Flexible wood preservative bandages

Oct. 11, 1960

R· F. NELSON flexible wood preservative bandages

Filed March 7, 1957

2,955,331

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<td> rvq. 6</td><td> Γ3 , . _ INVENTOR Robert- F. Ne/son</td>

<td> BY</td><td> attorney</td>

2,955,331

Patented Oct. 11, 1960

United States Patent Office ·

2,955,3'31

FLEXIBLE WOOD PRESERVATIVE BANDAGES ₅Robert F. Nelson; St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Forestry Enterprises, Inc., Ramsey County, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota filed Mar. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 644,539 _w

Claims. (Cl. 21—62)

This invention relates to an improvement in flexible wood preservative bandages and deals particularly with 15 a wrapping designed to extend around a post or pole for preventing the deterioration of the wood. )

Various means have been provided for preventing the rotting or deterioration of wood in poles such as those user for supporting telephone wires, power transmission ²θ lines and the like. Posts and poles of this type are usually treated before they are inserted into the ground. However, if the treatment is ineffective for some reason or another, or if the pole is subjected to unusual conditions, a rotting and deterioration of the wood may take place. The greatest deterioration usually takes place at or near the ground line. As this is the part of the pole which is subjected to greatest strain, the preservation of this portion of the pole is of utmost importance.

In a previous application, Serial No. 595,331, filed ³⁰July 2, 1956 for a Wood Preservative Bandage, now abandoned, I disclosed a folder made of relatively heavy paperboard which was folded centrally like a book. The marginal edges of the sheet were reinforced by a thick strip of paperboard so that when the sheet was folded ³⁵these thicker edges were arranged in surface contact. The backing sheet with its reinforced edges formed a very shallow tray which was filled with a preservative material and the edges were sealed together so as to enclose the contents. When this bandage was used, the ⁴⁰reinforced edges were separated, the bandage unfolded and secured in pole encircling position. While these previous bandages functioned effectively for their intended purpose, they also possessed certain slight disadvantages. The cost of these former bandages was relatively high due to the cost of producing the paperboard folders. Secondly, some difficulty was experienced in opening the bandages after they had been sealed. Furthermore, as the paperboard was relatively heavy, it did _θ not flex around the surface of the pole as readily as would ,a lighter weight backing sheet.

An object of the present invention lies in the provision of a preservative bandage which avoids most of the difficulties previously experienced. The body of the _g5bandage is formed of a relatively thin and light weight paper such as kraft wrapping paper. As a result, the bandage would flex more readily about the surface of the pole being treated. Furthermore, in view of the flexibility of this relatively thin paper, the marginal edges θθ of the sheet may be sealed together without providing the thickened marginal edges which were previously thought advisable.

A further feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a bandage of the type described having a gg backing which is formed of kraft paper or the like coated with a plastic material such as polyethylene. A coating of “Plyofilm” may also be used. Preferably, this coating is grease resistant and forms a heat sealable surface. Thus, when the wood preservative material is applied 70 to the central part of the body of this sheet, the sheet may be centrally folded and the marginal edges may be sealed by a suitable heat sealing machine. A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a sheet of thin material over the wood preservative material so that when the bandage is centrally folded, only the covering of tissue is in surface contact. The covering sheet is preferably made of a tissue paper material somewhat similar to the material used for facial tissues or towelling and are sufficiently porous to tend to adhere to the mass of wood preservative material. Other absorbent materials such as other absorbent papers or cloth may be used. The thin sheet of material prevents the two halves of wood preservative material from sticking together when the bandage is opened and insures an even application of wood preservative material.

