IE53335B1

IE53335B1 - Improvements relating to the forming of packets or batches

Info

Publication number: IE53335B1
Application number: IE2372/81A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Isover
Priority date: 1980-10-10
Filing date: 1981-10-09
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Also published as: DZ329A1; AU7625581A; GR75107B; RO85017A; FR2491889B2; FR2491889A2; OA06921A; YU244181A; ES8304008A2; NO813416L; IE812372L; EP0050078A1; RO85017B; BR8106560A; ES506165A0; NO155763B; JPS5796967A; NO155763C; FI813137L; MX154102A

Abstract

The invention relates to a batch of two loads (1, 2) of rolls (3) or packages of compressible materials. This batch comprises an assembling member (8) in a retractile plastic material, at least one portion of which laterally surrounds, on the one hand, the upper part of the lower load (1) and, on the other hand, the lower part of the upper load (2). This assembling member (8) is shrunk onto the outer portion of the loads with which it is in contact.

Description

The invention relates to batches of loads each comprising at least two layers of rolls or packets of a compressible material.

The specification of French Patent Application No. 79 5 17771 discloses a load consisting of at least two layers of rolls made of a compressible material, the rolls of each layer being disposed in side-by-side contiguous relationship with one another, the rolls of any two layers disposed one above another engaging with one another by way of their top generatrix and bottom generatrix, the load comprising two profiled plates adjoining the outermost layers of rolls and two fastenings or bindings which bear on such plates and which are disposed at right angles to one another. The profiled plates may be identical, may comprise passages for a lifting fork, the passages being contrived by bending or moulding of the sheet material forming the plates and the passages may substantially follow the Bhape of the rolls. The loads comprise end panels which may be, with advantage, formed with apertures disposed opposite the lifting fork passages or may have, opposite the same, predetermined marked areas which the lifting fork can pierce when engaging the load. One of the bindings or fastenings may consist of plastics strip material. - 3 To facilitate the handling, transport and storage of such loads, it is the object of this invention to provide batches of at least two such loads, the same being stacked one above another and assembled together.

The invention therefore provides a batch of at least two loads each comprising at least two layers of rolls or packets of a compressible material, the rolls of each layer being placed side by side and in contact with one another while the rolls of two superimposed layers are in contact with each other by their lower and upper generatrices, respectively, each load also comprising two profiled plates adjoining the outermost layers of the rolls and two binding elements bearing against the profiled plates and orientated at right angles to each other, these loads being superimposed one upon the other and at least one having an outer hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material, the batch comprising an assembling device of shrinkable plastics material, at least part of which holds the upper part of the lower load and the lower part of the upper load in at the sides, the said assembling device being hooped about the outer part of the said loads, with which it is in contact.

Preferably, the said assembling device holds in each of the two loads over a height equal to at least the diameter of the rolls of which the loads are composed. - 4 In a first embodiment of the invention, the two loads have an external hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material and the said assembling device consists of a belt hooped about the said loads at the level of the surfaces at which they are in contact.

In a second embodiment of the invention, only the lower load has a hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material and the said assembling device consists of a hood covering the upper surface and lateral surfaces of the upper load, the lower part of which hood forms a skirt round the upper part of the lower load and is hooped about it.

Batches of loads in accordance with the invention may be prepared by a simple process which constitutes another aspect of the invention.

The invention provides a process for the formation of a batch of at least two superimposed loads each comprising at least two layers of rolls or packets of a compressible material, the rolls of each layer being placed side by side and in contact with one another while the rolls of the two superimposed layers are in contact with each other by their lower or upper generatrix, respectively, this load further comprising two profiled plates adjoining the outermost layers of the rolls and two binding elements bearing against the profiled plates and S3335 - 5 orientated at right angles to each other, at least one of the two loads having an outer hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material, in which, process the said loads are stacked, with the load carrying the hood being placed at the bottom of the stack, an assembling device of shrinkable plastics material is placed round the said loads in a position such that it covers the lateral aspects of the upper part of the lower load and lower part of the upper load, and the said device is raised to a temperature at which it shrinks to grip the said loads.

This process may be applied to the formation of a batch of two superimposed loads each having a hood of shrinkable plastics material and in which said assembling device consists of a belt hooped about the said loads at the level of their contact surfaces, in which process the said belt is raised to the desired temperature of shrinking and thermosetting by relative displacement of the stack of loads and a source of hot gas.

This process may also be applied to the formation of a batch of two superimposed loads of which only the lower load has a hood of shrinkable or stretchable plastics material, and in which the said assembling device consists of a hood covering the upper load, the dimensions of this hood being such that it completely covers the upper load and that its lower part forms a skirt hooped about the - 6 upper part of the lower load, in which process the assembling hood is raised to the desired temperature of shrinkage and heat sealing by passing the stack of loads covered by its hood through a shrinkage oven.

