Large bale made from insulating material products, especially mineral wool products in the form of slabs or rolls

Abstract

In a large package of insulation material products, in particular mineral wool products in the form of panels or rolls or the like, which consist of at least two stacks of rock wool products and wherein each stack is wrapped with a sheeting, which surrounds the stack in the form of an envelope, two adjacently lying principal surfaces of the stack are joined to one another by means of a superposed sheeting, in which eye-like handle loops are formed, at least one handle loop being arranged on each stack.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a large package according to the generic term of patent claim 1 or 2

[0002] Insulation products used in the construction trade, such as in particular rock wool products in the form of panels or rolls, are usually held in the form of packages comprising a stack of superposed individual panels or panel packages or individual rolls or modules comprising a plurality of rolls for the purpose of transport and storage. These insulation products are products in the bulk density range from 13 kg/m3 to 200 kg/m3. Since in the construction trade, large areas usually have to be insulated, comparatively large amounts of insulating material are consumed for insulation purposes, so that there are problems in transporting these voluminous rock wool products, consumed in large quantities, to the customer and to the construction site. Increasingly more, therefore, there has been a trend towards packaging these rock wool products in large packages and providing them with a wooden pallet. Such large packages are then transported by their base by means of a fork-lift truck engaging in the pallet or conveyed on the construction site by means of a crane to the place of use, e.g. the roof. In particular on the construction site, however, the emptied wooden pallets increasingly cause problems as regards their disposal. Firstly, these must be transported from the construction project, e.g. the roof, back to the construction ground, and secondly, they must be disposed of again from here.

[0003] For the purposes of transporting such packages or stacks, it is therefore already known (EP 544 704 B) to wrap a film enveloping the stack at one end in two layers in the form of a tab aligned centrally with the stack, to weld it and provide adjacently located handle openings in the welded tab. In this solution, the use of a pallet is already eliminated as means of transport, since the handle openings may serve for the engagement of a transport device.

[0004] For large packages, which consist of a plurality of adjacently arranged stacks, e.g. of fertiliser bags, it is already known (PCT NO 97/00346), to use, instead of pallets, lifting eyes, which are formed of the same material as the envelope of a plurality of stacks. To this end, a fabric web is wound around e.g. two stacks and, in the region of the separating plane of two adjacently arranged stacks, is drawn upward over the top principal surface of the envelope and inserted through a slit-like opening introduced into the envelope, resulting in an eye-like handle loop for the engagement of a means of transport. Apart from the fact that, in this case, only one eye-like handle loop is provided, problems occur for the handling of the large package by the means of transport in particular by the fact that the handle loop must be held up and held apart appropriately by additional auxiliary personnel to allow engagement by the means of transport.

[0005] Furthermore, it is known, for the purposes of transport, to provide large packages with a plurality of eye-like handle loops, which are knotted from wrapping straps or wrapping cords, which, however, is unfavourable in the case of rock wool products, because straps of this kind cut in and therefore must usually be additionally used with an underlying additional film web, which increases the packaging outlay. Also, in the case of these straps or strings, the same problem, in the region of the handle loop, of difficult access by the means of transport, because these eyes must be separately held up and held open, so that engagement by the means of transport, for example the fork of a fork-lift truck, is possible.

[0006] The object of the invention is to provide a large package for transport and storage of insulation products, in particular rock wool products in the form of panels or rolls, which can be produced simply and at low cost and can be transported in a simple manner without a pallet provided separately for each large package, it being necessary to ensure reliable and rapid access for a preferably conventional transport device, such as a fork lift truck, for the purpose of transport of the large package.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by means of the features contained in the characterising part of claims 1 and 2, expedient further developments being characterised by the features given in the subclaims.

[0008] According to the provisions of the invention, a multiplicity of stacks are put together to form a large package, for example a large package comprising two adjacently arranged stacks, each stack containing, arranged one above the other, the rock wool products in the form of individual panels or panel packages, and individual rolls, or modules comprising a plurality of rolls, and at least one eye-like handle loop being realised in the region of each stack. The realisation of this eye-like handle loop may be formed by means of a web which comprises fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting of high tensile strength, which form the eye-like handle loops per se, is laid on the principal surfaces of the adjacently arranged stacks and is fastened to the wrapping of the stacks. Herein, it is expedient if an eye-like handle loop is provided for each stack. In the case of a large package comprising two stacks, two eye-like handle loops are then available, which can then be grasped, for example, by the fork tines of a fork-lift truck. The overlaid web of fabric or sheeting is expediently of identical material to the material of the wrapping which surrounds each stack. It goes without saying that, within a large package, the eyes are arranged at a distance from one another appropriate to the means of transport.

