Improved header rail

Abstract

A header rail 10 for transporting gas cylinders (30, fig 3) on lorries has an elongate non-metal (e.g. composite such as glass / carbon fibre) central core 12, with metal collars 14 spaced apart along t

Description

IMPROVED HEADER RAIL This invention relates to a header rail for use in securing high pressure storage vessels. High pressure storage vessels are used to store and transport gas under pressure. These vessels, commonly referred to as gas cylinders or tubes, are often transported in bulk on the back of specifically designed lorries. While in transit it is of paramount importance that the storage vessels are securely and safely held in place while they are being transported. Usually, the storage vessels are held in place using a metal railing system on the back of a lorry, which encloses individual storage vessels in a matrix, with the storage vessels held upright so that they cannot move independently. Usually, a metal header rail is fixed across the top of a row of storage vessels, which is connected both to the individual storage vessels and to the metal railing system. The header rail is designed to lock down the storage vessels within the secure railing system that is present on the back of a bulk transport lorry. There are a number of problems with these types of secure railing systems that use metal header rails to secure gas storage vessels. Particularly in applications that use large and bulky storage vessels, the corresponding header rail has to be sufficiently strong to retain the storage vessels in place and this can often result in a header rail that is extremely heavy and difficult to manoeuvre. It is therefore an object of the invention to improve upon the known art. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a header rail comprising an elongate non-metal central core, a plurality of metal collars spaced apart along the central core and each surrounding a respective hole passing through the central core, a pair of metal brackets each located at a respective end of the central core and connected to the central core, and an external coating covering the central core. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of forming a header rail comprising moulding an elongate non-metal central core, applying an external coating covering the central core, connecting a plurality of metal collars to the central core so that each metal collar surrounds a respective hole passing through the central core, and attaching a metal bracket to each end of the central core. Owing to the invention, it is possible to provide an improved header rail that provides weight reduction, cost savings, better stress dissipation and manufacturing efficiency. The header rail offers a significant reduction in weight compared to traditional metal header rails, making the improved header rail ideal for applications where weight savings are critical, such as automotive and aerospace. The materials used in the header rail are cost-effective, and the manufacturing process is more efficient, leading to reduced production costs compared to conventional header rails. The design of the header rail allows for enhanced stress dissipation, reducing the risk of stress-related failures, and improving the overall durability and longevity of the component. The manufacturing process for the header rail is streamlined and adaptable, enabling rapid production and customization to meet various design specifications. The improved header rail provides a method to support gas cylinders using a lightweight composite header rail. The header rail can be used to secure pressure vessels in a header rail arrangement. The header rail preferably replaces the metallic material with a moulded composite. The composite header rail is designed to offer substantial weight reduction, cost savings, stress dissipation, improved manufacturing efficiency, and enhanced flexibility compared to conventional metal header rails. The weight reduction provided by the composite header rail helps to lower the carbon footprint owing to the fuel efficiency savings when used on vehicles such as lorries. The composite header rail is designed to overcome the limitations of conventional metal header rails. The composite header rail preferably comprises a core made of lightweight composite materials, reinforced with a combination of fibres, fillers, and resin systems. This central core is then encased with a protective and aesthetically pleasing outer layer, which has been tailored to include anti-fire properties. Preferably, the central core comprises a channel running along the length of the central core defined by two opposing walls. A first wall of the two opposing walls includes a plurality of reduced height portions and each reduced height portion is located adjacent to a hole passing through the central core. The presence of the channel with opposing walls in the central core protects the top of any storage vessels that are connected to the header rail and also helps to draw away any precipitation from the header rail, when exposed to the elements. The walls are preferably parallel to each other and run along the whole length of the central core, which provides the best protection for the storage vessels being held in the bulk transport system. The reduced height portions of the one wall help to provide access to the top of the individual storage vessels that are being secured, for example to allow an engineer access to the top of a storage vessel to mount a valve with a spanner. The top face of the header rail can also be provided with funnel sections that allow rain to drain to a central location and seep through the header rail. Ideally, the elongate non-metal central core comprises a composite material. In one preferred embodiment, the elongate non-metal central core comprises a reinforced plastics material. Preferably, the header rail is formed from a glass fibre epoxy composite that provides the necessary structural strength and resilience required to create a header rail that can securely hold in place multiple large and heavy storage vessels while also being significantly lighter than an equivalent metal header rail. In the preferred embodiment, the central core of the header rail is formed as a composite material, comprised of a glass-fibre matrix and an epoxy resin. Epoxy, or polyepoxide, is a resin produced by the polymerization of epoxide monomers using a hardener. This composite material has low thermal conductivity, good high-temperature resistance and excellent dimensional stability and the resulting central core is both tough and strong. