Protector for the Core and Adjacent Edges and Face Portions of a Coil of Material

The present invention relates to protectors for coils or rolls of material such as steel. More particularly, the invention concerns fiberboard protectors positionable within the core or eye of a coil of material to protect the core and the adjacent edges of the material during the handling, storage, and transportation of the coil.

During the manufacturing process, materials such as steel are formed into coils by being wound about the mandrel of a coiling mechine. When removed from the mandrel of the coiling machine, the coil is characterized by a hollow core or eye defined by the innermost convolution of the coil. For example, steel is often produced in coils weighing approximately 30 tons. Coiled steel generally is thin, soft and pliable so as to allow it to be drawn and formed into various shapes during use.

Due to its heavy weight, a steel coil is usually lifted and moved by inserting a tool, such as a "C" hook or a roll clamp, into the core of the coil. Additionally, during the transportation of the coil, a binder chain or band is wrapped through the core and about the coil to prevent it from unwinding. Although these tools and binders are effective in lifting and transporting the steel coil, unfortunately they mar and damage the thin soft metal of the coil at the core and adjacent edges. Similarly, if other materials, such as aluminum or copper, are coiled, the hooks and clamps likewise scratch the core and adjacent edges of the coils. When the steel or coiled material is later used, waste and imperfections result due to such damage.

The present invention provides a protector capable of preventing damage to the core, and adjacent edge and face portions of a coil of material during handling, storage and transportation. The protector eliminates waste and damage arising from the marring and scratching of the core and adjacent edges by the handling tools and implements which are passed through the core of the coil. The protector allows the coiled material to be delivered to the work site free of such damage.

In the preferred embodiment, the protector includes two substantially identical discs each having an outer annular portion, an inner annular portion and a central aperture. The two discs are joined together along their outer annular portions. Various means, such as glue or adhesive, may be used to join the discs together. The inner annular portion of each disc is provided with a plurality of transverse cuts dividing the inner annular portion into a plurality of tabs. The tabs are capable of being bent at a substantially right angle relative to the outer annular portion of each disc. The tabs of the two discs are bent in the same direction. All of the tabs of a first disc of the protector are cut at the same angle. All of the tabs of the second disc of the protector are similarly cut at an equivalent but opposite or reverse angle. When the tabs of the two discs of the protector are bent at a substantially right angle relative to their respective outer annular portions, they form a continuous annular band of tabs. The band of tabs of the protector does not contain any void spaces between the tabs. The formed band of tabs of the protector is capable of being inserted within the core of a coil of material so that the band of bent tabs prevents damage to the core of the coil and the joined outer annular portions of the protector preserve the adjacent edges and adjacent face portions of the coil.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the protector of the present invention in place on a coil of material.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the protector with its tabs bent upwardly.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the protector of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the protector taken along section line 4--4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the protector.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one disc of the protector with the tabs positioned in the plane of the disc.

In all of the Figures like parts have been given like index numerals. Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, protector 5 of the present invention comprises two substantially identical circular discs 6a and 6b joined together. Disc 6a has an annular outer portion 7a, an inner annular portion 8a and a central aperture 9a. Disc 6b similarly has an annular outer portion 7b, an inner annular portion 8b and a central aperture 9b. The two discs 6a and 6b of the protector 5 are joined together along their outer annular portions 7a and 7b. The discs 6a and 6b may be joined together by adhesives, glues, mechanical fasteners, or other means known in the art. The size of the two discs 6a and 6b depends upon the core size of the coil of material to be protected by the protector 5.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6. In this Figure disc 6a is shown in its initial unfolded state. It will be noted that the inner annular portion 8a is provided with a plurality of cuts 10a extending transversely thereof from the peripheral boundary 12a formed by the central aperture 9a. The cuts 10a are of the same length and divide the inner annular portion 8a into a plurality of substantially identical tabs 13a. As shown in FIG. 6, each cut 10a lies at an acute angle to an imaginary radial line 15 intersecting the peripheral boundary 12a at the same point as the cut. For each cut this angle is from about 5.degree. to about 15.degree. and preferably about 8.degree.. The angularity and direction of each cut 10a of disc 6a is the same. The tabs 13a of disc 6 are capable of being bent along the circular bent line 29 at a substantially right angle relative to the outer annular portion 7a of disc 6a.

