STORAGE AND TRANSPORT CONTAINER FOR CORED WIRES

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container for cored wires, in particular cored wires that are filled with a hazardous material and/or a filling that is sensitive to air, oxygen, water and/or moisture, for safely transporting and for safely storing said cored wires.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A storage and transport container, comprising: the container, wherein the container is a metal container; and a cored wire, which is wound into a coil, wherein the cored wire comprises a hazardous material, wherein the coil has a winding axis and an outer diameter, and wherein the container comprises: a) a bottom plate having a first side and a second side facing away from the first side, b) an outer wall connected to the bottom plate, c) at least one removal opening for the cored wire, d) at least one lid, which is connected to the outer wall, and which covers the removal opening, and wherein the bottom plate, the outer wall and the lid form an interior space for safely storing and for safely transporting the cored wire, which is wound into a coil, and wherein the coil is positioned within the container in such a way that the winding axis of the coil is perpendicular to the bottom plate of the container.

17. The storage and transport container according claim 16, wherein the outer wall comprises at least three outer partial walls, having an identical edge length, of which two in each case are connected to each other with an interlocking fit, forming an inner angle of 60 to 150.

18. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the metal container is essentially in the shape of a cuboid, cube or cylinder.

19. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the outer wall is integrally bonded or is connected with an interlocking fit to the bottom plate.

20. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the cored wire comprises a filling which is sensitive to at least one of oxygen, water or moisture.

21. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the cored wire comprises at least one of calcium, calcium carbide, calcium silicide, calcium-iron mixtures, magnesium, magnesium alloys, calcium cyanamide or mixtures of said substances.

22. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the coil is a coreless coil.

23. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the coil may be unwound from the inside to the outside.

24. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the coil is connected with a force fit or an interlocking fit to the outer wall.

25. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the surface area of the bottom plate is larger than the surface area enclosed by the outer wall.

26. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the first side of the bottom plate forms the interior space with the outer wall and the lid and a substructure is positioned on the second side of the bottom plate.

27. The storage and transport container according to claim 26, wherein the substructure comprises insertion pockets for a lifting truck.

28. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the lid is provided in two parts.

29. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the container also has a removal device for the cored wire.

30. The storage and transport container according to claim 29, wherein the removal device is positioned in the region of the removal opening of the container and/or is removably connected to the container.

31. The storage and transport container according to claim 29, wherein the removal device protrudes, at least at one position, beyond the outer diameter of the coil.

32. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the metal container is made from at least one of iron, steel, or stainless steel.

33. The storage and transport container according to claim 16, wherein the container comprises at least one stacking corner, in particular at least two stacking corners, particularly preferred at least three stacking corners and more particularly preferred at least four stacking corners.

34. The storage and transport container according to claim 33, wherein the stacking corners are specified in such a way that the inner dimension of the stacking corners is larger than the outer dimension of the bottom region.

35. The storage and transport container according to claim 33, wherein the floor space for the container to be stacked is lower at the stacking corners than the total height of the container.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0044] The present invention is now explained in more detail by means of drawings and corresponding examples. In the drawings:

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a container according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 is a section through the container in a plan view;

[0047] FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the rack gear detent of the removal aid;

[0048] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a removal device;

[0049] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a container according to the invention without a lid and bottom region.

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a container (10) for the safe storage and safe transport of a cored wire (not shown here) wound into a coil. The container (10) has a square base area with outer side lengths of about 1430 mm and a height of about 1150 mm. The internal volume is about 1.6 m.sup.3. The inner dimensions are about LWH 12601260940 mm. The dimensions of the container are adapted for optimum utilisation of the loading space of a standard truck trailer while optimising the size of the wire coil in relation to the application of coiling into molten metal. In one position, nine containers can be accommodated on a trailer. Due to the stacking capability of the container (10) and the total height of the container (10), which is less than the internal height of a trailer, up to 18 containers may be transported. The coils of wire positioned inside the container have a size that allows a distribution sequence to average-sized steel melts to be handled with two coils.

[0051] The container (10) is designed to meet the requirements for the international transport of solid and pasty hazardous goods of packaging groups I, II and III according to the regulations and directives of the ADR/RID/IMDG code. Said container is comprised of a solid and sealed sheet steel construction with a sheet thickness of 3 mm, not including the lid, which has a sheet thickness of 2.5 mm. To protect the sheet from corrosion, the container may be painted and/or hot-dip galvanised.

[0052] The bottom region of the container consists of a container bottom plate (12) and a supporting construction or substructure (11) having insertion pockets (13). Due to the two continuous insertion pockets (13) in the base region, the container may be engaged from the underside on four sides using conventional forklifts or pallet trucks. The insertion pockets (13) are provided on the undersides with a toppling protection (14) in the form of sheet metal plates. The toppling protection (14) provides, besides the container bottom plate (12), a further support when lifting and transporting via forks, such as those of a forklift truck. The base region of the container is thus functionally comparable to a pallet.

[0053] To protect the container and its contents from damage, such as that which frequently occurs during transport, the base region protrudes beyond the outer wall (15) of the container (10). Profiles (23) are arranged in the base inside the container, wherein the profiles allow the removal of slings, such as ropes or round slings, after placement of the wire coil. The removal of bands, such as Signode bands, which are used for securing wire coils, is also facilitated.

