 mm
• -largeur: (longueur des rouleaux): 1 200 mm,
• -hauteur de fardeau: 1 280 mm,
• -poids du fardeau: 145 kg environ.

Loads of nine rolls:

• -diameter of the rollers: 500 to 550 millimeters,
• -length of the burden: 1600 mm
• -width: (roll length): 1,200 mm,
• - burden height: 1280 mm,
• -weight of the burden: approximately 145 kg.

We can stack two loads of this type, 18 rolls, as in the previous case. In practice, to reduce the volume of the burden and to increase its mechanical strength, the rollers 1 are compressed under a pressure lower than the pressure which their permanent deformation would cause, before being assembled by orthogonal tying.

In the case of rolls of thermal insulation, the characteristics of which have just been given, these rolls are generally compressed so as to cause a reduction of 10 to 25% in their diameter, which corresponds to a pressure of 1000 to 2 200 Pa. For example, a pressure of 1,550 Pa (corresponding to an effort of 250 kg) causes a reduction in diameter of 17%.

To make the burdens according to the invention and to compress the batches of rollers, the device shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 4 and 5 will advantageously be used.

This device comprises a base 10, provided with supports 11 adjustable in position, side walls formed by vertical plates 12 or possibly plates 12 ′ shown in broken lines in FIG. 5 separated by intervals 13, and an upper plate 14, parallel to the base 10 and which can move relative to the latter on a frame 15 under the effect of a jack 16. The plate 14 is provided with support blocks 17.

A previously profiled plate 2 resting on the supports 11, the position of which has been adjusted so that each of them is in line with a roll 1, different layers of rolls are stacked and the last is capped with a plate 2 identical to the previous one. Using the plate 14 and the cylinder 15, the batch of rollers is then slightly compressed to the desired volume and the plate 14 is maintained in this position.

It is then possible to encircle the rollers by means of the strips 7 by passing these strips in the intervals 13 which separate the plates 12. Finally, the flaps 5 of the panels 4 are glued to the ends of the lower and upper plates 2. It is also possible glue before strapping the rollers.

The batch of rollers is then removed from the compression device and it is wrapped in a cover 8 made of shrinkable polyethylene, before passing the assembly through a shrink oven.

Due to the compression of the rollers, prior to their assembly, the profiled plates 2 and the panels 4 work in traction, when the pressure exerted during the constitution of the load is removed, at the same time as a stiffening effect is exerted by the panels 4 on the stack. This precompression also makes the plates 2 and the panels 4 particularly suitable for working in compression, when the loads are stacked and that they support the weight of other loads.

Naturally, the panels 4 could be replaced by any other means known in the art and capable of performing the same functions.

The invention therefore provides a particularly simple method for forming bundles of rollers of a compressible material, in particular rolls of thermal insulation, which promotes the handling and storage of these burdens without the need to resort to pallets and large storage areas.

It will be noted that it is easy for the user to extract the rollers from the bundles which have just been described and that the materials constituting these bundles are not very bulky, inexpensive and easily destructible after use.

The process according to the invention can be transposed to articles of compressible material which are not in the form of rolls, for example to substantially parallelepipedal blocks of plastic foam, or to bundles of thermally insulating materials, provided that the shape of these articles allow the use of profiled external plates, comprising passages for the teeth of a fork of a handling device.

Such an application of this method is within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (19)

1. A load of at least two layers of rolls of a compressible material, characterized in that the rolls (1) of each layer are disposed side by side and in contact with each other in the compressed state, whereas the rolls of two superimposed layers are in mutual contact through their lower or upper generatrices and in that it comprises:

-two shaped plates (2) abutting the endmost layers of rolls,

-two transverse panels (4) disposed respectively at each end of said rolls, said panels being connected to said shaped plates (2) so as to form a first load binding,

-a second binding (7) orthogonal to said first binding, this second binding bearing on said shaped plates.

2. The load according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two identical shaped plates (2).

3. The load according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said shaped plates (2) each comprise two passages (3) for a fork lift, these passages resulting from folding or molding the sheet material which forms the plates.

4. The load according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said shaped plates (2) have a shape substantially matching that of the rolls (1).

5. The load according to claim 3, characterized in that said panels (4) comprise perforations (6) situated opposite the fork lift passages (3) provided in the shaped plates (2).

6. The load according to claim 3, characterized in that the panels (4) comprise, opposite the fork lift passages (3) provided in the shaped plates, definite marked areas which the lifting fork perforates when taking the load.

7. The load according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said second binding is formed by plastic ribbons or strips (7).

8. The load according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises an external cover (8) made from paper or a stretchable or retractable plastic material.

9. A process for forming a load in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that:

-on a shaped plate (2) is disposed a first layer of rolls (1) placed side by side and in contact with each other;

-on this first layer is stacked at least one other layer formed like the first layer, the rolls (1) of the second layer being in contact through their lower generatrix with the upper generatrix of the rolls of the first layer;

-a shaped plate (2) is placed on the stack and this latter is compressed between the two shaped plates;

-a panel (4) is applied to the front and rear ends of the stacked rolls and this panel is fixed to the edge of said shaped plate so as to form a first binding of said stack in the compressed state;

-said stack is maintained in the compressed state with a second binding (7) orthogonal to the first one and bearing on said plates (2).

10. The process according to claim 9, characterized in that said layers are stacked on each other while maintaining their side ends substantially in the same plane perpendicular to said layers.

11. The process according to one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that a pressure between 1000 and 2200 Pa is applied to the stack.

12. The process according to claim 11, characterized in that the distance between the two shaped plates (2) is reduced by a value between 10 and 25%.

13. The process according to one of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that said second binding is formed from plastic ribbons or strips (7).

14. The process according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that said panels (4) are fixed by bonding on said shaped plates (2) flaps (5) with which they are provided.

15. A device for implementing the process according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises:

-a base (10) for the lower shaped plate (2) and the stack of layers of rolls (1), this base comprising individual supports (11) for the rolls (1) of the lower layer of the load, said supports having a shape matching that of said rolls and being adjustable in position with respect to each other;

-an upperplate (14) movable with respect to said base (10) when urged by the compression means (15); and

-lateral stops (12, 12') forming a load jig.

16. The device according to claim 14, characterized in that the side stops (12, 12') are adjustable in position.

17. The device according to one of claims 15 and 16, characterized in that the side stops (12') comprise apertures (13) for passing strips (7) or similar binding means therethrough.

18. The device according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the upper plate (14) comprises individual bearing blocks (17) for each of the rolls (1) of the upper layer of the load.

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