GB2464266A

GB2464266A - Strap Winder

Info

Publication number: GB2464266A
Application number: GB0818281A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Keith Nunn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-07
Filing date: 2008-10-07
Publication date: 2010-04-14
Also published as: GB0818281D0

Abstract

A winder 1 for coiling a strap or the like comprises a rotatable winding portion 4 having a shaft 6, a handle 1) linked to the shaft for rotating the shaft portion, the shaft portion having a free end 24 with a portion 28 adapted to engage with an inner end of a strap being coiled. The winder further comprises a supporting portion 2 for rotatably supporting the shaft portion such that the winding portion is removable from the supporting portion when the winder is not in use.

Description

Strap Winder

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus used for coiling straps and the like.

b. Related Art Straps of varying types are frequently used to secure loads on vehicles, for examples trucks and lorries. When a load has been delivered and removed from the vehicle, the straps that had been securing it have to be stored safely ready to be used again. Traditionally coiling up the straps is done by hand and they are then stowed in a container mounted behind the lorry cab, or in a similar position.

In many cases these straps are several metres long and it can take a significant length of time to wind up even one strap. The task is made more difficult when the straps are cold or wet. Some straps are known to absorb a significant amount of water when exposed to rain and spray during use. Furthermore, the straps need to be stored neatly so that they take up as little space as possible and also so that they do not get tangled.

On a larger vehicle it is not uncommon to use five or more straps and the time taken to coil up each one by hand wastes both time and money.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus for coiling a strap, comprising: -a rotatable winding portion for coiling a strap, the winding portion comprising a shaft portion, a handle linked to the shaft portion for rotating the shaft portion, the shaft portion having a free end and an engagement feature for engaging with an inner end of a strap being coiled; and -a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the shaft portion during said coiling; wherein the winding portion is removable from the supporting portion after coiling of the strap, the engagement feature permitting the inner end of the coiled strap to disengage with the engagement feature as the coiled strap is slid off the free end of the shaft portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shaft portion includes an axial member that extends along an axis of rotation and which terminates with the free end of the shaft portion, and an arm that is radially offset with respect to the axis of rotation. In this embodiment, the engagement feature includes a slot between the axial member and the arm. Advantageously, the slot has an open end facing towards the free end of the axial member, and the open end of the slot permits the inner end of the coil to disengage from the engagement feature when the coiled strap is slid off the free end of the axial member.

Preferably the handle of the winding portion is a crank, and the arm is connected to the shaft portion by the crank. However, the arm may be a spur off the axial member. In other embodiments, the handle may be linked to the shaft portion by means of a plate, and the arm is connected to the shaft portion by the plate. The inclusion of this plate in the winding portion has the advantage that this may be used to further guide the strap during coiling.

The supporting portion comprises a bore with an internal diameter larger than the diameter of the free end of the shaft portion, such that there is a sliding fit between the shaft portion and the bore when the winding portion is being supported by the supporting portion. Preferably, the supporting portion comprises a press plate for aligning edges of a strap being coiled, which helps to form a neat coil to be stored.

Generally the supporting portion will be permanently fixed or mounted on a vehicle and the winding portion is removable and may be stowed with the coiled straps.

The invention further provides a method of coiling a strap using an apparatus according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of: -supporting the winding portion using the supporting portion; -engaging a first inner end of a strap to be coiled with the engagement feature; -turning the handle so as to rotate the shaft portion of the winding portion to coil said strap; -removing the winding portion from the supporting portion when said strap has been coiled; and -sliding said coiled strap off the free end of the shaft portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus for coiling a strap comprising a winding portion and a supporting portion according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; io Figure 2 is a side view of a winding portion partially inserted into a supporting portion of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a winding portion fully inserted into a supporting portion of Figure 1; and Figures 4 and 5 respectively show perspective views of an apparatus for coiling a strap, of Figure 1, without and with a coiled strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows an apparatus for coiling a strap I according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The apparatus I consists of a supporting portion 2 and a winding portion 4.

The winding portion 4 has a shaft portion 6 that includes an axial member 8. In a preferred embodiment the axial member 8 is a metal rod, however, the axial member 8 may be any suitable cylindrical bar and may be made of any other suitable stiff material such as wood.

The handle 10 of the winding portion 4 is a crank and consists of a connecting arm 12 and a grip 14. One end of the connecting arm 12 is joined to an end of the axial member 8 so that the axes of the axial member 8 and the connecting arm 12 axial member 8 so that the axes of the axial member 8 and the connecting arm 12 are substantially at right angles to each other. The grip 14 extends from the other end of the connecting arm 12 such that axes of the connecting arm 12 and the grip 14 are substantially at right angles to each other and the axial member 8 and grip 14 extend in opposite directions relative to the connecting arm 12. Furthermore, the axial member 8, connecting arm 12 and grip 14 are arranged such that they all lie in the same plane. In a preferred embodiment, the axial member 8, connecting arm 12 and grip 14 are formed from a single metal rod bent to form two right angles 16, 18 at an appropriate spacing. A sleeve 20 may also be fitted over the grip 14 of the handle 10. This sleeve 20 is rotatably connected to the grip 14 so that a user of the apparatus I may hold the sleeve 20 with a hand when turning the handle 10, and the sleeve 20 rotates coaxially relative to the grip 14 but remains stationary relative to the hand of the user.

The handle 10 may be of any suitable design such that the handle can be used to rotate the shaft portion 6 of the winding portion 4.