[0054] The base region of the container is fixedly connected to the outer wall (15) of the container. The lid (16) is formed in two parts due to the fact that the height of the container is smaller than its side lengths. Thus the lid (16) may be completely opened, without touching the surrounding ground in the opened state. The opening of the lid (16) may be easily performed by one person without using auxiliary means or tools, due to the separation into two parts and the adapted sheet thickness and corresponding reduced weight. The lid (16) lifts at opening by means of mounted hinges (17) over the stack corners (18). Locking of the lid is possible at 90 and 270. Due to the option of opening the lid (16) completely, the wire coil can be inserted into the container (10) without difficulty. Also when using the cored wire by extracting the wire directly from the container, the lid (16) does not cause an obstruction. When closing the lid (16), one portion is initially closed. The second portion of the lid (16) then engages the first. Each of the two lid portions is provided with handles (19). The surrounding lid sealing (not shown), which is contained in a groove, as well as the ten lid fasteners (20) ensure a tight closure of the lid (16). A liquid-tight closure of the removal opening is particularly important for the transport and storage of hazardous materials, which develop flammable gases when in contact with water.

[0055] Four stacking corners (18) are provided on the upper side of container (10), wherein these corners allow the stacking of one or more further containers (10). The inner dimension of the stacking corners (18) is larger than the outer dimension of the floor region. The containers (10) may thus be stacked during transport and storage in a space-saving way. The support surfaces (21) for the container to be stacked at the stacking corners (18) lie at a deeper level with respect to the total height of container. Thus the height of two stacked containers is less than the sum of the height of both single containers and the container may be precisely positioned during stacking and may also be secured against horizontal slippage. Eyelets (22) are provided by machining in the stacking corners, whereby the container may also be manipulated with other lifting devices, for example by a crane.

[0056] Gusset plates (24) are mounted inside the container in each of the four corners, wherein these plates allow the mounting of elements for securing a removal device (cf. FIG. 3). The gusset plates (24) optimise the force flow in case of loads and promote the stability of the mounted element. In the present solution, the machine element is a rack gear pin (25). The gear (26) allows a wide range of height settings for the removal device.

[0057] The removal device (cf. FIG. 4) is provided in the upper region of the container and is connected to the container at all four corners by means of clamp fasteners (27). The size of the brackets of the clamp fasteners (28) is adapted to the rack gear pins. In order to achieve a sufficient traction force, the brackets of the clamp fasteners may be adjusted. The clamp fasteners are screwed to the detent sheets (29) of the removal device. Due to the wing-like shape of the detent sheets, the stiffness of both the removal device and the entire container is increased.

[0058] The removal device holds the wire coil axially in position during transport and in particular during unwinding of the wire from the coil. During unwinding, the wire is extracted in general starting from the inner side of the coil, through an opening in the removal device. The central opening (30) of the removal device may be oval (round or ellipsoid) or as in the case described in the form of a slot. The removal device is used for guiding the wire during unwinding. The importance of the wire guide increases as the wire coil becomes smaller. In order to protect the wire during unwinding, the inner side (31) of the central opening is provided with a rounded shape.

[0059] The central opening (30) in this embodiment consists of a metal pipe. The tube shape provides increased stiffness against torsions compared to a solid material and also has a lower own weight. Due to the use of aluminium instead of steel as a construction material for the removal device, it is possible to perform the mounting and disassembling of the removal device without the aid of lifting devices. Since the total weight of the removal device is less than 25 kg, it is possible for just one person to mount and dismount said device.

[0060] The removal device may be provided with one or more recesses, which protrude beyond the outer radius of the wire coil. It is thus possible to connect the outer end of a wire coil to the inner end of another wire coil. The unwinding of the wire may thus be continued without interruption when one wire coil has been used up. Due to the recess, the guiding of the wire remains unaffected during unwinding.

[0061] The production of the cored wire is performed according to conventional methods and processes for the manufacture of hollow wires and may easily be described as per the current state of the art. The usually fine-particle to powdery filling material is filled into the metal sheath of the cored wire. The cored wire is subsequently closed by seaming or welding and then wound on a bobbin into a wire coil. The wire, which is wound under tension, may be tied with Signode bands for keeping the shape. The sheath material is usually unalloyed steel having a thickness between 0.1 and 1 mm. The diameter of the wire is usually between 5 and 20 mm, often between 9 and 16 mm. A wire coil is usually 1,000 to 20,000 m long.

[0062] After removing the bobbin, the coil is a coreless, wound wire coil, which usually also has to be packaged. The state of the art describes a packaging at least consisting of a pallet, a cage and a plastic sheath. This type of packaging is a disposable packaging and is discarded after use of the cored wire. The individual components of the packaging have to be separated, sorted and subdivided into the corresponding fractions for disposal. The invention eliminates these work steps since the container already contains all the functionalities of the usual packaging and is reusable. The container is also a safe enclosure for hazardous materials.

[0063] After the cored wire (34) has been wound into a wire coil (32) and has been tied using Signode bands (33), the wire coil is subject to a radial tension. The wire coil is placed in the container with the Signode bands (33) (FIG. 5, left side of drawing). Subsequently, the Signode bands (33) are opened and removed. The wire coil releases the tension when the Signode bands (33) are removed, in that at least the outer diameter of the coil increases. This increase in diameter stops when the wire coil contacts the outer walls (2) of container (FIG. 5, right side of drawing). The wire coil then pushes against the outer walls. The outer walls of the container thus function as radial supporting walls for the wire coil and hold it in position. The friction forces between the wire coil and the outer wall also prevent the rotation of the coil within the container during extraction of the cored wire.