Abstract:
A firecracker packaging is provided which enables both carrying a single ignition detonation of a large number of firecrackers in an attractive package resembling a giant firecracker. At least one and preferably a plurality of spiral-wound strings of firecrackers having interconnected fuses are stacked together in a substantially cylindrical stack, covered by wrapping, and a handle extends from one end of the wrapping. The handle is preferably a length of line. Binding is positioned between the strings and the wrapping to retain the cylindrical configuration of the strings. Connecting fuses between adjacent strings permit ignition of the woven individual firecracker fuses in one string to lead to ignition of the woven individual firecracker fuses of the adjacent string.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention concerns firecracker packaging which is especially attractive and advantageously permits common packaging of a large number of firecrackers in a single unit. More particularly, the packaging of firecrackers in accordance with the present invention permits interconnection of multiple spiral-wrapped rolls of firecrackers both from a carrying and detonation stanpoint whereby multiple rolls of firecrackers may be readily carried to destination and then either separated for individual detonation or ignition from a single fuse. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Firecrackers are ancient in origin and have long been used in a variety of celebrations. As is well known, firecrackers include a small amount of gunpowder constituting a charge centrally contained within a paper wrapping and having a fuse which leads to the charge. Also, as is well known, firecrackers are most commonly interconnected to one another in a common group or, as used herein, a string of firecrackers whereby individual firecrackers are placed in alternating opposition in a lay-flat orientation with their individual fuses interconnected by weaving. Such strings are also commonly wrapped in paper and bear a manufacturers label. In this way, it is possible to detonate the entire string by lighting the fuse of one firecracker at the end of the string. Because the fuses are woven along a central ignition passageway, the first fuse also ignites the second, which connects to the third, and so on. As the fuses burn toward their respective charges, each fuse ignites another and then separates from the string before or at detonation, whereby all or substantially all of the firecrackers in the string ignite and detonate. The rapid and repeated detonations have long been regarded as entertaining. However, the weaving of the fuses also permits individual firecrackers to be separated and detonated individually, as desired by the user. 
   While it is thus known to have a string of firecrackers packaged as a group in serpentine or even rolled configurations, some purchasers may desire to have especially long strings of firecrackers. As the strings grow longer, the challenge of packaging and transport becomes more difficult. Long strings of firecrackers tend to become unwieldy and difficult to hold. It may be appreciated that as strings exceed 1000 firecrackers, the string may become difficult to manage. Moreover, such especially long strings of packaging present little in the way of marketing attraction to hold the eye of the consumer. 
   There has thus developed a need for an improved firecracker packaging which is economical, as firecrackers are intended as inexpensive amusement items, but also solves these problems. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing problems have in large measure been resolved by the firecracker packaging of the present invention. The firecracker packaging hereof is especially decorative and exciting to the eye of the consumer, and provides significant improvement in the ability to transport and retain large numbers of firecrackers. Moreover, the packaging hereof permits common packaging and operational interconnection of multiple strings of firecrackers whereby the user may light only one fuse to detonate thousands and thousands of firecrackers. In the preferred embodiment, the packaging presents an especially novel, ornamental and eye-catching appearance for packaging a plurality of firecrackers whereby the spiral-wound strings are superposed one atop another, connected together and surrounded by a wrapper, and the handle extends from the top of the packaging so as to present the appearance of a single, giant firecracker. 
   Broadly speaking, the fireworks packaging of the present invention includes a plurality of spiral wrapped strings of firecrackers, wrapping for surrounding and protecting the strings, a binder for holding the strings in position internally within the wrapper, and a handle extending from the interior of the wrapping externally thereof. The strings are operatively coupled one to another by at least one connecting fuse which extends from the woven individual firecracker fuses of one string to the woven individual firecracker fuses of an adjacent string of firecrackers. Preferably, a plurality of connecting fuses extend from one string to an adjacent string to provide for the contingency that anyone of the connecting fuses may be extinguished, disconnected or otherwise fail to complete the ignition of the next string. The strings are not only operatively coupled but also connected by the binder which preferably aids in maintaining the stability of each of the strings both individually and as a group in the packaging. The binder may be provided as strap, adhesive, net, or other retaining member, but the use of a plurality of straps has proven to be economical to use, provides good stability, and minimizes extra weight and problems with disposal. The wrapper is preferably a coated paper or a plurality of paper layers which surrounds the bound strings of firecrackers, and serves not only to provide a limited amount of protection against damage such as impact and moisture intrusion, but also permits a decorative appearance for the packaging. The handle is preferably a length of nylon, sisal or hemp line of suitable length and thickness to provide the appearance of an especially large fuse. The handle also includes an attachment member within the wrapping for holding the line to the bound strings, such as a core presenting a central passage. The core may be fastened, adhered, or simply frictionally fit snugly against at least one of the bound strings, and the line may be knotted at the bottom to engage the core, and/or fused, adhered by adhesive, or mechanically fastened to the core. Thus, when the user pulls up on the portion of the line extending from the wrapping, the force is transmitted to the strings connected by the binding, and the entire packaging is lifted. 