The less viscous portions of the wood preserving materials carry the actual preservative elements into the wood. This thin sheet of material also facilitates this movement by acting as a wick, bringing these less viscous fractions into contact with the wood while preventing the heavier fractions from coming into direct contact with the wood where they may interfere with or hinder the passage of the less viscous materials into the wood.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a wood preservative bandage, which is enclosed in a coated sheet of paper which is provided with a tear strip or tear tape or string adhered between the sides of the folded sheet. By operation of this tear tape; the paper may be severed about the peripheral edge of the folded sheet to permit the bandage to be easily opened.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more fully and completely brought out in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification: Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the bandage in pole encircling position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bandage as it appears during storage and shipment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bandage before; it has been closed and sealed, a portion of the liner being, broken away. :

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bandage in partially opened position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing a marginal edge of the bandage.

Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged sectional view through the paper showing the plastic coating thereupon.

The bandage is formed as is best illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The bandage includes a rectangular sheet 10 of kraft paper, this paper having a plastic coating 11 thereupon. The coating 11 preferably comprises a thermoplastic film which is tightly bonded to the paper backing 10 and which forms a heat sealable surface on the paper. The coating may be Of a material commonly known as polyethylene or may be a material commercially known as “Plyofilm.” Plastic coatings of this type have been formed which are resistant to grease and which have the necessary heat sealing qualities.

Tn the formation of the bandage A, the sheet 10 including the coating 11 is placed with the coated side uppermost and a layer of wood preservative material 12 is applied thereto, this preservative material 12 covering the central portion of the sheet but leaving an uncoated marginal edge entirely around the sheet. The nature of this preservative material may be varied but usually includes several toxic materials in a greasy base. The material is relatively viscous, the viscosity being somewhat similar to that of lubricating grease. Thus, the material may be easily spread upon the flat sheet to lie in a predetermined area thereof.

2,966,331

Normally, prior to the application of the preservative material a tear strip indicated in general by the numeral 13 is applied about the marginal edges of one half of the backing sheet 10. In the particular arrangement illustrated, the tear strip comprises a flexible strip, of 5 pressure sensitive filament tape which is extremely strong and which will attach itself to the backing sheet. One end 14 of the tape 13 extends outwardly from the sheet near the potential central line of fold 15. From the ' line of fold, the tape 13 extends along one-half of the 10 length of the sheet to a point near an end of the sheet, then extends continuously across the end of the sheet, and then extends longitudinally of the sheet to the potential center line 15.

After the preservative coating 12 has been applied, a 15 strip 16 of tissue is applied, the tissue covering extending entirely over the surface of the preservative. This covering 16 terminates short of the marginal edges of the sheet 10 but preferably completely covers the greasy coating. After the tissue sheet 16 has been applied, the bandage 20 may be centrally folded along the potential fold line 15 so that the two ends of the sheet are in superimposed relation.

After folding, the three marginal edges of the folded sheet are heat sealed together, the films 11 of the two 25 superimposed sheet ends bonding together as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings. The seal normally takes place outwardly of the tear strip 13 although actually the seal may also extend inwardly of the tear strip if it is so desired.

The bandage may be shipped and stored in this form. It is usually taken to the point of treatment while in the folded condition described. When it is desired to treat a pole such as the pole B illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, the earth around the pole is removed to a depth of perhaps 18 inches to two feet below the ground line and the surface of the pole is cleaned in any suitable way. The bandage A is then opened by grasping the projecting end 14 of the tear strip 13 and exerting an upward force against the overlying portion of the sheet 16. The tear strip thus rips the bandage open preferably just inwardly of the area of seal between the .two ends of the sheet. As the tear strip 13 is continuous between one end of the fold line 15 and the other end thereof, a generally U-shaped tear can be provided separating one end of the sheet from the other. The sheet may then be unfolded into flat form. The unfolded sheet may be wrapped about the pole, the upper edge of the bandage extending somewhat above the ground line and extending into the excavation. The bandage A is held to the pole B by staples such as 17 or by other suitable fastening means.

The tissue covering sheet 16 lies between the surface of the pole and the layer 12 of pole preservative material but due to the porous nature of this covering sheet, it does not serve as a barrier to the passage of the preservative material therethrough. Thus, the preservative material may extend into contact with the pole to treat the same.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my flexible wood preservative bandage, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.