The invention will now be described more particularly, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figures 1 to 3 show various phases associated with the preparation of a batch of loads in accordance with the invention, the load-assembly element being a shrinkable belt, Figure 1 showing the stacking, Figure 2 showing the position of the belt and Figure 3 showing the shrinkage thereof; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1 to 3, in the case in which the assembly element is a shrinkable bag or cover; Figure 7 shows a truck transporting a batch consisting of two loads in accordance with the invention; and Figure 8 shows the assembly by hooping or strapping of four batches each consisting of two loads, for - 7 example for transportation in rail vehicles.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, these show the preparation of a batch of two loads 1, 2 of compressible rolls 3? as described in French Patent Application No. 79 17771, each load comprises a bottom plate 4 and a top plate 4 profiled to follow intimately the shape of the rolls and to leave triangular passages for a fork of a handling facility. Plastics strips 5 engages the rolls perpendicularly to their axis and panels 6 made of plastics or board are placed at the roll ends with recesses 7 opposite the passages for a lifting fork. Each of the loads 1, 2 is covered by a protective bag or cover made of a shrinkable material.

In accordance with the invention, the load 2 is first stacked on the load 1 (Figure 1), whereafter a belt 8 made of a shrinkable material is placed around the stack of loads (Figure 2) so as to engage laterally the bottom part of the top load 2 and the top part of the bottom load 1. Preferably, and as shown in the drawings, the belt 8 is placed symmetrically of the contacting surfaces of the two loads and engages each of them over a height at least equal to the diameter of the rolls 3. The belt 8 may be made for example from a polythene film mono-orientated in a direction perpendicular to the direction of stacking so - 8 as to increase its stretching strength. The polythene film may be for example 100 microns thick.

The shrinkable belt 8 is then heated sufficiently to shrink it, for instance, in the manner shown in Figure 3, by the stack being moved past a battery 9 of hot air guns which discharge hot air towards the stack, and by the same being pivoted before the battery 9 (Figure 3). When subjected to heat the belt 8 shrinks and engages firmly with the loads 1, 2 in the bight between them and thus 10 secures them rigidly to one another to form a batch; as will be shown hereinafter, the batch can be handled readily and can be delivered as it is to users.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6, batches 10,11 comprise loads of rolls 12 identical to those just described, except that only the bottom load 10 has a shrinkable or stretchable bag or cover and the load 11 which is stacked on the load 10 (Figure 4) has no such bag or cover; a shrinkable bag 13, for example of polythene, is subsequently placed over the top load 11 and covers the 20 same completely, the bottom part of the bag 13 forming a skirt which drops all the way around the top part of the bottom load 10. As previously explained, the skirt of the bag 13 preferably covers the bottom load 10 over a height at least equal to the diameter of the rolls 12 (Figure 5). The bag 13 is then shrunk by introducing the stack of - 9 loads into a shrink oven 14 in which the stack is heated by batteries of infrared radiation heaters 15. When heated the bag shrinks, intimately follows the shape of the top load and engages with the two loads in the bight between them (Figure 6).

As in the previous case, the result is a batch of two loads which are rigidly secured to one another to facilitate their transport and storage, since the nature of the connection between the two loads ensures that the top load cannot slide on the bottom load, a feature which facilitates stowage of the batch on transport vehicles.

Also, the assembly element protects the bight between the loads against inclement weather.

Similar batches of loads disposed one above another can also be contrived by assembling them under slight pressure by means of fastenings such as plastics strip material.

The batch of loads can be handled by supporting only the top load, the bottom load then being suspended therefrom by way of the assembly element, the latter experiencing a very reduced and partly reversible extension. The user can then move the batch by means of a fork-lift truck by introducing the fork tines into the bottom passages of the top load.

Of course, while the batch is not ready to be used it - 10 53333 should be handled carefully so as to damage neither the bag or cover used to cover one or both loads before their assembly nor the assembly element (belt or bag or cover) interconnecting the two loads. In some cases, therefore, fork lift trucks should not be used since the fork would pierce the bags or covers as well as the assembly elements. However, this is not a problem for, as shown in Figure 7, a batch 16 of loads can be transported by means of a truck 17 comprising in known manner plates 18 which are movable relative to one another and which clamp the batch laterally and enable it to be raised completely safely without damage to its constituents.

These batches can in turn be interconnected by horizontal or vertical fastenings to form bulkier groups, for example for long-distance rail transport or storage in sheds.

Accordingly, and as shown in Figure 8, batches can be joined together by means of vertical plastics strapping 19, for example of polypropylene, similar to the strapping which, in accordance with the specification of French Patent Application No. 79 17771, engages the rolls of each load perpendicularly to their axis. Preferably, the strips 19 are also disposed above the strips of the individual loads of each batch so as to cover the same.