The disc 6b is similarly provided with a plurality of cuts extending from the peripheral boundary 12b (defined by central aperture 9b of disc 6b), transversely across the inner annular portion 8b. In this way a plurality of tabs 13b is formed on disc 6b. The tabs 13b differ from tabs 13a of disc 6a only in that the cuts which produced them lie at substantially the same but opposite or reverse angle to imaginary radial lines intersecting peripheral boundary 12b of disc 6b at the same points as the cuts.

FIG. 5 clearly shows that the tabs 13a and 13b of the two discs 6a and 6b which compose each protector 5 are cut at reverse angles with respect to each other. Thus, the tabs 13a of disc 6a are cut along cut lines 10a to the left of the radial lines 15 (as viewed in FIG. 6). The tabs 13b of the second disc 6b are cut along cut lines to right of the radial lines 15. For purposes of explanation the cut lines for second disc 6b are shown in FIG. 6 in broken lines at 10b. The angle of the cut lines 10b relative to the radial lines 15 should be approximately the same as the angle of the cut lines 10a. It will be understood that the tabs 13a of disc 6a could be cut along cut lines 10b to the right of the radial lines 15, and the tabs 13b of disc 6b could be cut along cut lines 10a to the left of the radial lines 15, as viewed in FIG. 6. The key requirement is that all of the tabs of disc 6a of protector 5 are cut at a reverse angle to the angle of cut of all the tabs of the disc 6b of protector 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the main difference between the two cut lines 10a and 10b is the direction of cut, either left or right, relative to the radial lines 15.

By cutting the tabs 13a of disc 6a at a reverse angle relative to the tabs 13b of disc 6b of each protector 5, tabs 13a and 13b lie in overlapping relationship to each other when the tabs 13a and 13b are positioned at a substantially right angle relative to their respective outer annular portions 7a and 7b. When the tabs 13a and 13b are in the position of use as shown in FIG. 2, namely at a substantially right angle relative to the outer annular portions 7a and 7b, the space 20 between each tab 13a on disc 6a is filled in by a tab 13b of the other disc 6b of the protector 5. In this manner, the tabs 13b on disc 6b of protector 5 eliminate the voids 20 between the tabs 13a of disc 6a and vice versa so as to provide a complete band 21 containing the two sets of tabs 13a and 13b. As shown in FIG. 1, this complete band 21 of tabs 13a and 13b allows the core 25 to be protected by the tabs 13a and 13b when the band 21 of tabs 13a and 13b is inserted into the core 25.

Preferably, the discs 6a and 6b are made from a solid fiberboard having a thickness of approximately 0.05 to 0.2 inches. Usually, the inner annular portions 8a and 8b, and thus the tabs 13a and 13b form about 25 to about 50% of their respective discs 6a and 6b. When first cut, the tabs 13a and 13b lie in the plane of their respective outer annular portions 7a and 7b. The tabs 13a and 13b are pliable and flexible relative to their respective outer annular portions 7a and 7b. After the cutting, as shown in FIG. 2, the tabs 13a and 13b are bent at an approximate right angle relative to their outer annular portions 7a and 7b to place the tabs 13a and 13b in their use positions. During the bending operation the tabs 13a and 13b shift oppositely (by virtue of the angularity of their cuts) to form the continuous band of tabs 21.

In use, two protectors 5 are applied to opposite ends of a coil of material with the bands of tabs of the protectors inserted into the coil core. In FIG. 1, one end of a coil 26 is illustrated showing a protector 5 mounted thereon with its band 21 of tabs 13a and 13b inserted into coil core 25. It will be apparent that the band 21 of tabs 13a and 13b will protect the core 25 from C-hooks or coil clamps (not shown), binding chains or bands 30, or the like. These devices will be spaced from the inner surface of the core 25 by the band of tabs of both protectors. The outer annular portions 7a and 7b of protector 5 will protect the edge and face portions of coil 26 and adjacent core 25. The same is true of the other protector (not shown) at the other end of coil 26.

In an alternative method of manufacturing the protector 5, the discs 6a and 6b have their inner annular portions 8a and 8b cut into substantially identical tabs 13a and 13b with the direction of the cut for both sets of tabs 13a and 13b being the same relative to the radial lines 15. Prior to joining the discs 6a and 6b together along their outer annular portions 7a and 7b, one of the discs is inverted so that the cut line of its tabs are opposite or reverse of the direction of cut in the tabs of the non-inverted disc. Upon this inversion, the tabs 13a will have an opposite direction of cut than the tabs 13b so as to allow the band 21 of tabs to be formed without any voids 20 upon the joining of the outer annular portions 7a and 7b.

Modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of it.