GB2101953A

GB2101953A - Bundling pipes

Info

Publication number: GB2101953A
Application number: GB08122429A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Isao Takei
Original assignee: NICHIEI DISTRIBUTION SYST; NICHIEI DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Inc; Nippon Kokan Ltd
Current assignee: NICHIEI DISTRIBUTION SYST; JFE Engineering Corp; NICHIEI DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS Inc
Priority date: 1981-07-31
Filing date: 1981-07-21
Publication date: 1983-01-26
Also published as: FR2510522B1; GB2101953B; DE3128345A1; FR2510522A1

Abstract

A binding kit for a plurality of pipes (1) comprises at least one pair of pipe reception blocks (2), each having a series of concavities which when the blocks are arranged to confront one another provide spaces for locating sections of the pipes, sleepers (3) for overlying outer faces of the blocks, and a bundling strap (4) for encircling tightly one or more pairs of pipe reception blocks (2), and association sleepers (3). The pipe reception block (2) may include two regions, one, being the region where concavities are formed, being formed of rubber or plastics, and the other, being the region having the sleeper contacting surface, being formed of plywood. Blocks of wood (8) may be located in confronting apertures (7) provided in plateaux between some of the concavities of the confronting blocks (2), such wooden blocks (8) serving to support the weight of upper assemblies of bundled pipes when the assemblies are stacked. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Binding device for elongated pipes This invention relates to a binding device for shipping and the storage of a plurality of elongated pipes.

It is common practice to bind a plurality of elongated pipes in a bundle, the bundle being tightly secured with steel wire or the like. This binding method has been widely adopted in the fields of transportation due to its relative simplicity. However, there are disadvantages in that the elongated pipes are exposed to possible damage e.g. damage to protective coatings by direct contact with the binding. Moreover, since the bundle of pipes is encircled and held by a binding which contacts only localized or restricted surface portions of each of the outermost pipes, those pipes within the bundle may shift and the bundle is liable to be crushed or deformed during transportation or storage in a stacked condition. Furthermore, in this conventional method, no measures are provided for protecting each of the elongated pipes against bends or dents.

It istherfore an object of this invention to provide ane improved binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes.

According to this invention a binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes comprises a pair of pipe reception blocks for receiving side by side a plurality of elongated pipes, concavities being located on one face of each of the blocks in equal spaced-apart arrangement, the concavities having substantially the same curvature as that of the outer surface of the elongated pipes, confronting cavities in opposed blocks of the pair together providing a space in which a pipe may be located, first and second sleepers for supporting respectively that face of each block opposite to the face containing the concavities and a bundling strap for encircling and fastening together one or more pairs of pipe reception blocks and associated sleepers when there is a plurality of elongated pipes interposed in the spaces defined by opposed paired blocks.A plurality of elongated pipes may be disposed side by side or in transverse arrangement with respect to the longitudinal axes of the pipes each pipe within a space defined by the confronting concavities located in adjacent faces of opposed blocks. The curvature of the concavities is substantially equal to the external curvature of the elongated pipes. One of a pair of opposed pipe reception blocks rests on the first sleeper, and the second sleeper is placed on the other of the pair of the pipe reception blocks. This assembly is completed and integrated by an encircling bundling strap along the transverse surface of the assembly. This assembly may be stacked in overlying arrangement with one or more of other similar assemblies. As assembly may consist of more than one pair of blocks, the whole assembly then being encircled by the bundling strap.

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 contact with the sleeper is formed. The latter is intended to provide a reinforcing back-up to the former region. The former region is preferably made of rigid polyurethane foam and the latter is preferably made of a veneer plywood. The two materials are fixed together with an appropriate adhesive agent. A pipe reception block thus constructed has sufficient mechanical strength to protect the elongated pipes from deformation and also makes it possible to decrease the height of the sleepers which might have otherwise been of a considerable volume so as to withstand the external forces imparted during handling or transportation.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the binding devices according to the invention utilized in bundling a plurality of elongated pipes; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a pipe reception block in overlying alignment with a sleeper; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a pipe reception block in overlying alignment with a sleeper in which the pipe reception block is truncated; Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of a pipe reception block in overlying alignment with a sleeper in which there are recesses in the bottoms of the concavities; Figure 5 is a front elevational view showing an assembly comprised of two sleepers, a pair of pipe reception blocks, and a supporting member inserted between the confronting blocks; and Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.

