The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for protecting, storing, viewing, and transporting multiple engineering drawings and plans of various sizes.
Field copies of Engineering Drawings are normally “blueprints” copied from the original drawings in various sizes up to 36×44 inches. These sets are rolled into bundles and provided to the various contractors: grading, construction, mechanical, electrical, HVAC, electronic and other servicing vendors. These copies are used in the back of pickup trucks, beds of vans, hoods of vehicles and outdoor tables for viewing reference as the contractor provides the services to the specifications outlined in the drawing. Winds on the job tear or blow the drawings around, rocks or dirt clods used to hold the drawings down, rain, coffee cup, drink cans or bottle rings can alter details of the drawings, requiring the contractor to “best guess” the specifications or obtain another blueprint copy before proceeding with the job. Jobs completed with “best guesses” can result in completion delays and increased costs, as the job has to be redone or corrected. At the end of each work day the plans are normally rerolled into bundles. The rolling and unrolling contribute to the unprotected blueprints deteriorating condition throughout the construction project.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an improved means to store and transport large format or scrolled documents in a compact space.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved means to open such document from the more compact stored state, and to do so rapidly without damaging the documents.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved means to view and use such documents, while still protecting them from damage, and in particular in field conditions, and to then rapidly return them to storage and select another document for view.
In the present invention, the first object is achieved by providing a document carrier comprising, a substantially co-planar frame having at least a first and second planar portion in hinged connection along a common side, the hinge having a rotary axis disposed parallel and coupled to the common sides, two roller supports extend upward from the periphery of opposite sides of each of the first and second planar portions of said substantially co-planar frame, each of pair roller supports defining an axial bearing for a roller, the axes of said roller being parallel to the rotary axis of the hinge.
Thus, the document, though initially having its opposing ends wrapped around rollers, when the rollers are fitted into the roller supports, is unrolled to the desired portion is laid flat over the frame for further study or modification. The document may be a continuous scroll, or may be a series of flat pages inserted into a continuous roll formed of plurality of adjacent transparent pockets, each pocket capable of holding at least one document.
A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the roller supports are disposed non-equidistant from the hinge axis on the first and second planar portion of said frame.
A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that the offset in distance of the roller supports in the first and second planar portion of said frame is at least each twice the vertical distance from the planar portion to the axial bearing of the roller support.
The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, generally illustrated in
The rollers 12A and 12B fit in spaced apart rotary engagement in receiving slots in a 30A and 30B in the opposite sides of the multiple segment frame 110 that comprise device 100. In the embodiment of
Different parts of the document are accessed by rotating at least one of plan roller 12A and B using a turning crank 24A and B which are coupled to the cylindrical base thereof. Optionally, the document or retaining sleeve 14 is inserted into a slot in the roller and held down by a retaining dowel 22. The roller turning crank 24 can be either co-axial to the roller cylinder 12 or offset from the roller axis, as well as be disposed on one or both sides of each roller 12A and 12B. When the plan holder or document 14 is to be protected or transported the two halves 10A and 10B are folded together via the connecting rotary hinge 26, after which the device 100 is securely closed by engage mating latches 20A and B latches on halves 10A and 10B respectively.
The device 100 should be constructed of a material rugged enough to hold and protect the container and its contents when carried and used in the field. Any of the components shown in
Preferably, in the embodiment of
In another embodiment, shown in
The connecting hinges 426a and 426b fold enable frame segments 410a-b and 410b-c to respectively fold as shown in
The center of upright brackets 433a on the first segment 410a is offset from the middle of second 410b (at handle 518) by a distance W1. However, the center of upright brackets 433b on the thirds segment 410c is offset from the middle of second segment 410b by a distance W3.
The side frame segment 410a has a width that is generally at least W1 plus R, but preferably slightly larger or at least the greater of W1 and W3 plus R, with sides 410a and 410b having the same width. As shown in
It should be appreciated that the device 100 of either
In a preferred embodiment of the frame 110 of the device in
In summary, as shown in
While the frame segments 410a, b and c are preferably substantially rigid, it should be appreciated that this is not essential so long as at least portions thereof are sufficiently rigid as to maintain the minimum proportions described above and protected the documents when the segment 410a and 410c are folded parallel to form the sides.
