US2826523A

US2826523A - Protective covering

Info

Publication number: US2826523A
Application number: US445822A
Authority: US
Inventors: Blaszkowski Henry; Richard A Papke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-07-26
Filing date: 1954-07-26
Publication date: 1958-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-11

Description

March 1958 H. BLASZKOWSKI ETAL 2,826,523

PROTECTIVE COVERING Filed July 26, 1954 INVENTORS #2717? iiasziawsjz'} KZ/T'JIJ rroPMB/s PROTECTIVE COVERING Henry Blaszkowski and Richard A. Papke, Dearborn, Mich.

Application July 26, 1954, Serial No. 445,322

4 Claims. (Cl. 154--50) This invention relates to protective coverings and, more particularly, to an improved protective covering particularly adapted to roll upon itself automatically.

An object of the invention is to overcome disadvantages in prior protective coverings and to provide an improved protective covering incorporating improved means for automatically rolling the covering.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved protective covering incorporating improved means for protecting articles covered thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved self-rolling protective covering incorporating improved means for removing ice and snow therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved self-rolling protective covering which may be easily and quickly applied to an article with a minimum of time and labor so as to protect such article against shock, vibration and other forces imparted thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved self-rolling protective covering that is economical to manufacture and assemble, durable and reliable in operation.

In the accomplishment of these objects, the present invention provides a protective covering which is comprised of a laminated sheet having a plurality of layers, at least one of the layers being resilient and being prestressed before it is bonded to the adjacent layer or layers whereby the sheet will roll upon itself tightly and automatically. The present invention also provides a chamber intermediate the layers of the laminated sheet whereby a fluid may be injected into and exhausted from the chamber to expand and contract the sheet to remove ice and snow therefrom.

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a protective covering embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the covering illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the same in the unrolled position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the covering illustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line 3-3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a protective covering constructed in accordance with another form of the invention, and showing the same in the unrolled position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the covering illustrated in Fig. 4, taken on the line 5-5 thereof;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of still another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and is comprised of a laminated sheet, generally designated 10, having a layer 12 and a layer 14 each formed of a resilient material, as for example rubber. In the assembly of this embodiment of the invention, the layer 14 is held in a flat,

ite States Patent 0 ice relatively unstressed position. The layer 12 is then stretched and placed under tension so that the layer 12 is prestressed relative to the layer 14. The layers 12 and 14 are then bonded together by any suitable or conventional means, as for example with a bonding agent 16 or by vulcanizing, while maintaining the layer 14 in a relatively dormant, flat position and the layer 12 in the prestressed condition relative to the dormant layer. With such a construction, when the sheet 10 is released, it will automatically roll upon itself tightly and automatically to the position shown in Fig. l.

The sheet 10 is adapted to a wide variety of applications. For example, the sheet 10 may be employed as a self-rolling tarpaulin or covering. The sheet 10 may also be formed in any desired size and quickly applied to relatively fragile articles, as for example bottles, by permitting the sheet to roll around the article. It has been found that when the sheet 10 is employed in such a manner, the sheet will securely grip the article and substantially prevent relative movement between the sheet and the article, thereby maintaining the article in the protected position relative to the sheet. if desired, the sheet 10 may be formed in elongated strips and the strips bonded in spaced, substantially parallel relationship to flexible sheets of paper or the like. For example, the strips may be bonded to blueprints or maps, and the strips will cause such blueprints or maps to roll automatically when released from a relatively flat position. Other applications of the sheet 10 will be readily apparent.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated j in Figs. 4 and 5, and is comprised of a laminated sheet 18 having a layer 20 and a layer 22 each formed of a resilient material, as for example rubber. In the assembly of this embodiment of the invention, the layer 22 is held in a flat relatively unstressed or dormant position. The layer 20 is then stretched so that the layer 20 is placed under tension and is prestressed relative to the layer 22 after which the peripheral portions 24 of the layers are bonded together by any suitable or conventional means, as for example, by a bonding agent or by vulcanizing, while maintaining the layer 22 in a relatively dormant condition and the layer 20 in the prestressed condition. When the layers 20 and 22 are so bonded, they define a chamber 26 and an inlet opening 28 is provided through which a fluid, as for example air, may be injected into and exhausted from the chamber 26. With such a construction when the sheet 18 is released, it will roll upon itself tightly and automatically in the manner previously described. In addition, ice and snow would be easily and quickly removed from the sheet 18 by alternately injecting a fluid into the chamber 25 through the opening 28 and exhausting the fluid from the chamber 26 so as to expand and contract the central portions of the layers 20 and 22, thereby breaking the ice or snow from the sheet 18. Furthermore, the sheet 18 may be quickly applied to relatively fragile articles, as for example bottles, by applying the sheet 18 to the article so that it rolls itself upon the article after which air or other fluid may be injected into the chamber 26 so as to provide a resilient cushion around the article which serves to protect the article against impact, shock and other forces imparted thereto.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 6, and is composed of a sheet

