FR2711624A1 - Package for long hooks, in particular for hooks which hold slates on roofs - Google Patents

Abstract

This package comprises a box (4) closed by a lid (5) and in which the hooks (3) are disposed in superimposed rows; the package comprises a series of loaders (12) for supporting rows (3) of hooks at the rate of one row per loader, which is formed by a U-shaped wire on which the hooks (3) are slipped parallel with each other, the arms of the U pressing elastically against the hooked ends (6, 8) of the hooks (3) in order to hold them in position; the package also comprises a support (18) which, in the position of use, straddles an edge (9) or (11) of the box (4) and supports a loader (12) with its row (1) of hooks (3), the loader (12) being provided with a bar (15) for retaining the hooks (3) on the arms of the loader, the bar (15) being withdrawn in order to use the hooks after fitting the loader on the support (18). The invention prevents any tangling of the hooks with each other before they are used and any loss of hooks during their use.

Description

 The present invention relates to a packaging for hooks of elongated shape, in particular but not exclusively hooks for holding slates on roofs.

 We know that there are two types of slate retaining hooks, hooks-staples and hooks-points. These hooks are usually placed in a box in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, in rows superimposed on the bottom of the box. I1 follows that during the handling of the box, due to the tremors suffered, the hooks tend to get tangled in each other. Therefore, after opening the box, when the roofer must take the hooks one by one to fix the slates, he actually removes garlands of hooks from which he must, in a long and tedious manner, extract each hook one by one. In addition, during these manipulations hooks frequently detach and fall through the roof structure. The roofer must then either go and recover the fallen hooks, which results in appreciable loss of time and therefore an increase in the cost of laying the slates, or renounce recovering the fallen hooks to avoid these lost time. In the second case, part of the hooks is therefore lost, which also increases the cost of installing the slates.

 In order to try to avoid these drawbacks, it has already been proposed to use, for each row of hooks, a plastic profile introduced into the curved ends of the hooks. But experience has shown that such a solution is completely insufficient, and in practice does not really prevent a certain move of the hooks between them.

 Furthermore, the fact of having to manually arrange the hooks one by one in superimposed rows considerably increases the duration of the handling of said hooks between the production machine and their packaging.

 On the other hand, during its use on an inclined surface such as a house roof under construction, each box must be retained so as not to slip. In practice so far, a simple point has been provided for this purpose, partially driven into one end of the bottom of the box and which retains the latter, for example on a batten. However, this solution is not entirely satisfactory and not very elegant.

 Finally, to open the box, the roofer must tear off the cover, fixed to the walls by staples, in such a way that most of the time this cover, generally made of wood, is broken. This results in a loss of material while in some cases, the entire contents of the box are not used, so that the latter can not be closed.

 The object of the invention is to propose a packaging produced so as to eliminate these various drawbacks.

 In accordance with the invention, the packaging comprises a series of loaders for supporting the rows of hooks at the rate of one row per loader, each loader being formed by a U-shaped part on which the hooks are threaded parallel to each other. , the branches of the U coming to bear resiliently on the curved ends of the hooks in order to hold the latter in place.

 The implementation of such loaders has the primary advantage of facilitating and considerably reducing the duration of the handling phase between the hook production machine and the packaging. Indeed, each charger can support a relatively large group of hooks, for example a hundred pieces. All these parts can therefore be handled as a whole, transferred from the machine to the box, and kept together thanks to the arrangement of the chargers. These can be placed successively in the box, keeping the hooks grouped and avoiding their tangling. Thus, the two successive phases of handling and packaging can be carried out, on the one hand with a significant time saving compared to traditional manual handling, and on the other hand, by avoiding any tangling of the hooks.

 Secondly, the user, for example a roofer in the case of slate retaining hooks, can remove the hooks one by one from each loader without having to untangle them from each other beforehand, which facilitates considerably this phase of his work.

 According to a feature of the invention, the packaging is equipped with a shim adapted to be able to overlap the edge of a wall of the box after extraction of the cover, and to support a charger with its row of hooks, in order to facilitate the handling of these.

 Preferably, in order not to unnecessarily increase the cost price of the package, the same shim is used for a series of packages.

 According to one embodiment, the wedge comprises a U-shaped element provided with at least one hooking member for the transverse branch of the loader, the longitudinal branches of which bear on the wedge on either side of this member d 'hanging.