   Beneficially, at least one of the spiral-wound strings of firecrackers includes a fuse which is readily accessible by peeling away a part of the wrapping without disconnecting the binding. The connecting fuses may be surrounded by paper to help prevent moisture intrusion, and may be positioned so as to avoid placement around the exterior of the strings. The strings may be bound, such as by circumferentially extending straps, to provide additional stability. Also, supporting disks, such as of paperboard or corrugated paper, may be placed above the topmost string and below the bottommost string to provide additional strength and support and to protect the strings against damage by the binding. 
   In use, the user may carry large numbers of firecrackers by the handle without substantial stress. For example, the packaging hereof may contain 16,000 firecrackers and weigh about 60 pounds, but the user may simply grasp the line extending from the wrapping for easy transport of short distances. The user then peels back the wrapping. If it is desired, the strings may be separated, and then the paper opened to obtain access to individual firecrackers or the string cut along the woven fuses into short string lengths. Alternatively, the firecrackers may remain operatively interconnected with the strings either laid out flat or bound, and when the initial fuse is lit, ignition should continue along each string leading the ignition process to detonate substantially all of the firecrackers in the package. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the firecracker packaging hereof, with portions of the wrapping broken away to reveal the binding and the strings, and portions of the paper around a string broken away to show the individual firecrackers and fuses in the string; 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the firecracker packaging hereof with the top wrapping removed for clarity to show the binding, and a portion of the top disc broken away to show the topmost spiral wound string of firecrackers; 
       FIG. 3  is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2  showing the topmost and bottommost strings of firecrackers with intermediate strings broken away; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional view similar to  FIG. 3  but with exaggerated spacing for clarity showing the handle and the connecting fuses in greater detail; and 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the fireworks packaging hereof with the bottom wrapping removed to show the positioning of the binding around the bottom disc. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawing, a firecracker packaging  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  broadly includes a plurality of strings  12  of firecrackers  14 , preferably in spiral-wound orientation, wrapping  16  substantially enclosing the strings  12 , binding  18  interconnecting the strings  12  into substantially rigid stack  19 , and a handle  20  extending from the top of the wrapping  16  and connected to at least one of strings  12  in the stack  19 . 
   In greater detail, each firecracker  14  includes a body  22  and an individual fuse  24 , the body including a gunpowder charge contained within a covering of paper or the like whereby upon ignition of the fuse, the charge is detonated after a short time lag. The individual fuses  24  are woven or otherwise interconnected to permit separation while also permitting substantially sequential ignition as is well known. A thin paper cover  26  substantially surrounds the string  12 . In the preferred embodiment hereof, each string  12  is spirally wrapped with a radially inner surface  27  disposed around a cylindrical cardboard collar  28  and connected thereto either by friction as a result of tightness of the wrapping process or by adhesive, and a radially outer surface  29 . Each string  12  is thus substantially cylindrical in configuration as shown by  FIGS. 1 and 2  and has a central space  31  radially interior to the inner surface  27  into which the collar  28  is received. 
