[0001] The present invention relates to a holder for gas cylinders and the like, comprising
at least two adjacent and substantially parallel rows, each of which having at least
two spaces for receiving gas cylinders, wherein the distance between the centre line
of the rows is smaller than the diameter of the cylinder, and wherein the centre lines
of two adjacent cylinders in a row, form an equilateral triangle with the centre line
of a cylinder from an adjacent row. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing
a holder for gas cylinders or the like.
[0002] Practice has shown that such holders are generally suitable. However, said holders
have the disadvantage that it is awkward to fill the cylinders when they are empty.
To do this, the cylinders must in a first step be removed from the holder, subsequently
they have to be filled and finally, after filling, they have to be replaced in the
holder. This takes up much room at the filling station. In addition, the different
steps cause filling to be very time-consuming.
[0003] It is the object of the invention to provide an improved holder. It is more in particular
the object of the invention to provide an improved holder with which the cylinders
can be handled, e.g. when they are being filled, while the cylinders are in the crate.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a holder with which an improved
utilization of space is realized. It is also the object of the invention to provide
an improved holder allowing the cylinders to be inspected from the outside.
[0004] In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the invention provides a holder
in accordance with the preamble, which is characterized in that the bottom of the
holder, at the position of the cylinders, is provided with openings to allow lifting
means to be inserted from below in order to bring the cylinders into an elevated position.
The holder according to the invention provides the advantage that, in order to be
filled, it is not necessary to remove the cylinders from the holder. The cylinders
may be filled while they are in a position sufficiently elevated for their filling
openings to extend just above the top rim of the holders.
[0005] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the holder according to the invention
is provided with carrying means that consist of openings provided near the top sides
of the holder's vis-à-vis walls, and wherein vertical ribs extend at the inside of
the walls above the openings. This results in the wall of the holder above the openings
becoming reinforced. Surprisingly, this also considerably improves the stability during
carrying. According to a further preferred embodiment of such carrying means, the
ribs in the central portion above the openings are longer than the ribs more towards
the sides of the opening and extending upward. In addition to improved strength and
rigidity of the wall this surprisingly improves the stability during carrying even
further.
[0006] According to the invention a holder or "crate" for e.g. gas cylinders may be conveniently
manufactured accordance with a new and inventive method. Said method is characterized
in that it comprises the steps of providing two substantially identical halves for
a holder, each of which halves is provided with a wall part, a bottom part and a rim
part extending over a substantial portion of the wall part and the bottom part, and
connecting the rim parts of the two halves such as to form the holder. The two halves
may be connected by any suitable method that provides a firm connection, for example,
by fusion or adhesion. It is preferred for the rim parts to be fused together. It
is especially preferred for the two halves to be joined together by means of hot plate
welding.
[0007] Finally, the invention relates to a method of filling gas cylinders or the like,
comprising the provision of a holder containing cylinders to be filled, bringing the
cylinders into an elevated position such that the filling openings of the cylinders
extend to above the top rim of the holder, and connecting the filling opening with
the filling source, lifting the cylinder by means of lifting means, which push through
openings in the bottom of the holder against the cylinders, thereby lifting the same.
[0008] Further advantages of the invention will become clear from the description of the
preferred embodiments hereafter, which will be elucidated with reference to the drawings.
[0009] The drawings comprise several Figures.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a holder according to a preferred embodiment
of the invention.
Figure 2 shows a top view of the holder according to Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a side view of the holder according to Figure 1.
Figure 4, shows a perspective view of a half of a holder according to the invention.
[0010] Figure 1 shows a holder 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in
perspective. The holder is at the top completely open to facilitate placing the gas
cylinders into the holder. In the embodiment represented, the holder is suitable to
accommodate four gas cylinders (not shown). As shown more clearly in the top view
of the holder illustrated in Figure 3, four gas cylinders can be placed in the holder.
For this purpose, the holder 1 is provided with four spaces, which in the embodiment
illustrated are divided into two rows of two spaces each. The first row, indicated
with arrow I, extends parallel with the longitudinal axis of the holder. The second
row, indicated with arrow II, also extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the
holder 1. As shown in Figure 3, the distance d is smaller than the diameter D of an
individual gas cylinder. As a result the holder can have a smaller width than when
four gas cylinders are placed in a square. This is still advantageous, even though
the holder shown by the configuration in Figure 3 is longer than a holder whereby
the individual gas cylinders are placed in the shape of a square. Because of the standard
dimensions of a gas cylinder, the present configuration makes it possible to manufacture
the holder with outside dimensions such that the same provides sufficient strength
and protection against damage to the gas cylinders. In addition it is possible to
use the whole surface of a standard pallet for positioning the holders according to
the invention thereon. The holder may, for example, be manufactured in a size of 20
x 30 cm. This allows an optimal utilization of the surface of a standard pallet. In
this case a total of two rows of four crates each can be placed on a pallet, while
in the case of a crate shaped like a square, only two rows of three crates each can
be placed, without completely utilizing the surface area.
[0011] As can be seen in Figure 3, the holder 1 according to the invention has an axis of
symmetry S extending vertically through the holder. This axis of symmetry S forms
a mirror image axis of the holder in the form illustrated. In practice this is realized
by the holder 1 according to the invention being comprised of two identical parts
(see Figure 4), which are joined along the line 1-1.
