Patent ID: 8016029

Claim:
An apparatus to be used with service loops in an oil derrick, each service loop having a given length with at least an inner liner extending the length of the service loop and having a given diameter and surrounded by a braid extending the length of the service loop and having a given diameter, the apparatus comprising: a. a first interior retaining means affixed to the braid of a first service loop and positioned at a given longitudinal location along the length of the first service loop and a first interconnecting means affixed to the first interior retaining means and extending transversely from the first interior retaining means and a second interconnecting means affixed to the first interior retaining means and extending transversely from the first interior retaining means; b. a second interior retaining means affixed to the braid of a second service loop and positioned at a given longitudinal location along the length of the second service loop and a first interconnecting means affixed to the second interior retaining means and extending transversely from the second interior retaining means and a second interconnecting means affixed to the second interior retaining means and extending transversely from the second interior retaining means; c. a third interior retaining means affixed to the braid of a third service loop and positioned at a given longitudinal location along the length of the third service loop and a first interconnecting means affixed to the third interior retaining means and extending transversely from the third interior retaining means and a second interconnecting means affixed to the third interior retaining means and extending transversely from the third interior retaining means; d. each respective service loop having an exterior layer which surrounds the braid of that service loop and having a gap at each location of an interconnecting means to enable each interconnecting means of each respective service loop to extend through the exterior layer of each respective service loop; e. the first interconnecting means of the first service loop aligned with the first interconnecting means of the second and third service loops and the second interconnecting means of the first service loop aligned with the second interconnecting means of the second and third service loops; and f. a first flexible affixation means interconnecting the first interconnecting means of the first, second and third service loops and a second flexible affixation means interconnecting the second interconnecting means of the first, second and third service loops so that the three service loops are flexibly restrained to thereby prevent the three service loops from entangling as they move up and down the oil derrick.