   In normal, upright orientation with the handle  20  positioned uppermost, the strings  12  are vertically stacked in superposed relationship one atop another. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , six strings  12   a,    12   b,    12   c,    12   d,    12   e,  and  12   f  are illustrated, although it is to be understood that even a single string  12  could be used in the packaging hereof and theoretically the number of strings which could be stacked is limited only by the carrying capacity of the consumer and/or the strength of the binding material and connection of the handle to the strings. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an initial ignition fuse  30  is provided on the outer surface  29  of one of the strings  12 , preferably topmost string  12   a.  The initial ignition fuse  30  leads directly to the woven individual fuses  24  of that string  12   a  whereby the detonation of all of the firecrackers  14  in the string  12   a  may be initiated. The woven individual fuses in each string  12  then wind inwardly along the spiral path, ending with the last firecrackers  14  in the string  12 . From the inward end of each of the strings  12 , at least one, and preferably a plurality of connection fuses  32  lead to the woven individual fuses  24  of the next lowermost string  12 . Thus, in the stack  19  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , connection fuses  32  lead from string  12   a  to  12   b,  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , and connection fuses  32  also lead from string  12   b  to string  12   c,  string  12   c  string  12   d,  string  12   d  to string  12   e,  and string  12   e  to string  12   f.    
   An upper disc  34  is placed on top of the uppermost string  12  and a lower disc  36  is placed below the bottommost string  12  in order to protect against damage by binding  18 . The discs  34  and  36  are preferably inexpensive and combustible, each being preferably made of paperboard or corrugated paper, and each having a central opening  38 . Thus, discs  34  and  36  are positioned at the top and the bottom of the stack  19 . 
   Binding  18  is most preferably of string, twine, synthetic resin such as nylon strips or other elongated flexible material which may be secured at the ends thereof by fasteners or by tying. Binding  18  most preferably includes circumferential bands  40  which are wrapped around the outside of each string  12  to maintain the spiral-wound integrity of each string  12 , even when separated. In addition, binding  18  includes stack bands  42  which connect the strings  12  within the stack  19 . As illustrated in the preferred embodiment, the stack bands  42  extend over the top of the upper disc  32 , down through the central opening  38  over the collars  28  and through the central space  31 , underneath the lower disc  36 , and outside the outer surface  29  of the strings  12  and over the circumferential bands  40  and remaining inside the wrapping  16  to complete a loop. Preferably, a plurality of stack bands  42  are provided improved stability and integrity of the stack  19 . 
   Wrapping  16  extends outside the stack  19  and preferably includes a circumferentially extending outer wall  44  of coated paper to bear color and/or indicia thereon, a circumferentially extending inner wall  46  of paperboard or the like beneath the outer wall  44 , a bottom panel  48  which is circular when viewed from the bottom but extends upwardly over the inner wall  46  and secured thereto by adhesive tape  50 , and beneath the outer wall  44 . A top panel  52  has a central opening  54  and extends over the upper disc  34  and may be secured to the inner wall  46  by adhesive tape  50 . 
   Handle  20  includes a line  56  of nylon, or alternatively of sisal, hemp or other flexible material, and a central tubular core  58 . The central tubular core  58  has a central opening through which the line  56  passes, and may be provided of solid material such as wood, or as illustrated, laminated paper in wrapped, built-up condition. The central tubular core  58  may be frictionally fitted against the collar  28  of the uppermost string  12   a,  and/or connected thereto by adhesive  60  and a mechanical fastener such as a nail  62 . The nail  62  may extend through the central tubular core  58  into the line  56  and adhesive  60  may also used between the core  58  and the line  56 . Where the line is of a synthetic resin such as nylon line, a portion of the line  56  adjacent the core  58  may be melted to fuse the line  56  to the core  58  as shown in  FIG. 4  by melt  64 . In addition, the line  56  may be tied into a knot  66  which provides interference between the line  56  and the bottom of the core  58 . The line extends upwardly through the openings in the upper disk  34  and the top panel  52  a sufficient distance to permit grasping by the user. 
   In use, the firecracker packaging  10  provides a convenient transportable carrier for a large number of firecrackers. The user may peel away the wrapping  16  and cut the stack bands  42  to gain access to the individual strings  12  which are functionally separated by also cutting the connecting fuses. The user may then cut away the circumferential bands  40  around each string  12  to lay the firecrackers flat or separate the firecrackers  14 . If desired, the strings  12  may be removed but remain connected by the connecting fuses  32 , and then upon ignition of the initial ignition fuse  30 , substantially all of the firecrackers may be detonated. Finally, though not recommended, it is theoretically possible to leave the strings  12  connected by the stack bands and the circumferential bands, and by lighting the initial ignition fuse  30 , substanially all of the firecrackers  14  may be detonated while in the stack  19 . 
   Although preferred forms of the invention have been described above, it is to be recognized that such disclosure is by way of illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
   The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of his invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.