Stack of elongate elements in a container and method of stacking

Abstract

A stack of elongate elements, such as lengths pipes, in a container, such as a gondola railroad car, that has an interior length greater than the length of the individual pipes. The pipes are stacked so that some of the pipes in the stack have end portions adjacent one end of the container and other pipes have end portions adjacent the other end of the container, such that the stack has an overall length approximating the interior length of the container. End lashings are secured around the end portions of the pipes and apply a pinching pressure to the end portions. A plurality of interior lashings are secured around the pipes interiorly of the end portions with each interior lashing including at least one pipe that is also included within another interior lashing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stack of rows of substantially equal length elongate elements arranged for disposition in a container having an intermediate length greater than the length of the elongate elements, said stack of elongate elements comprising:
 a first horizontal row or rows of elongate elements including a lowermost row of elements;   a second horizontal row or rows of elongate elements stacked on top of said first row or rows and having end portions at one and extending beyond one end of the elements of said first row or rows of elements therebelow, and said first row or rows of elements having end portions at the other end thereof extending beyond the other ends of said second row or rows of elements thereabove thereby forming a stack having an overall length approximating the intermediate length of the container; and   means for restraining significant relative lengthwise movement of said rows of elements in said stack.   
     
     
         2 . The stack of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized further in that said restraining means retains said elements in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized further by:
 a third horizontal row or rows of elongate elements stacked on top of said second horizontal row or rows of elongate elements and aligned lengthwise with said first horizontal row or rows of elements, the elements of said third horizontal row or rows of elements having end portions aligned with said end portions of the elements of said first horizontal row or rows of elements, 
 a fourth horizontal row or rows of elongate elements stacked on top of said third horizontal row or rows of elongate elements and aligned lengthwise with said second horizontal row or rows of elements, the elements of said fourth horizontal row or rows of elements having end portions aligned with said end portions of the elements of said second horizontal row or rows of elongate elements; and said means for restraining comprises a first laterally extending end lashing secured around said end portions of said first and third horizontal row or rows of elements, and a second laterally extending end lashing secured around said end portions of said second and fourth horizontal row or rows of elements. 
 
     
     
         4 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized further by a plurality of laterally extending intermediate lashings, at least one of said intermediate lashings extending under the lowermost row of said elements and over at least two rows of elements thereabove, at least another of said intermediate lashings extending over the topmost row of elements and under at least two rows of elements therebelow, and other intermediate lashings each secured around a plurality of rows of elements that includes one row of elements that is also secured within at least one of the other intermediate lashings. 
     
     
         5 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized further by a top row or rows of horizontal elements stacked on top of the other rows of elements and generally longitudinally centered with respect to the combined length of the rows of elements therebelow. 
     
     
         6 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 3  characterized further by a top row or rows of horizontal elements stacked on top of the other rows of elements and generally longitudinally centered with respect to the combined length of the rows of elements therebelow. 
     
     
         7 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized in that said elements are cylindrical and of substantially equal length and at least two rows of adjacent elements are arranged in a nesting pair, and at least one mat of slip resisting material is positioned between the rows of said nesting pair. 
     
     
         8 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 1  characterized further by spacer bars disposed laterally between at least two adjacent rows of elements to provide spaces therebetween, and said restraining means comprises at least one lashing extending laterally through said space and secured around a plurality of rows of elements. 
     
     
         9 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 4  characterized further by spacer bars disposed laterally between at least two adjacent rows of elements to provide spaces therebetween, and said other intermediate lashings extend through said spaces. 
     
     
         10 . The stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 8  characterized further by a plurality of spaced spacer bars disposed laterally under the lowermost row of elements. 
     
     
         11 . A method of loading a stack of horizontal rows of elongate elements of substantially equal length in a container having a bottom and upstanding end walls spaced apart a distance greater than the lengths of the elements, said method comprising:
 loading a first horizontal row or rows of elements into said container with one end portion at one end thereof adjacent one end wall of the container and the other end spaced from the opposite end wall of the container;   loading a second horizontal row or rows of elements into said container on top of said first row or rows of elements with an end portion at one end adjacent said opposite end wall of said container and the other end spaced from said one end wall of the container; and   applying means for restraining significant relative lengthwise movement of said rows of elements.   
     
     
         12 . A method of loading a stack of rows of elongate elements of substantially equal length in a container having a bottom and upstanding end walls spaced apart a distance greater than the length of said elements, comprising:
 placing a plurality of spaced laterally extending spacer bars on said container bottom; placing a plurality of bottom spaced laterally extending lashings on said container bottom for subsequent lashing together of rows of elements;   loading a first row or rows of elements into said container on said bottom spacer bars with one end portion at one end thereof adjacent one end wall of the container and the other end spaced from the opposite end wall of the container;   loading a second row or rows of elements into said container on top of said first row or rows of elements with end portions at one end adjacent said opposite end wall of said container and the other end spaced from said one end wall of the container;   loading a third row or rows of elements into said container on top of said second row or rows of elements with an end portion at one end adjacent said one end wall of said container and above said end portion of said first row or rows of elements and the other end spaced from said opposite end wall above said other end of said first row or rows of elements;   securing one of said lashings around the end portions of said first and third row or rows of elements;   loading a fourth row or rows of elements into said container on top of said third row or rows of elements with an end portion at one end adjacent said opposite end wall of said container and above said end portion of said second row or rows of elements and the other end spaced from said one end wall above said other end of said second row or rows of elements;   and securing another of said lashings around the end portions of said second and fourth row or rows of elements.   
     
     
         13 . The method of loading a stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 12  characterized further in that before loading said second row or rows of elements, placing a plurality of longitudinally spaced spacer bars laterally on said loaded first row or rows of elements and placing a plurality of lashings between said spaced spacer bars, during at least some subsequent loading of rows of elements spacer bars and lashings are placed on top of previously loaded rows of elements, and during said subsequent loading of rows of elements said previously laid lashings are secured around a plurality of rows of elements including rows above subsequently laid lashings. 
     
     
         14 . The method of loading a stack of rows of elongate elements of  claim 13  characterized further in that said subsequent loading of rows of elements includes loading a plurality of upper rows of elements generally centrally disposed between the container end walls. 
     
     
         15 . The method of loading a stack of rows of elongate elements according to  claim 14  wherein the elements are cylindrical, said method further comprising laying a plurality of said elements in nested pairs while placing mats of slip resisting material between the rows in said nested pairs.