Back to results
US 5,472,768 AGranted
Tubular section rolled up from a flexible sheet
OwnerAndrew P. Ansoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a tubular section which may be constructed from a sheet having a pair of opposed edges. The opposed edges are releasably connectable such that the section may be stored in a relatively flat configuration. The screw fasteners used to connect the edges together may be restrained from rotation using for example a stringer element appropriately stabilised relative to the fasteners.
Claims18
A kit for the construction of a rebuildable open-ended tubular section,
- said kit comprising
- a flexible sheet,
- said sheet having a pair of opposed edge members, said sheet being configured to be rolled up such that said edge members are able to be disposed in an adjacent position wherein said sheet defines an open-ended tubular section, said tubular section having an interior side and an exterior side, and
- screw interlocking means for releaseably joining said first and second edge members together in said adjacent position,
- said screw interlocking means comprising
- a plurality of screw fasteners, and
- a plurality of pairs of first and second elements,
- said screw interlocking means being configured such that for each pair of said elements, one edge member comprises the first element of the pair and the other edge member comprises the second element of the pair,
- each screw fastener comprising a head portion and a screw threaded shank portion, said shank portion having a longitudinal axis,
- each first element comprising a first opening,
- each second member comprising a second opening,
- each first opening having a screw thread for screw engagement with the screw threaded shank portion of a respective screw fastener, each second opening being sized smaller than the head portion of a respective screw fastener,
- the first and second elements of each of said pairs of elements being configured and disposed such
- that the second opening is alignable with a respective first opening so as to define an aligned opening for holding the shank portion of a respective screw fastener, and
- that the second element may be disposed on the exterior side of said tubular chute and the shank portion of a respective screw fastener may enter the aligned opening so as to dispose said second element between the respective first element and the head portion of the respective screw fastener when the shank portion of said respective screw fastener is held in the aligned opening,
- characterized
- in that one or more screw fasteners has a pair of opposed, spaced apart, axially offset members projecting from the head portion thereof, said axially offset members being axially offset relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank portion of a respective screw fastener, and
- in that said kit includes
- rotational restraint means for inhibiting the rotation of said one or more of screw fasteners when the shank portion thereof is in screw engagement with a respective first opening, said rotational restraint means being able to engage either or both offset members of a said pair of offset members of a screw fastener for inhibiting the rotation thereof.
16 more elements
A kit for the construction of a rebuildable open-ended tapered tubular section,
- said kit comprising
- a flexible sheet,
- said sheet having a first edge member and an opposed second edge member, said sheet being configured to be rolled up such that said edge members are able to be disposed in an overlapping position wherein said sheet defines an open-ended tapered tubular section, said tubular section having an interior side and an exterior side, and
- screw interlocking means for releaseably joining said first and second edge members together in said overlapping position,
- said screw interlocking means comprising
- a plurality of screw fasteners,
- a plurality of first openings, said first openings being defined by and being disposed along one of said edge members,
- and a plurality of spaced apart second openings, said second openings being defined by and being disposed along the other of said edge members,
- each screw fastener comprising a head portion and a screw threaded shank portion,
- each first opening having a screw thread for screw engagement with the screw threaded shank portion of a respective screw fastener,
- each second opening being sized smaller than the head portion of a respective screw fastener,
- said first and second edge members being configured such,
- that each of the second openings is able to be aligned with a respective first opening so as to define a respective aligned opening for holding the shank portion of a respective screw fastener, and
- that the second edge member may be disposed on the exterior side of said tubular chute and the shank portion of each screw fastener may enter a respective aligned opening so as to dispose said second edge member between the first edge member and the head portion of each of the screw fasteners when the shank portion of each of the screw fasteners is held in a respective aligned opening,
- characterized
- in that said screw fasteners comprise one or more eyebolts, each eyebolt comprising a head portion and a screw threaded shank portion, the head portion of each eyebolt having a loop member defining an orifice, and
- in that said kit includes
- rotational restraint means for inhibiting the rotation of one or more of said eyebolts when the shank portion thereof is in screw engagement with a respective first opening, said rotational restraint means being able to engage the loop member defining the orifice of said one or more eyebolts for inhibiting the rotation thereof.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.