Patent ID: 7909091

Claim:
An apparatus to be used with service loops in an oil derrick, each service loop having a given length and an outer layer with a given diameter, wherein the apparatus comprises: a. a first interlocking unit formed in the shape of a covering sleeve having a given length and having first and second matching half sections, each half section having an outer molded rubber portion enveloping an inner insert steel plate, the outer molded rubber portion having attaching means portions and a central opening, the insert steel plate having an interconnecting member which extends through the opening in the molded rubber portion and extends in a plane perpendicular to the length of the covering sleeve, the two matching half sections aligned around a location on an outer layer of a first service loop and attached together by attaching means to retain the first interlocking unit onto the first service loop with a first interconnecting member from the first half section extending transversely away from the first service loop and a second interconnecting member on the second half section extending transversely away from the first service loop, the first and second interconnecting members extending in opposite directions; b. a second interlocking unit formed in the shape of a covering sleeve having a given length and having first and second matching half sections, each half section having an outer molded rubber portion enveloping an inner insert steel plate, the insert steel plate having an interconnecting member which extends through the opening in the molded rubber portion and extends in a plane perpendicular to the length of the covering sleeve, the two matching half section aligned around a location on an outer layer of a second service loop and attached together by attaching means to retain the second interlocking unit onto the second service loop with a first interconnecting member from the first half section extending transversely away from the second service loop and a second interconnecting member on the second half section extending transversely away from the second service loop, the first and second interconnecting members extending in opposite directions; c. the first interconnecting member of the first interlocking unit aligned with the first interconnecting member of the second interlocking unit and the second interconnecting member of the first interlocking unit aligned with the second interconnecting member of the second interlocking unit; and d. a first flexible affixation means interconnecting the first interconnecting members of the first and second interlocking means and a second flexible affixation means interconnecting the second interconnecting members of the first and second interlocking means so that the two service loops are flexibly restrained to thereby prevent the two service loops from entangling as they move up and down the oil derrick.