Abstract:
A roll riser for supporting rolled goods during shipment is formed as a doughnut from a recyclable material such as corrugated paper or foamed plastic. The weight of the roll riser is selected in consideration of the size and weight to the rolled goods.

Description:
[0001]    The benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 61/396,007 is claimed. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to loading of rolled goods such as newsprint, kraft paper, construction materials such as insulation, flooring materials, wraps and metal foils. A disc formed from corrugated cardboard is placed beneath rolls of the material which disc supports and stabilizes the rolled goods and facilitates stacking to fill the shipping container. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Rolled goods such as newsprint, kraft paper and construction materials are typically produced in factories distant from the point of use. Because the products are thin, the products are rolled to conserve space and make later use simplified A riser disc according to claim  1 (roll goods). Not coincidentally, the higher density of the rolled intermediate reduces shipping costs as a result of reduced volume. Nonetheless, the shipping costs are a large component of the final costs to the user, especially for low cost products such as paper products. When rolled paper products are loaded into railroad cars (boxcars) it is preferred to load with the long axis vertical (eyes up) to reduce bruising of the paper and denting of the core. 
         [0004]    Wedges of corrugated or plastic foam are sometimes inserted randomly to separate the rolls, in no specific order. Protectors such as that disclosed in Published U.S. Patent Application 20090078748 may be used to cover high value added product, but would be uneconomic for most paper products. Finally, when rolls of product are loaded in the preferred orientation, eyes up, it is difficult to load to the top of a railcar, twenty-foot shipping container or highway trailer. 
         [0005]    There is, therefore, a need for an inexpensive, reusable device to stabilize stacked rolled goods during shipping. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is a stability riser disc placed beneath a rolled product at the base of the long axis. The disc or “roll riser donut” is preferably made from any disposable material, corrugated paper and plastic foam being preferred. The material is chosen in consideration of the density of the rolled product and the diameter of the roll. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is of a roll of paper sitting on a roll riser donut according to this invention 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a clamp truck setting a roll of paper on a roll riser donut according to this invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a drawing of a first embodiment of the roll riser donut according to this invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a drawing of a second embodiment of the roll riser donut according to this invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    Paper is almost always produced in rolls at large mills remote from the location of next or final use. At the core is a tubular member which is used both to roll the paper at the mill and for mounting on a mandrel at the point of use. It is critical to maintain the symmetry of the core so that the roll can be used by the purchaser. For this reason, the rolls are shipped stacked vertically, i.e. with their long axis vertical. Handling is done using a clamp truck, a fork lift type vehicle with curved arms which contacts the rolls with curved arms and can raise and rotate the roll to move it to storage or to a shipping vehicle. 
         [0012]    The rolls of paper can be shipped by rail car, container or truck. Within the United States, most rolls of paper are shipped by railcar due to the high weight limits when compared to trucks. To take advantage of these weight limits, steps are taken to maximize the space utilisation within a railcar and avoid shipping air. 
         [0013]    The donut riser of this invention preferably a corrugated ring upon which rolls of paper may be placed. The donut riser has a diameter sized to support the rolls to prevent tipping during the sometimes violent movement of railcars during transport and especially in yards when being humped and switched. The height is chosen such that a valley formed between rows of raised rolls alternated with unraised rolls is sufficient to stabilise rolls laid horizontally above the unraised rolls. In such manner is the otherwise unutilised space in the railcar used and shipping costs reduced. 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a roll riser donut  1  resting on a floor and a paper roll  3  resting upon the donut riser. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a paper roll  3  being set upon a roll riser donut  1  by a clamp truck  5 . 
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a first embodiment of a roll riser donut  1  using “A-flute” corrugation and 26 or 33 lb. medium facing. 
         [0017]      FIG. 4   a  shows a second embodiment of a donut riser  1  using 0.5 in. Super Flute and 90 lb. liner singleface in plan view.  FIG. 4   b  shows the riser of  FIG. 4   b  in side elevation. 
         [0018]    The donut riser is formed from single face corrugated wrapped in multiple layers and held together with an adhesive, typically a hot melt adhesive. Simple tooling such as a circular mold or a rotating mandrel sized to the riser ID is used, but is not limiting of the invention. The inner diameter and outer diameter are chosen for the size and weight of the paper rolls. For most commercial rolls of kraft paper, a 32 in. inner diameter and an outer circumference of 48 in has been found to be optimal. 
         [0019]    The riser donut is formed from standard grades of corrugated.  FIG. 3  shows a donut made from 43 plies of A-flute (0.1875 in) faced with 26 or 33 lb. Medium.  FIG. 4   a  &amp;  b  shows the same size donut riser formed from 16 plies of 0.5 in. Super Flute faced with 90 lb. superface. The latter design is suitable for higher loads but costs more to manufacture. 
         [0020]    The use of the donut risers has been found to reduce the need for many chocks formerly needed to lock in place rolls of paper in railcars and trucks. The donut risers may be recycled either by returning the riser or by being shredded with other corrugated materials. 
         [0021]    Use of corrugated for risers has many advantages over alternative materials. Plastics work well but are more difficult to recycle and the costs for a single use are unacceptable Wooden pallet-like designs have the disadvantage that they must be certified as fumigated when shipped to most international locations. 
         [0022]    This invention has been described in terms of its preferred embodiments. Changes and adaptations of this disclosure are considered to be within the scope and spirit of the invention and encompassed within the description and claims hereinwith appended.