US20060273602A1

US20060273602A1 - Roll transport apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20060273602A1
Application number: US11/144,139
Authority: US
Inventors: Tim Rownd
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-06-03
Filing date: 2005-06-03
Publication date: 2006-12-07

Abstract

Transport apparatus utilizing a carrying strap permitting one individual to load and transport a roll of sheet plastic material without damage. The apparatus utilizes three upwardly directed equally spaced U-shaped roll supports, A supporting base for the center roll support is arranged to permit placing the apparatus on a planar surface for loading. The base is attached to the center roll support through a locking extension with a number of outward positions to eliminate damaging the roll during loading. The base is attached to the end roll supports telescopically to accommodate different length rolls, which lock at various lengths to ensure positive roll support. Pivots for the telescopic attachments to the base permit pivoting the end roll supports together to minimize storage space.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention deals with apparatus to enable an individual to carry a roll of vinyl material with no damage to the vinyl.
2. Description of the Related Art
A problem arises when an individual attempts to transport a roll of sheet vinyl or plastic for flooring. Sheet plastic is very susceptible to damage when being transported because even the slightest bending will cause it to crack, break, buckle or deform. It is difficult to avoid buckling and deformation which can cause the sheet vinyl to change color. Any of these events will result in having to replace the entire roll of vinyl or plastic at considerable cost.
Vinyl plastic is particularly vulnerable to these problems. Installers must be very careful when lifting and carrying a roll of any plastic. Currently the problem has been addressed in two ways. One way is to have a number of individuals support the roll at several locations while lifting and transporting the roll. Another way is to retain the roll with the cardboard tube used for shipment for transport retained internally. Both approaches require additional manpower. The first requires multiple individuals, and the second delays opening the carton containing the roll until at the installation site where removal is more difficult because specialized equipment normally used to open a carton is not available.
It would be desirable if a roll of sheet plastic material could be lifted and moved on site by only one person while the roll is supported at a number of locations along its length to prevent any damage. It would also be desirable if the transport apparatus could be placed upon the floor before loading the roll and the relative location of supports adjusted with respect to the roll to minimize the possibility of damage to the roll during loading and transporting. Since a roll of flooring material is often quite long, it would be desirable if apparatus used to support the roll could be folded for storage to minimize the required storage space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The transport apparatus for transporting a roll of sheet plastic material utilizes a plurality of roll supports (optimally three), each having an upwardly oriented U-shape. One roll support is centered along the apparatus, and the other two roll supports are located near opposite ends of the roll. A base mounts the center roll support. The end roll supports are spaced apart from the center roll support and are carried by two telescoping connectors extending outwardly in opposite directions from the base. The telescoping connectors permit adjusting the spacing between the center and end roll supports to accommodate different length rolls. The telescoping connectors can have spring locks to secure the connectors at a plurality of spacings for different length rolls.
The base has a generally planar surface beneath the center roll support covered by a soft material such as carpeting to protect a supporting surface. When the base planar surface is placed upon a horizontal surface, the apparatus is oriented such that the U-shaped roll supports face upward.
The base support has adjusting apparatus to change the amount that the center roll support extends toward the roll. This adjustment permits changing the center roll support vertical extension toward the roll as compared to the end roll supports before loading the roll. Spring loaded lock apparatus secures the center roll support adjusting apparatus at a number of locations to provide a number of different center roll positions. This eliminates a potential problem of the roll bending or buckling while being loaded upon the transport apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become more manifest to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following descriptions, taken in connection and wherein:
FIG. 1 is an overview of the transport apparatus supporting a roll of plastic sheet material;
FIG. 2 is an overview of the transport apparatus supporting a roll of plastic material on a floor showing the internal structure;
FIG. 3 is a detail view of the base, center roll support and adjacent parts;
FIG. 4 is cross-section 4-4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is cross-sectional 5-5 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is cross-section 6=6 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 cross-section 7-7 of FIG. 6
FIG. 8 is cross-section view 8-8 FIG. 3; and
FIG. 9 is an end view of the transport apparatus with the telescoping connectors extended with the end roll supports interleaved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show transport apparatus 10 supporting a sheet vinyl roll 12. Roll 12 is supported by center roll support 14 and end roll supports 16 and 18. Roll supports 14, 16 and 18 all have a generally U-shaped extension sized and aligned to receive roll 12. Center roll support 14 is mounted upon base 20. Base 20 supports transport apparatus 10 on planar surface 11. Telescoping connector 22 connects end roll support 16 to base 20, and telescoping connector 24 connects end roll support 18 to base 20.
FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 show base 20 with additional details of the base, center roll support 14, and telescoping connectors 22 and 24. Base 20 has a planar base plate 20A with carpet 20B attached to its bottom surface to protect planar supporting surface 11. U-shaped base bracket 20C is welded to base plate 20A. Perpendicular base extensions 20C1 and 20C2 are welded to base bracket 20C and extend upwardly perpendicular to base 20. Holes 24E and 24F through extensions 20C provide access for bolt 24E which is secured by nut 24F. Tube 24 abuts bolt 24E and is centered by sleeves 24G1 and 24G2 over bolt 24E.
Roll support 14 has downward directed parallel roll support extensions 14A and 14B welded to the outer surface. Base extensions 20C1 and 20C2 are spaced apart and slidably adjacent within and between roll support extensions 14A and 14B. U-shaped spring 20D is deployed between base extensions 20C1 and 20C2.
Spring 20D presses outwardly against attached locking pin 20E which holds the pin in place.
Locking pin 20E slidably mates with a single hole 20F through base extension 20C1 and one of a number of aligned, vertical, equally spaced and equally sized holes 14C through vertical roll support extension 14A. This permits moving center roll support 14 and providing a locking arrangement between the center roll support and base 20 at a number of locations determined by the location of holes 14C. Since pin 20E has a rounded outer head 20E1 this will cause it to retract from hole 20E1 in extension 14A and permit moving the center roll support 14 relative to base 20 when sufficient force is exerted between center roll support 14 and base 20 permitting the center roll support to be moved with respect to base 20. When pin 20E is opposite the next adjacent hole 14C in extension 14A it will extend outward through hole 14C and again lock center roll support 14 to base 20. This permits adjusting the relative extension of center roll support 14 with respect to end roll supports 16 and 18. This process can be repeated until the desired extension is obtained. This adjustment is made before roll 12 is loaded to ensure that loading the roll will not buckle or otherwise deform the roll.
FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 show the arrangement for telescoping connector 24 and also for identical telescoping connector 22. Telescoping connector 24 has an outer tube 24A and an inner tube 24B sized such that the inner tube slidably fits within the outer tube. A number of equal sized aligned holes 24A1 are provided along the length of outer tube 24A, and a hole of the same size namely hole 24B1 is provided in inner tube 24B. Stud 24C, which has a rounded outer end 24C1, is sized to slidably fit within holes 24A1 and 24B1. Spring 24D is folded lengthwise within inner tube 24B and has one end attached to stud 24C. When one of the holes 24A1 in outer tube 24A is aligned with 24C stud in hole 24B1 in inner tube 24B, as shown, the stud will lock the outer tube 24A to the inner tube 24B. However, when enough longitudinal force is applied between outer tube 24A and inner tube 24B, stud 24D will be forced inward out of hole 24F1 because of the stud's rounded head will divert some of the force. Tubes 24A and 24B can then be longitudinally translated with respect to one another until the adjacent one of the outer holes 24A1 is aligned with inner hole 24B1 where the spring will again force stud 24D outward and again lock the tubes together. This can be repeated until the desired angle between tube 24 and roll 12 is obtained. An identical arrangement is provided in telescoping tube 22 as indicated by holes 22A1 in FIG. 2. This arrangement permits changing the length of both tube 22 and 24 until the desired length is obtained, where the end roll supports 16 and 18 will be near the end of a roll 12 placed upon them.
FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 illustrate the connection of attachment belts 26 and 28 to transport apparatus 10. Opposite ends of belt 28 have a connector 28A formed by opposed velcro surfaces to secure the opposite ends together. A loop 26B attached to attachment belt 26, and a similar loop 283 attached to belt 28. Rings 30C are attached through loops 26B and 28B1. Carrying belt 30 has a handle 30A in its center and snaps 30C attached to opposite ends. Carrying belt 30 is attached to belts 26 and 28 by attaching snaps 301B to rings 30C.
FIG. 9 shows apparatus 10 with telescoping connectors 22 and 24 extended and folded together interleaving end roll supports 16 and 18. This is the orientation used for storage of apparatus 10 to minimize space.
The essence of this invention is allowing a single individual to load and transport a roll of relatively fragile plastic material without damage. The ability to adjust the supports prior to loading provides additional protection. The carrying belt can readily be placed upon a shoulder to provide hands free sturdy support. The ability to fold the telescoping extensions together greatly reduces the storage requirements. This is particularly important when transporting the apparatus. The particular means used to accomplish the roll support, to change the distance between the supports and lock the distances, the particular means used to change the relative locations of the center roll support and the end supports and the use of a carrying belt are merely illustrative of a variety of similar means that could accomplish the same result. As an example, a rod could be substituted for the carrying belt with similar results. The true scope of this invention therefore is defined by the appended claims.
It will be understood that this disclosure, in many respects, is only illustrative. Changes may be made in details, particularly in matters of shape, size, material, and arrangement of parts without exceeding the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is as defined in the language of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transporting rolled deformable sheet material, comprising:

a) a plurality of roll support means spaced axially along a roll length for supporting and transporting a roll of material;

b) base support means for mounting a central roll support means;

b) a plurality of means for telescopically connecting the central base support means to each of the other support means; and

b) means for carrying the apparatus by one person.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said roll support means comprise at least three support saddles, one being located near the center and the others being distributed along opposite ends of the roll, with each support means having an outwardly extending U-shaped extension sized to engage a cross-section of said roll.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said telescoping connecting means comprise relatively movable inner and outer tubes, and further including means for locking the inner and outer tubes together at predetermined lengths.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said tubes have means for pivoting the tubes outwardly with respect to the base support means until the roll support means are adjacent each other.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said telescoping connecting means further comprises:

a) the inner tubes being hollow having a predetermined first dimension from the outer surface to the hollow interior, and the outer tubes being hollow and having a predetermined second dimension from the outer surface to the hollow interior, said inner tube having a radially oriented first hole of a predetermined size, and the outer tube having a plurality of radially oriented second holes the same size as the first hole which are spaced equally from one another and aligned along the tube length, the tubes being arranged such that as the overlap is changed between them successive second holes of the outer tube will become aligned with the first hole of the inner tube;

b) a cylindrically shaped stud having a rounded end centered on the longitudinal axis end, the stud being sized to slidably fit within said holes, the stud having a length along its axis equal to the sum of the dimensions equal to the total dimensions between the outer surface and the interior of both inner and outer tubes, the stud being located within said first hole with the rounded end outward;

c) a folded U-shaped flat spring located within said inner tube with the folded portion aligned with the length of the tube, one end being attached to the inner end of the stud such that the spring will urge the stud outwardly until the inner end of the stud is essentially aligned with the inner surface of the inner tube.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said base support means further comprises means for adjusting the extension of said center roll support means with respect to the base.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said carrying means comprises a pair of attachment belts and a carrying belt, with the attachment belts being arranged to removably encircle opposite ends of the apparatus and transported roll, and with the carrying belt being connected between the attachment belts.