 Advantageously, the wedge is shaped in such a way that its support points of the longitudinal branches of the loader are located at such a level, with respect to the support points of the transverse branch in the attachment member, that the assembly of the charger is inclined upwards relative to the bottom of the box (assuming this bottom placed on a horizontal plane). Because of this angularly raised position of the loader, at an inclination which can vary depending on the relative arrangement of the supports of the loader on the wedge, the hooks cannot inadvertently escape from the loader.

 Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, given with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate three embodiments thereof by way of non-limiting examples.

 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the packaging according to 1 invention, the box of which includes hooks-staples for slates, is open and provided with a shim for supporting a charger extracted from the box.

 Figure 2 is a mid-sectional mid-elevation view of the package according to a first alternative embodiment.

 Figure 3 is a top view of the packaging of Figure 2.

 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the box of the packaging of Figures 1 to 3 and rows of hook-staples superimposed in this box.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the hook loader forming part of the package shown in the
Figures 1 to 4.

 Figure 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a retaining tab for the packaging of Figures 1 to 4 on an inclined surface such as a house roof under construction.

 Figure 7 is a perspective view of a transverse wall of the packaging box, one edge of which is capped by the tab of Figure 6.

 Figure 8 is a perspective view from below of the box of the packaging according to the invention, equipped with the retaining tab of Figures 6 and 7 in its folded position of use.

 Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the packaging of Figure 8, arranged on a sloping surface such as a roof and retained to an element thereof by the tab of Figures 6 to 8.

 The packaging shown in the drawings is intended to receive rows 1 of hooks of elongated shape, namely in the example shown hooks-tips 2 or hooks-staples 3 (Figure 4) for holding slates on roofs.

 The packaging includes a rectangular box 4 in the example shown, closed by a cover 5 (Figure 8) and in which the rows 1 of hooks 2 or 3 can be superimposed on the bottom 6. The hooks 2 and 3 include a curved end 6 for retaining the slates (not shown), but their opposite ends are formed, in the case of the hooks 2 by a point 7, and in the case of the hooks 3, by a staple 8. Usually, the box 4 is in wood, its cover 5 being fixed to the longitudinal walls 9 and to the transverse walls 11 by staples not shown.

 The packaging comprises a series of chargers 12 for supporting rows 1 of hooks 2 or 3, one row per charger. Each charger 12 is formed, in this example, by a U-shaped wire, consisting of two longitudinal branches 13 parallel or substantially parallel and by a transverse branch 14 of connection. Preferably the wire 13, 14 is metallic and slightly elastic, so that the flexible arms 13 can undergo a certain angular movement and then return to their initial position. The spacing d between the branches 13 (Figure 5) corresponds substantially to the length of the staples 2 or 3, so that they can be threaded by their curved ends 6, 7 or 6, 8 on the branches 13. L spacing 9 is such that they normally come to bear on the bottom of the curved ends 6, 7 or 6, 8, which makes it possible to keep the hooks in place parallel to each other, on the loader 12.

 The latter is advantageously supplemented by a transverse end bar 15 (Figures 1 and 5), the ends of which are pierced with holes 16 allowing the bar 15 to be threaded onto the branches 13 and to place it in abutment on the first hook 2 or 3 ( Figure 1) of row 1. The bar 15 is dimensioned to maintain the slightly flexible branches 13, at the predetermined spacing d so that these remain applied against the curved ends 6, 7, 8 of the hooks 2, 3.

 Each loader 12 can advantageously include retaining stops for the row 1 of hooks, arranged near the transverse branch 14. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, these stops consist of two lugs 10 projecting transversely outside branches 13. Thus, when a loader 12 is furnished with a row 1 of hooks, this is kept clamped between, on the one hand the stops 10 and on the other hand the bar 15.

 In the variant illustrated in FIG. 3, the retaining stops of row 1 are constituted by sections 17 of the branches 13 oriented in diverging directions, so as to delimit between the transverse connector 14 and these diverging sections 17 segments 13a having between them a spacing greater than d.

The packaging is also equipped with a shim 18 adapted to be able to overlap the edge of a wall 9, 11 of the box 4 after extraction of its cover 5 and to support a charger 12 fitted with its row 1 of hooks. In the embodiment illustrated in
Figure 1, the wedge 18 is constituted by a U-shaped bracket 19 provided with a pair of members 21 for hooking the transverse branch 14 of the loader 12. These members 21 have the form of curved hooks towards the bottom 6 of the box 4 when the wedge 18 is in place on a wall 9 or 11, and are placed at a suitable spacing.