[0012] In Figure 4, a half 1A of the holder according to the invention is shown. A holder
1 according to the invention, but also any other holder for holding and transporting
etc. gas cylinders and the like, may be manufactured conveniently and economically
from two identical halves in accordance with a method in which said two identical
halves are joined together. These halves may be formed in accordance with a conventional
injection moulding technique. In the embodiment shown, two identical parts 1A are
placed to abut along the rim 14, and joined together by means of, for example, plastic
welding. The rim 14 has to extend over a substantial part of the wall and the bottom
in order to provide a strong bond between the two halves. The joining together may
be carried out in any suitable manner of plastic welding known in the art. By this
method it is very simple to manufacture a holder that actually has a complex shape.
[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the holder 1 is provided with carrying means
2. As shown in Figure 1, the carrying means 2 are comprised of a substantially horizontal
opening near the top side of a wall 3 of the holder 1. As shown, the opening is located
at a position practically between the two spaces for gas cylinders. The advantage
of this is that when the holder is carried by hand, the fingers that are inserted
through the opening from the outside will not touch the gas cylinder. An extra advantage
is that a stable support position is obtained. The openings for carrying the holder
1 are preferably provided in opposite sides.
[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment, and as also shown in Figure 1, the inside
of the wall 3 of the holder 1 above the openings 4 are provided with vertical ribs
5. These vertical ribs extend from a position substantially adjacent the top rim of
the opening 4 to a position closer to the top rim 6 of the holder. This reinforces
the wall portion above the openings. The extra advantage of this is a greater stability
when the holder is being carried. It appears that when holding and carrying the holder,
said ribs 5 provide the fingers with a sideways stability. Near the centre of the
opening 4, the ribs 5 are preferably longer than at the ends of the opening 4. This
can be clearly seen in Figure 3. This further improves the stability.
[0015] In its interior, the holder 1 is provided with guide means 7, 8, 9, for guiding the
gas cylinders when they are moved substantially vertically, such as when placing them
into and removing them from the holder. The guide means 7 extend from a side wall
3 of the holder 1 to a cylinder that is to be placed against the opposite side wall
of the holder 1.
[0016] In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, which is a side view of the holder according
to Figure 1, the holder is at its underside provided with support means 10. According
to a preferred embodiment, the outer edges 11 of the support means 10 just fall within
the inside 12 of the top rim 6 of the holder 1. In this way several holders can be
stacked without the risk of them sliding of each other.
[0017] As can also be clearly seen in the Figures 1 and 2, the walls of the holder 1 according
to the invention are provided with openings (viewing openings). This facilitates a
careful inspection to be carried out while the gas cylinders are in the holder 1.
This makes it possible, for example, to read labels applied to the cylinder wall.
It also makes it easy to inspect other identification means on the cylinder. The openings
in the wall of the holder are preferably located approximately at the top half of
the cylinders.
[0018] Finally, the bottom of the holder 1 is provided with openings 13. Said openings 13
facilitate the insertion of lifting means (not shown), with which gas cylinders in
the holder can be lifted. For example, by this means it is possible to lift cylinders
sufficiently high until their tops, e.g. their filling openings, extend above the
top rim 6 of the holder 1. This allows the gas cylinders to be filled without having
to remove them completely from the holder.
[0019] The walls of the holder 1 according to the invention have surfaces 14 located under
the viewing openings. These may be used for applying identification means on the exterior
of the holder. They are preferably slightly recessed in relation to the largest outside
dimension of the holder. In this way the identification means to be applied on the
surfaces 14 will not easily be damaged during use.
1. A holder (1) for gas cylinders and the like, comprising at least two adjacent and
substantially parallel rows, each of which having at least two spaces for receiving
gas cylinders, wherein the distance between the centre line of the rows is smaller
than the diameter of the cylinder, and wherein the centre lines of two adjacent cylinders
in a row, form an equilateral triangle with the centre line of a cylinder from an
adjacent row, characterized in that the bottom of the holder, at the position of the cylinders, is provided with openings
to allow lifting means to be inserted from below in order to bring the cylinders into
an elevated position.
2. A holder (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical central axis of the holder forms a mirror image axis.
3. A holder (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the same is suitable for holding two rows of each two gas cylinders.
4. A holder (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the same is provided with carrying means that consist of openings provided in the
holder's vis-à-vis walls, and wherein vertical ribs extend at the inside of the walls
above the openings.
5. A holder (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the ribs are longer near the opening than near the end of the ribs positioned away
from the opening.
6. A holder (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the ribs at the sides of the openings are shorter than the ribs in the central part
above the openings.
7. A holder (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that where the cylinders are, the walls are provided with openings to facilitate the inspection
of the cylinders from the outside.
8. A holder (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the openings extend at least over identification means on the cylinders.
9. A holder (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that at least one wall of the holder has a surface located under the openings to allow
the application of an identification.
10. A holder (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a guide means is provided, which is attached to a wall of the holder, and which extends
to a position between two cylinders of the same row to be placed next to one another
in the holder, and to a cylinder that is to be placed into the adjacent row.
11. A method of manufacturing a holder for essentially cylindrical objects, characterized in that the same comprises the steps of providing two substantially identical halves (1A)
for a holder (1), each of which halves (1A) is provided with a wall part (15), a bottom
part (16) and a rim part (14) extending over a substantial portion of the wall part
(15) and the bottom part (16), and connecting the rim parts of the two halves such
as to form the holder (1).
12. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that the two halves are joined together by means of fusing the rim portions.
13. A method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the two halves are joined together by means of hot plate welding.
14. A method of filling gas cylinders or the like, comprising the provision of a holder
containing cylinders to be filled, bringing the cylinders into an elevated position
such that the filling openings of the cylinders extend to above the top rim of the
holder, and connecting the filling opening with the filling source, lifting the cylinder
by means of lifting means, which push through openings in the bottom of the holder
against the cylinders, thereby lifting the same.