[0009] According to another alternative embodiment, in which all stacks of the large package are expediently jointly wrapped by a single fabric web, the eye-like handle loops are realised by means of a loop of the fabric web, which is guided through in the separating plane of the adjacently arranged stacks, and is then correspondingly wrapped around, or, by spreading out, is folded over onto the principal surfaces of the stacks. In this case, just as in the above-described embodiment, the eye-like handle loops may be formed by the fabric web. Here, it is also possible in a very simple manner to realise the eye-like handle loops with the formation of the wrapping of the stack in one operation.

[0010] To prevent gaping open of adjacently arranged stacks, which are combined into a large package, during transport by a lifting means, it is expedient if the handle loops are arranged eccentrically and offset towards the inside. This inevitably results in a torque during the lifting of the large package, which acts on each stack and forces it towards the separating plane.

[0011] The handle loops can expediently by designed so as to be reinforced or stiffened by the insertion or mounting of corresponding stiffening means. However, stiffening is also possible by means of a multilayer realisation. A stiffening can also be achieved by the fact that the web which is used for the formation of the handle loops is gathered together and bound to form a cord-like construction. By this means a comparatively dimensionally stable handle loop is also formed, so that automatic engagement by the transport means is possible without an auxiliary person having to hold the handle loops.

[0012] In particular, each stack can advantageously be covered to protect it against moisture, for example in that a trough-like, watertight hood is arranged in the lower region of each stack and can in particular expediently be accommodated within the envelope comprising the fabric web or sheeting. Expediently the ends of each stack can also additionally be covered with a fabric web or a sheeting.

[0013] Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawing, wherein

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a large package, which is formed from two adjacently arranged stacks, and

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an analogous schematic side view of a further embodiment of the large package, which also comprises two adjacently arranged stacks.

[0016] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, two stacks 1 and 2 are combined to form a large package generally designed 3. Each of stacks 1 and 2 is formed from mutually superposed rock wool panels along the principal surfaces. The number of mutually superposed rock wool insulation panels is thereby chosen according to the particular application, so that as many rock wool insulating panels as required can be superposed. The rock wool panels within each of stacks 1 and 2 are designated 4. Each of stacks 1 and 2 is wound over its circumference with a web of fabric of high tensile strength or of sheeting with high tensile strength, which is here designated 5. Herein, it is possible to arrange each of stacks 1 and 2 in an envelope 5 comprising in each case an individual web of fabric or sheeting; expediently, however, the envelopment of the stacks 1 and 2 is carried out with one and the same fabric web, which is wound such that it envelops each of the two stacks 1 and 2 to form an entirety. Envelopment techniques of this kind and well known and it poses no difficulties to envelop both stacks here entirely by means of a single web.

[0017] For the purpose of transport, a web, designated 6, comprising fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting is arranged on the package and can expediently be made of the same material as the envelopment. According to the typical embodiment shown, the web 6 is arranged on the two upper principal surfaces of the stacks 1 and 2 and firmly connected to the envelope 5 of the two stacks 1 and 2 by adhesive bonding, welding or sewing or the like. In the areas designated 7, however, the web 6 is not connected to the envelope 5, but rather eye-like handle loops 8 and 9 are formed there. This is achieved most simply in that the stretched textile web 6 is pushed together somewhat in the regions 7, such that an eye-like handle loop is formed automatically. If necessary, however, to form the handle loops a mould core can also be used, which is then removed again after adhesive bonding or welding of the web 6 to the envelope 5, so that the eye-like handle loops 8 and 9 are formed.

[0018] In FIG. 1, an alternative embodiment is also shown, in which the web 6, as shown in broken lines, is led around the top comers of stacks 1 and 2, such that the fabric web 6 partially overlaps the sides of stacks 1 and 2 at 10 and 11, which is advantageous for a stable connection of the package. It goes without saying that the web 6 is also fastened to the envelope 5 in the regions 10 and 11.

[0019] The eye-like handle loops 8 and 9 are, in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, offset inwardly from the centre of each stack, which is identified by the dotted plane 12, as is illustrated in the left-hand stack 1 by plane 13, which is aligned approximately centrally with the handle loop. This has the consequence that whenever the package is lifted during transport by, for example, a fork-lift, truck, a torque acting in a counterclockwise direction, illustrated by the arrows D, acts towards the inside, such that the two stacks are virtually forced together during lifting and cannot gape apart. This is an expedient measure, which, however, is not essential. In other words, the handle loops 8 and 9 may also be arranged centrically, or even eccentrically towards the outer edges of the stacks 1 and 2.