The hooking members 21 are more shaped with respect to the stirrup 19, so that when the branch 14 is engaged in these hooks 21, the longitudinal branches 13 bear on the stirrup 19 with a predetermined inclination by relative to the bottom 6. The latter being assumed to be horizontal, the loader 12 and its row 1 of hooks are thus raised at an appropriate angle with the bottom 6, which prevents any risk of inadvertent sliding of the hooks 2, 3 towards the free ends branches 13 once the bar 15 removed.

 In the second embodiment shown in Figure 2, the support wedge 22 includes a stirrup 23 shaped like a U, but the outer surface of its transverse branch 24 is inclined upward relative to the bottom 6 (assumed to be horizontal). In addition, this wedge 22 is provided with a single attachment member 25 extending over an appropriate length and whose spout is turned towards the external surface of the branch 24.

The relative arrangement of the latter and of the hooking member 25 is such that, the charger 12 being put in place on the wedge 22 with its connector 14 introduced into the hook 25 and its branches 13 bearing on the edge upper part of the surface 24, these branches 13 are raised angularly by an appropriate angle on the bottom 6.

 The box 4 may advantageously be provided with a lug 26 for retaining on an inclined surface such as a roof frame 27 (Figures 6 to 9) by hooking this lug on a batten 28. The lug 26 is formed, in the 'example shown, by a metal wire formed of two parallel end portions 29, bent in a U, and by a connector 31 of connection also in a U shape, foldable relative to the ends 29. In the conformation illustrated in Figure 6, the ends 29 of the terminal parts and the connector 31 are situated in approximately parallel planes. The tab 26 can be interposed between the bottom 6 and one of the walls of the box 4, for example a transverse wall 11 (Figures 8 and 9), so that these end portions 29 extend internally to the box 4 and that its connector 31 is outside the box.

 In position 31a of non-use, shown in Figure 7 and in phantom in Figure 8, the connector 31 is pressed against the outer face of the wall 11 engaged in the tab 26, between the end portions 29 and the connector 31. The latter can be folded over about 1800, to a position (shown in solid lines in Figures 8 and 9), in which it is approximately perpendicular to the bottom 6. Therefore, when the packaging is to be used on an inclined surface, it suffices to arrange the box 4 so that the connector 31 comes to hang, for example on the batten 28 of the roof 27. If necessary, if the whole of the box 4 is not used, the tab 26 can be folded so that its connector 31 returns to the position 31a of non-retained box 4. Of course, the tab 26 is made of a suitable material, which can be folded and unfolded without risking breaking, for example in steel wire.

 An interval 32 (Figure 8) can advantageously be made between an edge of one of the transverse walls 11 of the box 4 and its cover 5 (Figure 8).

It is of course sufficient for this purpose that the wall 11 is produced, before assembly of the box 4, with a height less than that of the longitudinal walls 9. The height of the gap 32 is chosen to allow insertion into it of a tool making it possible to extract the cover 5 without breaking it, contrary to what most often occurs with the hook boxes conventionally used until now.

 The packaging according to the invention is produced in a very simple manner: beforehand, a row of hooks 2 or 3 is successively threaded on each loader 11 which, on the side of the transverse branch 14, are retained by the stops 10 or 17. When the appropriate number of hooks is reached, the last hook being located not far from the free ends of the branches 13, the bar 15 is put in place on these free ends so that it comes to rest on the last hook 2 or 3 ( Figure 1). As already indicated, the bar 15 maintains the spacing d between the branches 13 which are thus firmly held applied in the ends 6, 7, 8 of the hooks 2, 3. This bar also acts as a brake, which prevents escape hooks. In fact, the slight elasticity of the arms 13 means that they exert on the ends of the bar 15 forces of opposite directions, which therefore keep the bar 15 in place on the rods 13.

 There are then the magazines 12 thus furnished with rows 1 of hooks, head to tail one on the other on the bottom 6 (Figures 2 and 4). The head-to-tail arrangement saves volume and therefore stack a maximum of chargers and hooks in box 4.