While
The document 14 may be a continuous scroll, or may be a series of flat pages joined together via connecting edges, staples or the like, but is preferably handled and viewable as a scroll as shown in
It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the shapes of many components shown in
The device 100 in the most preferred embodiments provide an encased area for carrying and storage of Engineering drawings and or any other documents, and a method of moving drawings into and out of a viewing area for use at the work location either manually or motorized. The flexible drawing carrier 100 shall provide pockets of a transparent covering which will hold all sizes of engineering drawings in place, so that they can be rolled or slid across the viewing area. This transparent covering is preferably made from a material which offers Ultraviolet light filtering to protect the drawings from fading due to prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Generally speaking for devices that are reasonable in size to use and transport, plans up to 36×44 inches, provided for use on the job are selected by the sequence in which they will be used. These drawings are then inserted into the flexible plastic pockets on the flexible plan holder, retaining dowels are inserted into each end of the holder and the ends are slipped into the roller slots. The turning crank is used to position the first drawing into the viewing area and when the next drawing is required, it is rolled into the viewing area with the initial drawing being rolled onto the other roller at the same time. The direction of the drawings can be reversed by use of the opposite turning crank. Should the contractor want to view several plans at once, the plan holder can be pulled off of each roller, without removing it from the rollers and display several plans at once, and when they are no longer required they are rolled up onto the plan rollers. The clear plastic covering of the plan holder protects the drawing from wind and dirt or moisture from rain, cups, cans, bottles and other substances which would alter or obscure the drawing details. At the end of the work day the drawings remain in the plan holder and the container is simply closed by folding it in half and closing the latches. The drawings are always protected when transporting and when in storage, until the next required use.
The use of various embodiments of device 100 as an Engineering Drawing (Blueprint) Holder/Protector Viewer makes the use of drawings and plans on the job sites much easier and protects precise specifications illustrated and stipulated on the plan. Use of the device 100 as described in the various embodiments will reduce or eliminate the need for obtaining replacement blueprints should they become destroyed by wind, rain, dirt, moisture rings from coffee cups, drink cans, bottles and other marks normally made on the blueprint in the course of everyday field use. The services provided using engineering drawings will be less error prone due to smudged or altered drawings and will result in the following:
Due to the drawing being encased in a holder the chance of alteration of specifications by torn or obscured details is eliminated.
By containing all of the drawings within the portable Engineering Drawing container, project delays due to lost or misplaced drawings will be eliminated.
Errors and additional delays and costs associated with torn blueprints and or obscured details, will be eliminated by the protection offered by the use of the Engineering Plan Holder/Protector Viewer.
By reducing confusion in reading Engineering Plans, the job can be completed sooner thus reducing personnel exposure to injury on the job or in transit to and from the job.
Drawers or pockets are provided to enable the storage of frequently used writing and drawing tools and instruments, as well as reading pointers.
Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the parts can have other geometrical shapes: the carrier can be of a different size or style; there can be fewer or more drawing pockets, it may be assembled differently and the components can be constructed of different materials, but all of the changes will result in an Engineering Drawing Holder/Protector Viewer providing the same function as this invention for use with drawings and blueprints stored and used by contractors and their employees for use in completing the construction project.
Although it was common in ancient times for documents to be recorded on long scrolls of paper or parchments, there existed limited means for rapidly accessing and viewing selected portions of these documents. Recently there have been innovations regarding the display of religious document in scroll form, and in particular Torah scrolls, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,869 B2 (Arrane, issued Jun. 24, 2003). Further, pending U.S. Patent Application US 2007/0195514 A1 (Katz et al, Pub. Date: Aug. 23, 2007) illustrates a means of overlaying or projecting printed matter over an unrolled Torah scroll. However, these devices require that the scrolls be removed from a protective case before being unrolled.
While round protective cases for Torah scrolls have been in continuous use for centuries, the Torah is first removed and then un-scrolled on a separate table for reading. Such round Torah cases are intended to hold two rollers that support opposite rolled up ends of the scroll in close proximity. While it may be possible in at least some of these traditional Torah cases to rotate both rollers while the Torah scroll is in the case, the Torah still needs to be removed for reading and study.
Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the present invention in other embodiments may be used to hold a Torah, or any other documents that is in a long scroll format, such as the Megillah, or Story of Ester, generally without the use of the sleeves of
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The present application claims priority to the U.S. provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60/936,032, filed Jun. 18, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4487244 | Olson | Dec 1984 | A |
5168647 | Castro | Dec 1992 | A |
5347735 | Pratt | Sep 1994 | A |
5942706 | Leckie | Aug 1999 | A |
6581869 | Arrane | Jun 2003 | B2 |
6845806 | Gottschall et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
20070195514 | Katz et al. | Aug 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20080308666 A1 | Dec 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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60936032 | Jun 2007 | US |