The binding device according to this invention illustrated in Figure 1 comprises two pairs of pipe reception blocks 2 for cradling within spaces formed between opposed members of the pairs a plurality of elongated pipes 1, sleepers 3 on the outer faces of the opposed pipe reception blocks 2 and a bundling strap 4 tightly encircling the assembly of pipe reception blocks 2 and sleepers 3. The paired blocks used in this binding device may be stacked in multiple on one or more other sets of paired blocks as shown in Figure 1. In this case one of the intervening sleepers between the underlying assem bly and the overlying assembly can be dispensed with.The elongated pipe 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 Figures 2, 3 and 4, the pipe reception block 2 is formed to receive side by side a plurality of elongated pipes within spaces 5 which are defined by concavities formed on one surfce of the pipe reception block 2 when the two blocks of a pair are opposed to each other in inverted arrange ment. 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. When supporting member 8 made of such as wood block (see Figure 5) is inserted in this aperture 7 and capped with the like but inverted aperture of the opposed pipe reception block 2, it 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 being the region where the concavities are located and the other being the region where the sleeper 3 makes contact. The former region may be made of rubber, plastic resin, poly-vinyl chloride resin or the like, and the most suitable material may be selected in accordance with the kind of pipes to be packed. For example, in the case of steel pipes, rigid polyurethane resin or foam has been proved to be most suitable. The latter region as designated by reference numeral 9 is preferably made of a stronger material e.g. a veneer plywood. The two regions, e.g. poly-vinyl chloride resin and veneer plywood, are secured rigidly by a suitable adhesive agent.It should be noted that due to the provision of the reinforcing region between the first region and the sleeper 3, the height of the sleeper3 and/or block may be markedly less than what might have otherwise been a considerable volume necessary to withstand the external forces imparted during handling or transporation. Thus, this construction affords advantages to prevent the elongated pipes from any bending ortwisting.

A A second embodiment of a pipe reception block 2 is shown in Figure 3 wherein the top of the plateau section 6 is truncated. This type of pipe reception block is particularly suitable when the number of bundle assemblies to be stacked is small and hence the weight imparted directly to the pipe surface is endurable. Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown a third embodiment of the pipe reception block 2 in which there is a recess 10 at the bottom of each concavity. The block as illustrated in Figure 4 consists of two regions as described above but the first region is made up of discrete portions mounted in spaced relationship on the second reinforcing region.One of the reasons why these two embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4 are adopted is that polyurethane or vinyl resin is relatively expensive so that it is useful to decrease the amount of the material.

The sleepers 3 are preferably, and in this embodiment are made of wood, and respectively support and rest on a pair of the pipe reception blocks 2 in contact with the surface made of the veneer plywood 9.

The bundling strap 4 may be hoops, wires, metal strapping, nylon strings or tapes orthe like, or any other known strapping devices.

The method of bundling and function of a binding device according to this invention will now be described with reference particularly to Figures 5 and 6.

First, a plurality of sleepers 3 are placed on the ground or shipping location in spaced-apart dispostion. Pipe reception blocks 2 are then deposited on the respective sleeper with the concavities uppermost and a plurality of elongated pipes 1 are seated in each concavity of the of the blocks 2 thus arranging the elongated pipes 1 side by side in transverse relation to the sleepers 3. The supporting members 8 are inserted into the apertures 7 where the end of the member makes contact with region 9.

Supporting members 8 need not be used when the number of bundle assemblies to be stacked is small.

After inserting the supporting members 8, another pipe reception block 2 is placed in opposed inverse arrangement with the already placed block 2 so that the elongated pipes 1 are embraced within spaces 5 defined by confronting concavities of the pair of pipe reception blocks 2. Another sleeper 3 is placed on the upper block 2. This may complete one assembly.

Alternatively, a second set constructed similarly as above may be stacked on the first assembly using as the base, the upper sleeper of the first set. Two or more sets may be so stacked to form a multiple assembly. The whole is then integrated by an encircling tensioned strap 4. Strap 4 may be positioned along the transverse surface of the binding device as shown in Figure 1, but it is also possible to encircle any additional number of straps around the adjacent elongated pipes 1 to strap the binding device in parallel direction to the longitudinal axes of the pipes 1.

The elongated 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 endure the external forces imparted thereon, the elongated pipes are much less liable to be bent twisted during transportation and handling.

Claims

1. A binding device for a plurality of elongated pipes comprising: a pair of pipe reception blocks for receiving side by side a plurality of elongated pipes, concavities being located on one face of each of the blocks in equal spaced-apart arrangement, the concavities having substantially the same curvature as that of the outer surface of the elongated pipes, confronting concavities in opposed blocks of the pair together providing a space in which a pipe may be located; first and second sleepers for supporting respectively that face of each block opposite to the face containing the concavities; and a bundling strap for encircling and fastening together one or more pairs of pipe reception blocks and associated sleepers when there is a plurality of elongated pipes interposed in the spaces defined by opposed paired blocks.

2. A binding device as claimed in claim 1 in which each pipe reception block is comprised of two regions of different materials, a first region being where the concavities are located and the other being a reinforcing back-up for the first region.

3. A binding device as claimed in Claim 2 in which the region where the concavities are formed is made rigid polyurethane resin foam and the other region is made of a veneer plywood.

4. A binding device as claimed in Claim 1,2 or3 in which the confronting concavities of a pair of pipe reception blocks enhance substantially the whole outer surface of a section of an elongated pipe when located therein.

5. A binding device as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the confronting concavities of a pair of pipe reception blocks embrace substantially only the upper and lower surface of a section of an elonaged pipe when located therein, leaving the intermediate surface unembraced.

6. A binding device as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, 4 or 5 as dependent thereon in which recesses at the bottom of the concavities in the first region communicate directly with the reinforcing region.

7. A binding device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the sections of the block between adjacent concavities there is provided an aperture extending into the block for receiving a supporting member to be positioned end-wise in corresponding apertures of confronting blocks applied to the blocks.