United States Patent Thomas et al. (54) EDGE PROTECTOR William E. Thomas; Gale S, Roush, both of Bartlesville, Okla, [72], Inventors: [73] Assignee: Philips Petroleum Company (22) Filed: Sept. 10, 1969 [21] Appl. No 856,740 [52] US. Chacon sss BBO/IT9 Ay 105/369 [51] Int. ch + e-B60p 7/00 [58] Field of Search. 280/179, 179.1; 105/368, 369, 105/367 [561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS spout 1071961 1,003,108, 3,004,746 Hinrichs Swing. 280/179.1 “105/369 X us) 3,637,234 {451 Jan. 25, 1972 3,152,693 10/1964 Anderson 206/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,493,073 7/1967 France. 280/179 Primary Examiner—Benjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner—Winston H. Douglas ‘Attorney Young and Quigg 157) ABSTRACT The inner edge of a roll of sheet steel or similar element, Which is secured by a tiedown chain, is protected by an edge Protector positioned between the elernent and the chain. The ‘edge protector comprises two plates joined at aright angle and hhaving a contour at the junction conforming to the edge of the clement being protected. The plates have ribs to hold the chain on the edge protector. 3 Clams, 4 Drawing FiguresPATENTED uaN25 1972 3,637,234 INVENTORS Ww. E, THOMAS GS ROUSH "Yong s Qnig ATTORNEYS3,637,234 1 EDGE PROTECTOR tis common practice in the steel industry to ship relatively thin sheet ste! in rolled form. These rolls, which may be quite large, are usualy chained to the bed of a truck ot a railway car, It is customary to apply considerable force when the chains are tightened in order to prevent movement ofthe rolls during shipment. Unfortunately, the chains may damage as ‘many a8 10 to 12 layers of sheet steel in a roll. While various types of protective elements have been proposed to minimize damage by the chains, a need still exists for an effective, low cost edge protective element, In accordance with tis invention, an improved edge protec {ors provided for use with rolls of sheet steel or similar items ‘This protector comprises two generally fat plates which are Joined at an angle of approximately 90°. The junction at which the two plates are joined is curved to provide a contour which ;pproximates the contour of the hollow opening through the ‘ol to be protected. The edge protector is placed on the roll so ‘that the tiedown chain extends over the protector and is thus ‘maintained out of direct engagement withthe edge ofthe ral Ribs are provided on the plates to keep the chain from slipping off and to facilitate lateral movement of the edge protector on the roll when the chain is tightened, The edge protector is ad- vantageously formed of a plastic resin which is somewhat fesilient to absorb the crushing force exerted by the chain, ‘This material of construction permits the device to be molded asa single unit at low cost Inthe drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates a roll of shoot steel chained to a truck bed with the aid of edge protectors of this invention FIG, 2is an end view of an edge protector showing the sur- face which extends outside the oll of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is top view of the edge protector showing the sur face which extends inside the roll, FIG. disaside view of the edge protector. Referring now to the drawing in detail and to FIG. 1 in par- ticular, there is shown a roll ofshect steel 10 which is mounted ‘on atruck bed 11, Tapered blocks 12 are fastened tothe truck bed to center the roll and to minimize movement of the rol in lateral direction, Tiedown chains 13 are secured at first ends to the truck bed and extend through the central opening 14 of roll 10. The second ends of these chains are connected by Suitable load binders, not shown, to additional chains which are secured to the truck bed at the opposite end of the roll Edge protectors 15 constructed in accordance with this inven. tion are positioned beneath chains 13 at the four edges of ‘opening 14 to prevent the chains from making direct contaet with the rol of sheet steel at these points, One ofthe edge protectors 15 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2,3 and 4, This edge protector comprises two integral plates 16 and 17 which form an angle of approximately 90° at their junction. The junction between the two plates is curved, asi lstrated in FIG. 2, so thatthe inner edge of the junction has approximately the same contour as the edge of opening 14, ‘This is accomplished by constructing the protector so thatthe radius of curvature of the junction between the two plates is approximately equal to the radius of evlindrical opening 14 of roll 10. Two ris 18 and 19 are formed on the outer surface of plate 16 in spaced generally parallel relationship with one Another. Similar ribs 20 and 21 are formed on the outer sur- face of plate 17. In the preferred method of constructing the ‘edge protector by injection molding, the ribs ae integral with 20 as 30 35 40 4s 30 5s 60 6s 0 1s 2 the plates and with one another as illustrated. The ribs serve to prevent chains 13 from sliding off the edges of the edge pro tector, and permit the edge protector tobe displaced along the edge of the roll of sheet stel when the chains are being tightened, Accordingly the ribs shouldbe of scent sie te accomplish these objectives, The edge protector of this invention is advantageously formed of a thermoplastic resin such ax polyttylene or polypropylene. This permits the device to be injection molded 48 single integral unit at low cost. The material employed to construct the device should have sficient strength to prevent the chain from damaging the sheet steel being protected, an Atte same tne and have Nahe sealers ae any crushing force which may result from the chain being tightened Inthe illustrated embodiment of this invention, top plate 17 's somewhat longer than than end plate 16, The tap plate shouldbe of sufficient length to receive atleast one link ofthe chain, It is generally not necessary that the end plat be this lange because the chain ‘normally extends outwardly at an angle withthe end ofthe roll of shee steel. In oe pectic em bodiment of tis invention, exeelent results were obtained ‘when top plate 17 was approximately 25 by 27 inches The ribs were approximately 1.75 inch apart and extended up. ward from the plates approximately thre sinteenths inch The radius of curvature of the junction between plates 16 and 17 was approximately 12 inches What claimed i 1 In a transportation sytem wherein a member having a generally cylindrical opening thererough is secured tothe bed of transport body by means of st east one tiedown chain which extends through the opening in the member, the im. provement comprising atleast one eg protector positioned on the edge of the opening through said member betveen the chain and the member, said edge protector comprising ist, and second generally fat plates secured to one anothers that the ange between the plates approximately 90° the junction at which the plates are secured to one another being curved to conform tothe contour ofthe edge af the generally clinical opening of the member being transported, sad itt plate ex tending into suid opening, frst and second ribs formed onthe outer surface of sid ist plat in spaced relationship with one another, sad first and second ris extending generally parallel, to-one another and perpendicular othe junction between sad rst and second plats, third and fourth ribs formed on the ‘ute surface of sid second plat in spaced relationship with ‘one another, suid third and fourth ribs extending parallel to one another and perpendicular tothe junction between said first and second plates, said frst ib being aligned with sad third ib and said Second rib being aligned with sid fourth ri, said chain engaging sai outer surfaces between sai fist and second and between said third and fourth ibs 2. The system of claim 1 wherein sai plates and sai cbs are an integral nit formed of a thermoplastic material and ‘herein said frst and third ibs are joined at sad junction and said second and fourth ibs are joined at said junction 3. The system of claim 2 wherein sid ist plate extends into said cylindrical opening and said second plate is located out, side sid eylingrical opening, the length of said fist plate ox tending into said cylindrical opening being greater than the length of sad second plat ouside sald cylindrical opening