[0020] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, a single fabric web is used for the two stacks 1 and 2, the same components being designated with the same reference characters. In this case it goes without saying that, in the contact surface between the two stacks 1 and 2, two layers of the web 6 of fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting, are present when each of stacks 1 and 2 is wrapped and enveloped with a single layer of the web. In this case, as is identified in FIG. 2 with a vertical arrow, the web 6 is drawn upwards in the form of a tab-like loop during the wrapping of the two stacks 1 and 2, the two loop halves 15 and 16 then being drawn apart, as characterised by the arrows S. The left-hand loop half 15 is in this case, as for the transition phase, identified with a broken line, laid towards the left on the principal surface of the stack 1, the right-hand loop half, on the other hand, being laid on the right-hand stack 2. This is again illustrated at the left-hand side with the arrow T. The loop halves 15 and 16 thus therefore lie on the top principal surface of the two stacks 1 and 2 and are there fastened to the envelope 5, again with the formation of the eye-like handle loops 8 and 9, which may suitably be carried out by, for example, adhesive bonding, welding or stitching. It goes without saying that, as a consequence of the folding, the web, which then lies at the top, and forms the two eye-like handle loops 8 and 9, is now two-layered and consequently reinforced in design. Here, too, the tab-like loop 14 may of course be drawn out until the upper fabric web, which is again designated 6, also overlaps the two edges of the stacks 1 and 2 analogously to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, which is advantageous for reasons of stability, depending on the weight of the package.

[0021] In a further embodiment, it is expedient that the handle loops 8 and 9 are reinforced in design. In the embodiment according to FIG. 2, this may take place in that a corresponding reinforcing fabric is embedded between the two layers of each loop half 15 and 16 and, if appropriate, also firmly bonded to the fabric web 6. However, it is also possible that, in the region of both handle loops, but also expediently in adjacent regions, the fabric web 6 is gathered together and bound to form a cord-like construction, resulting in cord-like handle loops. Finally, it may be expedient that the sheeting serving to envelop the two stacks has longitudinally extending reinforcements, virtually in the form of “braces” in the sheeting, by virtue of which said sheeting does not need to be as thick.

[0022] Depending on the intended purpose, it may be preferred to envelop the two stacks 1 and 2 to form a weather-resistant entirety by means of a sheeting or fabric, so that even the end surfaces, which can be seen from the front in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the rearwardly directed faces can be enveloped or covered with a sheeting or fabric. As required, it is also possible for a trough-like hood consisting of sheeting or fabric to be provided, in particular in the lower region of each stack 1 and 2, which is realised and designed as weather protection. This trough-like, impermeable hood can then be received within the sleeve 5.

Claims

1. Large package of insulation products, in particular rock wool products in the form of panels or rolls or the like, the large package being formed from at least two stacks (1, 2) of rock wool products, of which each stack (1, 2) is wrapped with at least one web (6) of fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting of high tensile strength, which surrounds the stack in the form of an envelope (5), characterised in that two adjacently lying principal surfaces of the stack (1, 2) are joined together by a superposed web (6) of fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting of high tensile strength in which eye-like handle loops (8, 9) are formed, at least one handle loop (8, 9) in each case being arranged on one stack.

2. Large package of insulation products, in particular rock wool products in the form of panels, rolls or the like, the large package (3) being formed from at least two stacks (1, 2) of rock wool products, both stacks being wrapped with at least one web (6) of fabric of high tensile strength or sheeting of high tensile strength, which surrounds each of the stacks in the form of an envelope, the web (6) being drawn upwards over two adjacently lying principal surfaces of the stacks between the two envelopes (5) in the form of a tab-like loop (14), characterised in that the tab-like loop (14) or a portion (15, 16) in each case of the tab-like loop is laid around each of the two principal surfaces and each laid-around loop section (15, 16) is firmly joined to an envelope section, which covers the principal surface, of the web (6) with the formation of at least one eye-like handle loop (8, 9).

3. Large package according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the handle loop (8, 9) is in each case arranged eccentrically on the stack and offset towards the separating plane of the two stacks.

4. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle loop (8, 9) is designed so as to be reinforced or stiffened.

5. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the handle loops (8,9) are in each case formed by a plurality of superposed sheetings or fabric layers.

6. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, for formation of the handle loop (8), the web (6) is gathered together and bound to form a cord-like structure.

7. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that as sheeting a heat-shrinkable sheeting is used.

8. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sheeting serving for wrapping the two stacks (1, 2) has longitudinally extending reinforcements.

9. Large package according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each of the stacks (1,2) is covered so as to be protected against moisture.

10. Large package according to claim 8, characterised in that each of the stacks is received at the lower section in a trough-like and impermeable hood of sheeting or fabric, which lies within the envelope and/or in that the face ends of each stack are covered with an impermeable sheeting or a corresponding fabric web.