US3388792A - Shipping package - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1968 A. P. JONES SHIPPING PACKAGE Filed Oct. 24, 1966 United States Patent 3,388,792 SHIPPING PACKAGE Allen P. Jones, Fredericksburg, Va., assignor to FMC Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 589,036 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipping package for hollow cylindrical articles includes an endless sling extending about the peripheries of a pair of articles and draped over a support whereby the articles are suspended in the sling out of contact with the main body of the package.

This invention relates to a shipping package for hollow cylindrical articles and especially to a package wherein cylindrical articles are supported in such a way as to avoid or minimize damage thereto during transit and/ or storage.

Certain types of cylindrical articles require special packaging to avoid damage during shipment. For example, large heavy rolls of sheet material such as cellophane are susceptible to telescoping, crushed cores, damaged edges, etc. Since such rolls are wound on a hollow core they may be classified as thick walled hollow cylinders and it is toward a shipping package for such articles that the present invention is particularly directed. However, the invention is also useful in connection with light weight, easily damaged cylindrical articles such, for example, as recording cylinders or tubes, which are susceptible to breaking and scratching. Thus, as will be apparent from these two rather extreme examples, the invention is useful with a wide variety of hollow cylindrical articles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved shipping package for cylindrical articles wherein the articles are supported in such a way as to avoid or minimize damage.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shipping package for cylindrical articles wherein the articles are supported over a large area of their outer peripheries whereby localized pressures are avoided.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shipping package for cylindrical articles wherein the articles are protected from damage when the package is turned upside down or on its side.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention as well as the means for attaining the same will become apparent as the description of a preferred embodiment thereof proceeds.

Referring nOW to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the package;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the package resting on one side;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 4 is an isometric view showing a load supporting sling encompassing a pair of cylindrical articles before they are placed in the package; and

FIG. 5 is an isometric view illustrating a step in the formation of the package.

The package comprises a bottom element supported by a plurality of feet or short legs whereby the tines of a fork lift truck may be slipped therebeneath. Secured near opposite edges of the bottom element are a pair of upstanding supports 12 and 14 extending between which is a cross member 16. In the package as shown in the drawing, supports 12 and 14 are in the form of rods, each of which has adjustably secured thereto a collar 18 upon which cross member 16 rests. A pair of hollow cylindrical articles such as heavy rolls of sheet material 20 and 22 3,388,792 Patented June 18, 1968 ice have extending thereabout a sling or band 24. Band 24 is draped over cross member 16 and said band is long enough to permit two runs thereof to be juxtaposed one another over said cross member but is short enough so that the articles 20 and 22 are suspended above bottom element 10. Sling 24 is preferably about as wide as the cylindrical articles are long whereby localized pressures are avoided. By thus suspending the heavy rolls, the load is distributed over a large area of the outer peripheries and damage to the core area of the ends of the rolls is avoided.

Extending between the supports 12 and 14 above cross member 16 is a second cross member 26 and a pair of cylindrical articles 28 and 30 are suspended from this second cross member by a sling 32 similar to the sling 24. Cross member 26 is secured in position after the lower rolls or articles 20 and 22 have been mounted and said cross member is supported on collars 27 adjustably secured to the supports 12 and 16 at such a height that suspended rolls 28 and 30 do not reach down into contact with rolls 20 and 22.

Cross members 16 and 26 preferably have an appreciable width so as to avoid cutting the slings, but they are narrow enough so that the rolls of each pair 20, 22 and 28, 30 hang in contact with one another except for the interposition of the slings therebetween. Thus, the suspended rolls provide some support for one another in the direction parallel bottom element 10.

Extending upwardly from the four corners of bottom element 10 are rods or the like 34, 36, 38, and 40 and to the top of these rods is secured a top element 42 similar to bottom element 10. The supports 12 and 14 also extend through top element 42 to provide an anchorage for the upper ends thereof. The top 42 may be secured in place by any suitable means such as nuts screwed onto the various rods as shown.

It will be apparent that the structure thus far described provides a neat suspension for the cylindrical articles so long as the package is in its normal upright position as shown in FIGURES l, 3, and 5. However, especially in the case of relatively light weight packages but also less often with heavy packages, the package is apt to be turned upside down or on its side and it will, therefore, also often be necessary or desirable to provide additional support or protection for the articles, particularly to provide a means for preventing the articles from moving in a direction away from bottom element 10. Toward this end a strap 44 is extended through the hollow interior of roll 20 and suitably engaged with bottom element 10. The bottom element is provided with a pair of openings 46 and 48 through which the strap is threaded to engage it with the bottom element near one end of the roll and with a second similar pair of openings not shown beneath the other end of the roll. Strap 42 is drawn taut and secured by any suitable means so that when the package is turned upside down, movement of roll 20 away from bottom element 10 is completely avoided. When the package is turned on a side as shown in FIGURE 2, downward movement of the roll is restrained. A similar strap 50 is looped through roll 22 to prevent movement of this roll when the package is in other than an upright position.

The upper pair of rolls 28 and 30 are secured to the lower pair of rolls to restrict or prevent movement of the upper pair of rolls when the package is in other than an upright position. Thus, a taut strap 52 is looped through rolls 20 and 28 and a taut strap 54 is looped through rolls 22 and 30, or if desired, strap 52 may be looped through rolls 20 and 30 and the strap 54 through rolls 22 and 28.

The number of pairs of rolls or other cylindrical articles which can advantageously be included in the package is limited primarily by the bulk and weight of the articles. Likewise, the materials and exact modelof construction may be varied widely. Thus, in the case of relatively light weight articles, the whole outer portion of the package may be formed of corrugated paper and the corner post 34, 36, 38, and 40 may be eliminated. In such case, also, the sides of the carton may serve as supports for the cross members 16 and 26. The drawing does not show side closures for the package but obviously such may be provided. In any event, the cylindrical articles themselves are suspended within the outer confines of the package and thus protected from damage during movement and storage of the package. Particularly in the case of heavy articles such as large rolls of cellophane, it will often be advantageous to make the slings 24 and 32 in the form of discontinuous bands with the ends of each band secured together with a suitable fastener to facilitate loading and unloading.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A shipping package comprising a bottom element, a pair of spaced supports extending upwardly from said bottom element, a cross member extending between said supports above said bottom element, a pair of hollow cylindrical articles extending parallel to said cross member, and a single endless sling extending about the peripheries of said articles and draped over said cross member, whereby said articles are suspended above said bottom element.

2. The package set forth in claim 1 wherein said sling is substantially as wide as said cylindrical articles are long.

3. The package set forth in claim 2 wherein said sling is long enough to permit two runs thereof to be juxtaposed one another over said cross member.

4. The package set forth in claim 1 comprising means restricting movement of said cylindrical articles in a direction away from said bottom element.

5. The package set forth in claim 4 wherein said means comprises straps extending longitudinally through said cylindrical articles and engaged with said bottom element, said straps being drawn taut whereby said articles cannot move away from said bottom element when the package is turned upside down.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,155,234 9/1915 Hammond 2l728 2,424,395 7/1947 Hedges 206 X 2,958,492 11/1960 Maynard 248119 3,084,803 4/1963 Bayers 214- X 3,214,015 10/1965 Budd 206-65 MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner.

Images