The different superimposed rows of hooks 2, 3 are therefore firmly held each on their respective loaders 12 so that the hooks can no longer become entangled with one another during handling of the box before use. At the stage of use, the operator opens the packaging by inserting an appropriate tool in the interval 32 and takes off the cover 5 from the walls 9 without breaking it, thanks to this interval 32. Then the operator takes hold 18 or 22 (arranged in a location left free inside the box 4 after filling thereof), and places it on one of the walls 9, 11, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. Of course , if at this stage the box 4 is to be placed on an inclined surface, the connector 31a of the tab 26 is previously bent to its position shown in the
Figures 8 and 9 and attached to a retaining element such as 28.

 After placing the first loader 12 on the wedge 18 or 22, the operator removes the bar 15 and can then conveniently extract the hooks 2 or 3 one by one, without some of these being able to be tangled together. others, and moreover without risk of losing them by untimely escaping of the branches 13.

 This results in a reduction in the time necessary for the execution of the work of installing the hooks, and this without losing a part of them.

 The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and is capable of various variant embodiments. Thus, it is possible to arrange the loaders 12 and their rows 1 of hooks, no longer by superimposing them on the bottom 6, but by juxtaposing them with each other perpendicular to this bottom, the head-to-tail arrangement being of course preferably kept to reduce the overall size. In addition, the hooks 2, 3 for retaining slates shown can be replaced by other hooks having a similar general conformation, but intended for different uses. The hook loader can also be made of a U-shaped plastic frame, of any cross-section, insofar as it is adapted to be able to be accommodated in the curved ends of hooks. The bar 15 can be replaced by a rod, the ends of which are formed by rings threaded onto the branches 13 of the U.

Claims (9)

 1. Packaging for hooks (2, 3) of elongated shape, in particular hooks for holding slates on roofs (2, 7), comprising a box (4) closed by a cover and in which the hooks are arranged in rows , characterized in that this packaging comprises a series of loaders (12) for supporting the rows (1) of hooks at the rate of one row per charger, each charger being formed by a part (13, 14) shaped into a U on which the hooks are threaded parallel to each other, the branches (13) of the U coming into elastic support on the curved ends (6, 7; 8) of the hooks in order to hold the latter in place on the charger (12).  2. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a shim (18; 22) adapted to be able to overlap the edge of a wall (9, 11) of the box (4) after extraction of the cover (5), and to support a charger (12) and its row (1) of hooks (2, 3) in order to facilitate the handling of the latter.  3. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the wedge (18; 22) comprises an element (19: 23) U-shaped, provided with at least one attachment member (21; 25) of the transverse branch (14) of the loader (12), whose longitudinal branches (13) bear on the shim on either side of this attachment member, the shim being preferably arranged so that the loader (12) is inclined upwards at an appropriate angle relative to the bottom (6) of the box (4) when it is mounted on the wedge (18; 22).  4. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each charger (12) is provided with a transverse end bar (15) whose ends are pierced to allow to thread this bar on the ends of the branches (13) of the U-shaped part and place it resting on the first hook (2, 3) of the row (1), and this bar is dimensioned to keep the longitudinal branches (13) slightly flexible of the loader at a spacing (d) such that these branches remain applied against the curved ends (6, 7, 8) of the hooks, opposite transverse forces being further exerted by the ends of the branches (13) on the ends of the bar.  5. Packaging according to claim 4, characterized in that each loader (12) comprises stops (10; 17) retaining the row (1) of hooks (2, 3), arranged near the transverse branch (14 ) of the U-shaped part, for example lugs (16), or divergent sections (17) of the longitudinal branches (13), increasing the spacing between the latter up to the transverse branch (14).  6. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the box (4) is provided with a tab (26) for retaining on an inclined surface such as a roof frame (27), this tab being constituted for example by a wire formed by two curved end parts (29) connected by a foldable U-shaped connector (31) and this tab can be interposed between the bottom (6) and a wall (9, 11) of the box ( 4) so that its end portions (29) extend internally to the box and that its U-shaped connector (31) is external to said box, this connector being pressed against the outer face of the wall in the non-use position of the box and being able to be folded up to a position where it projects transversely with respect to the bottom, in order to secure the attachment of the box in the use position.  7. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a gap (32) is formed between an edge of one of the transverse walls (11) of the box (4) and the cover (5 ), to allow the extraction of the latter without breaking it.  8. Packaging according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the chargers (12) provided with their rows (1) of hooks (2, 3) are superimposed on the bottom (6) or juxtaposed perpendicular to it last, preferably in a head-to-tail arrangement (Figures 2 and 4).  9. Packaging according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each charger (12) is provided with a rod whose ends are constituted by rings which can be threaded on the branches (13) of the charger.