The shaft portion 6 of the winding portion 4 also includes an arm 22 extending laterally from the connecting arm 12 of the crank handle 10 proximate the end of the connecting arm 12 joined to the axial member 8. The arm 22 extends in the same direction as the axial member 8, and the axis of the arm 22 is radially offset and parallel to the axis of the axial member 8. The arm 22 is significantly shorter than the axial member 8. In general the length of the axial member 8 will be at least twice the length of the arm 22, providing a free end 24 of the axial member 8 at the opposite end of the axial member to the handle 10.

A slot 26 is defined between the arm 22 and the axial member 8, and has an open end proximate the free end 23 of the arm 22. The slot 26, arm 22 and section of the axial member 8 proximate the slot, together define an engagement feature 28.

This engagement feature 28 may also be formed from an arm 22 that is a spur off the axial member 8, or may be of any suitable design such that a slot 26 is present with an open end for engaging and disengaging with an end of a strap.

The supporting portion 2 consists of a press plate 30 with a hole 34 and a rigid tube 32. The tube 32 is connected to one face of the press plate 30 such that the axis of the tube 32 is perpendicular to the press plate 30 and the hole 34 in the press plate 30 is aligned with the hollow centre of the tube 32. The diameter of the hole 34 and the inner diameter of the bore of the tube 32 are both greater than the diameter of the axial member 8 of the winding portion 4, such that there is a sliding fit between the axial member 8 and the bore, when the shaft portion 6 is pushed into the supporting portion 2. In a preferred embodiment the press plate is circular; however, the press plate 30 may be of any shape for example square or rectangular.

Also, the bore may be formed in a larger block of material or may be provided in a member on a vehicle. The supporting portion 2 may also be formed from members that act as a cradle for the shaft portion 6, or similar.

The supporting portion 2 of the apparatus is designed to be permanently attached to a vehicle, for example on the frame of a truck or the base of a trailer. When not in use, the winding portion 4 would preferably be stored in a container (not shown) mounted on the vehicle. The winding portion 4 may be stored in the same container used to store the coiled straps. The winding portion 4 is only engaged with the supporting portion 2 when the apparatus I is in use.

In use, a first end of a strap to be coiled (not shown) is positioned in the slot 22 of the engagement feature 28 of the winding portion 4. The free end 24 of the axial member 8 is then inserted into supporting portion 2 through the hole 34 in the press plate 30, as shown in figure 2. Alternatively, the end of the strap may be engaged in the engagement feature 28 after the axial member 8 has been inserted 3D into the supporting portion 2. The axial member 8 is slid into the bore of the tube 32 until the free end 23 of the arm 22 touches the face of the press plate 30 limiting any further insertion, as shown in figure 3. The shaft portion 6 of the winding portion 4 is then rotated about the axial member 8 using the handle 10.

With the first end of the strap engaged in the engagement feature 28 of the winding portion 4, turning the handle 10 acts to wind the strap around the shaft portion 6 forming a coil 36, such that the first end of the strap becomes the inner end of the coil 36. The press plate 30 additionally acts to align an edge of the.

strap as it is being coiled.

If the strap is wet, water may be squeezed out of the coiled strap 36 by holding the outer end 38 of the strap stationary with respect to the supporting portion 2 and turning the handle 10 so as to further rotate the shaft portion 6 and tighten the coil 36.

Once the strap has been fully coiled, the winding portion 4 is removed from the supporting portion 2. The coiled strap 36 can then be slid off the free end 24 of the axial member 8, as the open end of the slot 26 permits the inner end of the coil 36 to disengage from the engagement feature 28. The coiled strap and the winding portion 4 may then be stowed away.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An apparatus for coiling a strap, comprising: -a rotatable winding portion for coiling a strap, the winding portion comprising a shaft portion, a handle linked to the shaft portion for rotating the shaft portion, the shaft portion having a free end and an engagement feature for engaging with an inner end of a strap being coiled; and -a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the shaft portion during said coiling; io wherein the winding portion is removable from the supporting portion after coiling of the strap, the engagement feature permitting the inner end of the coiled strap to disengage with the engagement feature as the coiled strap is slid off the free end of the shaft portion.
2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the shaft portion includes an axial member that extends along an axis of rotation and which terminates with said free end, and an arm that is radially offset with respect to the axis of rotation, the engagement feature including a slot between the axial member and the arm.
3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the slot has an open end facing towards the free end of the axial member, said open end permitting the inner end of the coil to disengage from the engagement feature when the coiled strap is slid off the free end of the axial member.
4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the arm is a spur off the axial rneniber.
5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the handle is a crank.
6. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 when dependent on Claim 2 or 3, wherein the arm is connected to the shaft portion by the crank. -.9-
7. An apparatus as claimed in Claims I to 4, wherein the handle is linked to the shaft portion by means of a plate.
8. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 2 or 3, wherein the arm is connected to the shaft portion by the plate.
9. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the supporting portion comprises a bore with an internal diameter larger than the diameter of the free end of the shaft portion, such that there is a sliding fit between the shaft portion and the bore when the winding portion is being supported by the supporting portion.
10. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the supporting portion comprises a press plate for aligning edges of a strap being coiled.
11. A method of coiling a strap using an apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, the method comprising the steps of: -supporting the winding portion using the supporting portion; -engaging a first inner end of a strap to be coiled with the engagement feature; -turning the handle so as to rotate the shaft portion of the winding portion to coil said strap; -removing the winding portion from the supporting portion when said strap has been coiled; and -sliding said coiled strap off the free end of the shaft portion.
12. An apparatus for coiling a strap substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
13. A method of coiling a strap substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.