GB2277730A

GB2277730A - A sack comprising sheets formed from flattened tubes of circularly woven fabric

Info

Publication number: GB2277730A
Application number: GB9409017A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lionel Nicholas Mantzivis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-05-07
Filing date: 1994-05-06
Publication date: 1994-11-09
Also published as: GB9409017D0; CN1098377A; DE4416150A1; AU6193294A

Description

2277730 CONTAINERS

INTRODUCTION

THIS INVENTION relates to containers and more particularly to containers fashioned from woven fabric.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Containers f or the temporary storage or handling of goods, particularly robust goods, are often large sacks which are fashioned from woven fabric, 1 usually hessian. Fabric woven from syntheti plastics material strands has, to a large extent, replaced hessian because of its rot-proof characteristics.

is The sacks are fashioned from a plurality of fabric sheets sewn to each other at their operative side and bottom edges. Handles which extend from the operative upper edges of the sack are also often provided. These handles provide lifting points.

The above described sacks have a disadvantage for when used to handle heavy loads, the warp threads at the seams between the fabric sheets tend to pull loose from the weft threads. This results in a hold forming in the side or bottom of the sack through which goods can fall. At worst the sack may tear along one whole seam and the entire contents of the sack can fall out and be damaged.

Attempts to alleviate the above disadvantage have involved reinforcing seams between sheets of fabric by incorporating strips of webbing at the seams but this adds to the costs of the sacks.

1 is Other attempts to alleviate the above disadvantage have revolved around using lengths of circularly woven fabric to form a sack without a vertical seam. Such sacks are described in European patent application number 83112416.9 and Patent Cooperation Treaty application number 93/12995. These sacks also have a disadvantage for the load is borne by a single thickness of fabric except where the sack is reinforced. This reduces the load the sack can carry while reinforcing again adds to the costs of the sacks.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a container fabricated from a fabric which at least partly alleviates the above disadvantages.

MMRY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention there is provided a container comprising at least one sheet of circularly woven fabric folded to form a sack having contiguous side edges sewn together, each side being formed from a double thickness of fabric.

1; is ?0 There is also provided for the fabric sheet to have at least one continuous circular wef t strand, and for the strands forming the warp and weft to be of a synthetic plastics material.

There is further provided for the container to have at least one pair of handles of a webbing material, alternatively rope, which are sewn into seams between contiguous edges of the container, alternatively there is provided for the container to have a handle at each of its upper corners.

There is also provided for the container to consist of two sheets of circularly woven fabric folded into a I1Ull shape, the bases of the 'IT1 being disposed normally to each other and the operative sides of the containers.

Alternatively there is provided for the container to consists of a single I1Ull shaped circularly woven fabric sheet and a pair of circularly woven fabric side sheets, the operative bottoms and sides thereof being sewn to the I1Ull shaped sheet to form the container.

is There is further provided for the container to have a top of a circularly woven fabric, the top having an inlet chute.

There is also provided for the container to have at least one gusset formed by folding the fabric and securing contiguous edges of the folded fabric to each other, preferably by sewing, alternatively by gluing, further alternatively by welding; and for the gussets to be towards the corners of the container, preferably the folds of the gussets including the handles.

The invention extends to a method of fabricating a container comprising folding at least one sheet of a circularly woven fabric sheet each having a single circular weft strand to form a sack and sewing contiguous side edges of the sheets to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only, and each with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

is Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of a container according to the invention; Figure 2 is an isometric view of sheets of f abric used to manufacture the embodiment of a container of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a container according to the invention before contiguous side edges of the container are sewn together; and, Figure 4 is an isometric view of two sheets of fabric prior to folding to form the container of Figure 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a container (1) is fabricated from a single rectangular circularly woven fabric sheet (2) and a pair of substantially square circularly woven fabric sheets (3 & 4) have a length and breadth of approximately one metre.

To form the container (1) the rectangular sheet (2) is folded into a 11U11 shape having a square base of approximately one metre by one metre and arms approximately one metre high. The square sheets (3 & 4) are located to form sides to the "Ull. The contiguous side (5) and bottom (6) edges of the sheets are sewn to each other forming an open topped container having a volume of approximately one cubic metre.

In the embodiment illustrated, webbing tapes are sewn into the seams between contiguous side edges (5) of the container (1). The tapes (7) are folded over at their operatively upper ends and are used as handling straps or handles while strengthening the seams (5).

is Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a container (10) is fabricated from a pair of substantially rectangular circularly woven fabric sheets (11 & 12). Each sheet (11 & 12) has a length of approximately three metres an a breadth of approximately one metre. To form the container (10) the sheets (11 & 12) are laid one (11) on top of the other (12) in the form of a Grecian cross. The arms (13) of the cross are then folded upwardly and contiguous side edges are sewn to each other along the dashed lines (15) to produce an open topped container (10) having a volume of approximately one cubic metre. Handles (not shown) can be sewn into the seams of the container.

The base (13) of the container (10) is formed from two overlapping layers of fabric and it is envisaged that the weight of goods placed into the container will prevent the layers separating and thus no sewn seams are required around the base.

The fabric is woven on a six shuttle circular loom. Thus the weft of the fabric is formed by six continuous strands. Accordingly, the weft strands - q are only cut at the ends of sheets and are continuous at its sides. It is envisaged that this will reduce any tendency of the warp strands to pull loose from the weft strands when the container is fully laden.

It will be appreciated that different containers can be made to the embodiments of the invention described above without departing from the scope thereof. in particular the shape and configuration of the containers can be altered as can the number and location of the handles.

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Claims

CLAIMS.

1 A container comprising at least one sheet of circularly woven fabric folded to form a sack having contiguous side edges sewn together each side being formed from a double thickness of fabric.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the fabric sheet has at least one continuous circular weft strand.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the strands forming the warp and weft are of a synthetic plastics material.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container has at least one pair of handles of a webbing material which are sewn into seams between contiguous edges of the container.

A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container has at least one pair of rope - 11.

handles which are sewn into seams between contiguous edges of the container A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container has a handle at each of its upper corners.

7.

A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container consists of two sheets of circularly woven fabric folded into a ITI1 shape, the bases of the "U" being disposed normally to each other and the operative sides of the containers.

8. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container consists of a single "U" shaped circularly woven fabric sheet and a pair of circularly woven fabric side sheets, the operative bottoms and sides thereof being sewn to the "U" shaped sheet to form the container.

9. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which the container has a top of a circularly woven fabric, the top having an inlet chute.

12. - is 10. A container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the container has at least one gusset formed by folding the fabric and securing contiguous edges of the folded fabric to each other.

11. A container as claimed in claim 10 in which the container has gussets towards the corners of the containers.

12. A container as claimed in claim 11 in which the handles of the container are included in the folds of the gussets.

13. A container as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12 in which contiguous edges of the folded fabric are se-ared to each other by sewing.

A container as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12 in which contiguous edges of the folded fabric are secured to each other by gluing.

13 - 15. A container as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12 in which contiguous edges of the folded fabric are secured to each other by welding.

J A method of fabricating a container comprising folding at least one sheet of a circularly woven fabric sheet each having a single circular weft strand to form a sack and sewing contiguous side edges of the sheets to each other.

17. A container constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of fabricating a container, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.