3t having layers

32, 34 and 36 each formed of a resilient material, as for example rubber. In the assembly of this embodiment of the invention, the layer 36 is held flat in a relatively unstressed or dormant position and the layer 34 is then placed under tension so that the layer 34 is prestressed relative to the layer 36 after which the peripheral portions of the

layers

34 and 36 are bonded together while maintaining the layer E 34 in a prestressed condition and the layer 36 in a relatively dormant condition. The

layers

34 and 36 then define a chamber 38 into which air or other fluid may be injected in the manner previously described. After the layers 34 and .36 have been bonded, the layer 32 is placed under sufficient tension so that the layer '32 is prestressed relative to the layer 34 as Well as the layer '36 and bonded to the layer 34 in the manner previously described. It has been found that with such a construction, the sheet 30 will roll upon itself very rapidly With a snap action and it has been found that by successively applying additional layers each of which are prestressed relative to the adjacent layer, any desired rolling action may be obtained. The sheet30 may be conveniently employed in the manner previously described.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 7 and is comprised of a sheet 40 having a layer 42 and a layer 44. In this embodiment of the invention, the layer 42 is formed of a relatively non-elastic material, as for example, a fabric, While the layer 44 is formed of a resilient material, as for example rubber. In this embodiment of the invention, the layer 42 is held in a relatively fiat position and the layer 44 is placed under tension so that it is prestressed relative to the layer 42 after which the layer 44 is bonded to the layer 42., as by a bonding agent 46. Such a construction provides a protective covering having all the desired characteristics of a fabric protective covering and, in addition, provides a protective covering which is adapted to roll upon itself tightly and automatically when the peripheral portion of the sheet 40 is released. While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

aeaasaa 4 What is claimed is: 1. A protective covering comprising a laminated flexible sheet formed of a plurality of layers all of which are pliable, at least one of said pliable layers being formed of an elastic resilient material, said resilient layer being elastically prestressed Within its elastic limit relative to the adjacent layer and bonded to one side of the adjacent layer.

2. A protective covering comprising, in combination, a laminated flexible sheet having a pair of layers, each formed of a pliable material and disposed in back to back relationship, one of said layers being formed of an elastic material, said one layer being elastically prestressed within its elastic limit relative to the other of said layers and bonded to said other layer.

3. A pliable protective covering including, in combination, a pair of layers each formed of a flexible elastic material, one of said layers bein elastically prestressed within its elastic limit relative to the other of said layers and bonded to one side of said other layer to form a laminated sheet.

4. A flexible protective covering comprising a pair of layers, one of said layers being formed of a relatively flexible pliable material, the other of said layers being formed of an elastic resilient and pliable material, said one layer being prestressed relative to said other layer and being bonded to said other layer to form a pliable laminated sheet adapted to roll upon itself automatically.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,211,706 Hoerbelt Ian. 9, 1917 2,305,853 Eger et a1. Dec. 22, 1942 2,335,190 Minich Nov. 23, 1943 2,490,946 Cloud Dec. 13, 1949

Claims

1. A PROCTECTIVE COVERING COMPRISING A LAMINATED FLEXIBLE SHEET FORMED OF A PLURALITY OF LAYERS ALL OF WHICH ARE PLIABLE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PLIABLE LAYERS BEING FORMED OF AN ELASTIC RESILIENT MATERIAL, SAID RESILIENT LAYER BEING ELASTICALLY PRESTRESSED WITHIN ITS ELASTIC LIMIT RELATIVE TO THE ADJACENT LAYER AND BONDED TO ONE SIDE OF THE ADJACENT LAYER.