The strips or strapping 19 prevent the individual - 11 batches from sliding relatively to one another and thus facilitate storage and long distance carriage of the batches. To strap the batches, the method described in the specification of French Patent Application No. 79 17771 for hooping the loads can be used, that is the batches can be slightly compressed before being hooped, whereafter the compression is released. In the case of Figure 8 the two-load batches are also assembled by a horizontal fastening consisting of a shrinkable plastics belt 20 applied in accordance with the process of this invention.

As can be seen in Figure 8, it has been possible to prepare groups consisting of four batches each containing two loads, each load in turn comprising nine (9) blast wall rolls and having the features described in the above mentioned French Specification, namely: roll diameter: 500 to 550 mm, length: 1 600 mm, width: (length of rolls): 1 200 mm, height: 1 280 mm, weight: 145 kg Groups of seventy two (72) rolls of this kind have the advantage of being compact in this form and therefore readily stowable on railway vehicles, with a reduction in wasted storage space.

Claims

1. A batch of at least two loads each comprising at least two layers of rolls or packets of a compressible material, the rolls of each layer being placed side by

2. A batch according to Claim 1, in which the said assembling device holds in each of the two loads over a height equal to at least the diameter of the rolls of

3. A batch according to either of Claims 1 or 2, in which the said assembling device is made of polyethylene.

4. A batch according to Claim 3, in which the said 5. Source of hot gas comprises a row of hot air jets.

5. A batch according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the two loads have an external hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material and the said assembling 5 polyethylene is mono-orientated in a direction perpendicular to the direction of stacking of the loads. 5 side and in contact with one another while the rolls of two superimposed layers are in contact with each other by their lower and upper generatrices, respectively, each load also comprising two profiled plates adjoining the outermost layers of the rolls and two binding elements

6. A batch according to Claim 5, in which the said belt is arranged symmetrically about the surfaces of contact of the said loads. 15

7. A batch according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which only the lower load has a hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material and the said assembling device consists of a hood covering the upper surface and lateral surfaces of the upper load, the lower part of 20 which hood forms a skirt round the upper part of the lower load and is hooped about it.

8. A process for the formation of a batch of at least two superimposed loads each comprising at least two layers of rolls or packets of a compressible material, the rolls of each layer being placed side by side and in contact with one another while the rolls of two superimposed layers are in contact with each other by their lower or upper generatrix, respectively, this load further comprising two profiled plates adjoining the outermost layers of the rolls and two binding elements bearing against the profiled plates and orientated at right angles to each other, at least one of the two loads having an outer hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material, in which process the said loads are stacked, with the load carrying the hood being placed at the bottom of the stack, an assembling device of shrinkable plastics material is placed round the said loads in a position such that it covers the lateral aspects of the upper part of the lower load and lower part of the upper load, and the said device is raised to a temperature at which it shrinks to grip the said loads.

9. A process according to Claim 8, applied to the formation of a batch of two superimposed loads each having a hood of shrinkable plastics material and in which said assembling device consists of a belt hooped about the said loads at the level of their contact surfaces, in which process the said belt is raised to the desired temperature of shrinking and thermosetting by relative displacement of the stack of loads and a source of hot gas.

10. Assembling device consists of a hood covering the upper load, the dimensions of this hood being such that it completely covers the upper load and that its lower part forms a skirt hooped about the upper part of the lower load, in which process the assembling hood is raised to 10 device consists of a belt hooped about the said loads at the level of the surfaces at which they are in contact. 10 bearing against the profiled plates and orientated at right angles to each other, these loads being superimposed one upon the other and at least one having an outer hood of stretchable or shrinkable plastics material, the batch comprising an assembling device of shrinkable plastics

11. A process according to Claim 10, in which the fixed

12. A process according to Claim 8, applied to the formation of a batch of two superimposed loads of which only the lower load has a hood of shrinkable or stretchable plastics material, and in which the said

13. A batch of at least two superimposed loads obtained by carrying out the process according to any one of Claims 20 8 to 12. - 13 which the loads are composed.

14. A batch of at least two loads, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

15. The desired temperature of shrinkage and heat sealing by passing the stack of loads covered by its hood through a shrinkage oven. - 15 10. A process according to Claim 9, in which the stack of loads equipped with the said belt is pivoted in front of a fixed source of hot gas. 15 material, at least part of which holds the upper part of the lower load and the lower part of the upper load in at the sides, the said assembling device being hooped about the outer part of the said loads, with which it is in contact. 20

16. - 16 15. A process for the formation of a batch of at least two superimposed loads, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.