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a header rail, Figure 2 is a vertical section through the header rail of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view of the header rail connected to three storage vessels, Figure 4 is a further perspective view of the header rail connected to a storage vessel, and Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method of manufacturing a header rail. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a header rail 10. The header rail 10 comprises an elongate non-metal central core 12, a plurality of metal collars 14 spaced apart along the central core 12 and each surrounding a respective hole 16 passing through the central core 12, a pair of metal brackets 18 each located at a respective end of the central core 12 and connected to the central core 12, and an external coating 20 covering the central core 12. The external coating 20 is also preferably non-metal. The header rail 10 is for use in a protective bulk transport system (for example on the back of a lorry) for safely and securely retaining high pressure storage vessels such as gas cylinders. The central core 12 of the header rail 10 comprises a channel 22 running along the length of the central core 12 defined by two opposing walls 24. A first wall 24a of the two opposing walls 24 includes a plurality of reduced height portions 26. Each reduced height portion 26 is located adjacent to a hole 16 passing through the central core 12. In many applications of the header rail 10 it will be exposed to the elements and the channel 22 and the reduced height portions 26 of the wall 24a help to drain away any precipitation that is tending to gather on top of the header rail 10. The elongate non-metal central core 12 comprises a composite material and this can be a reinforced plastics material. The external non-metal coating 20 covering the central core 12 preferably comprises a material with anti-fire properties. The composite header rail 10 is constructed by combining a core 12 made of lightweight composite materials with an outer layer 20 that provides protection and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The core 12 is reinforced with a combination of fibres, fillers, and resin systems, providing optimal strength and weight properties. The central core 12 is both lighter and stronger than a conventional metal header rail, since the replacement of the metal with a composite material such as reinforced plastics reduces the overall weight of the header rail 10 while increasing the dissipation of stress on the component. Figure 2 shows a vertical section through the central core 12 of the header rail 10. This vertical section is taken at the location of one of the holes 16 in the central core 12. The hole 16 is a vertical hole 16 that passes through the channel 22 that runs along the length of the central core 12. At the top of the hole 16 is a metal collar 14, which runs around the top of the hole 16. Each of the holes 16 in the central core 12 has such a metal collar 14 in the same position surrounding and strengthening each hole 16. The holes 16 are present to provide a method of connecting individual storage vessels to the header rail 10. The central core 12 of the header rail 10 is coated with an external coating 20 which is used to seal the composite core 12 and provide additional properties such as anti-fire properties. In this embodiment, the external coating 20 is an epoxy-based fire-resistant gel coating 20. The coating 20 can be applied to the central core 12 before or after the metal collars 14 have been fixed to the central core 12, depending upon the manufacturing process that is being used. In the header rail 10 of Figures 1 and 2, the coating 20 has been applied to the central core 12 before the metal collars 14 are fixed to the central core 12. The materials used for the central core 12 provide the strength and form for the header rail 10 and the material for the external coating 20 provides additional physical properties such as fire resistance. The vertical section through the central core 12 of the header rail 10 at the location of one of the holes 16 in the central core 12 also shows the reduced height portion 26 of the wall 24a. Each reduced height portion 26 is located adjacent to a hole 16 passing through the central core 12. Here the reduced height portion 26 is shown as being at a height that is above the floor of the channel 22, but the reduced height portion 26 could be lower than shown in the Figure. The reduced height portion 26 could be down even to the level of the bottom of the channel 22, effectively providing a side opening into the channel 22. Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the header rail 10 in use as part of a secure railing system to retain multiple storage vessels 30 in place, for example on the back of a lorry. In this example, the header rail 10 is connected to three storage vessels 30. Each storage vessel 30 is connected to the header rail 10 at the hole 16 that passes through the central core 12 of the header rail 10. In this embodiment of the header rail 10, there are three holes 16 in the central core 12 of the header rail 10 and each of these holes 16 is used to locate and secure the neck of a storage vessel 30. The header rail 10 is provided with two metal brackets 18 each located at a respective end of the central core 12 and connected to the central core 12. The metal brackets 18 are provided to connect the composite header rail 10 to the railing system or container which is providing the secure storage of the pressure vessels 30 in their bulk transport. The brackets 18 are each provided with a number of holes that allow the brackets 18 to be fixed to the railing system, for example with a nut and bolt arrangement. The brackets 18 are attached to the opposite ends of the central core 12 and allow the header rail to be secured at both ends. The central core 12 is provided with holes 16 that are spaced apart along the length of the central core 12, in the channel 22. These holes 16 are each surrounded by individual metal collars 14 and the neck of a storage vessel 30 passes through one of the holes 16 and the storage vessel 30 can be directly connected to an individual metal collar 14, depending upon the specific design of the storage vessel 30 that is being retained by the header rail 10. This further assists in the safe and secure holding of the storage vessels 30 in the bulk transport system, which ensures that the storage vessels 30 are safely retained by the header rail 10. Figure 4 shows a close-up of the connection of a single storage vessel 30 to the header rail 10. The neck 32 of the storage vessel 30 passes through one of the holes 16 that is present in the central core 12. A nut 34 is present that has an external diameter that is greater than the external diameter of the hole 16. This nut 34 is screwed onto the neck 32 of the storage vessel 30 and helps to secure the storage vessel 30 to the header rail 10. The nut 34 is screwed down far enough to engage with the metal collar 14 that surrounds the hole 16. In this way, individual storage vessels 30 are connected to the header rail 10 through each of the holes 16 that are present in the central core 12. The header rail 10 shown in the Figures is connected to three respective storage vessels 30, as there are three holes 16 present in this embodiment of the header rail 10. However, different lengths of header rail 10 are possible as are different numbers and spacing of the holes 16 in the central core 12, which provides the flexibility for different header rails 10 to be formed for use in different bulk transport systems, depending upon the number and size of the storage vessels that are being transported. Also shown in the close-up detail of Figure 4 are a plurality of pinholes 28 that are present in the central core 12. These pinholes 28 are smaller in diameter than the holes 16 through which the pressure vessels 30 are connected to the header rail 10. These pinholes 28 are located spaced evenly apart between the bigger holes 16. The pinholes 28 are present to allow rainwater that might collect in the channel 22 in-between the walls 24 to drain out of the header rail 10. The reduced height portion 26 of the wall 24a can also be seen in this Figure, which has the dual purpose of providing easy access to the neck 32 of the storage vessel 30 and also allowing rainwater to escape from the channel 22. Figure 5 shows a flowchart of a method for forming a header rail 10. The method comprises the steps of moulding an elongate non-metal central core 12, applying an external coating 20 covering the central core 12, connecting a plurality of metal collars 14 to the central core 12 so that each metal collar 14 surrounds a respective hole 16 passing through the central core 12, and attaching a metal bracket 18 to each end of the central core 12. The header rail 10 is formed of a composite material that has metal 5 compression collars 14 at the holes 16 where the gas cylinders 30 will be secured to the header rail 10. Ina second embodiment, the composite material is moulded to the required shape, the collars 14 are attached and then the coating 20 is applied to the whole rail 10. The outer layer 20 can be customized to meet specific design io requirements. The materials used include a glass (or carbon) fibre epoxy composite core 12 with epoxy-based fire-resistant gel coat 20, metal end brackets 18 to connect the composite header rail 10 to a container, metal compression collars 14 to attach to the storage vessels 30 and bolts and nuts to attach the metal end brackets 18 to the composite header rail 12 and plastic 15 shim to metal end bracket 18.

Claims

1. A header rail (10) comprising:• an elongate non-metal central core (12),• a plurality of metal collars (14) spaced apart along the central core (12) and each surrounding a respective hole (16) passing through the central core (12),• a pair of metal brackets (18) each located at a respective end of the central core (12) and connected to the central core (12), and• an external coating (20) covering the central core (12).

2. A header rail according to claim 1, wherein the central core (12) comprises a channel (22) running along the length of the central core (12) defined by two opposing walls (24).

3. A header rail according to claim 2, wherein a first wall (24a) of the two opposing walls (24) includes a plurality of reduced height portions (26).

4. A header rail according to claim 3, wherein each reduced height portion (26) is located adjacent to a hole (16) passing through the central core (12).

5. A header rail according to any preceding claim, wherein the elongate non-metal central core (12) comprises a composite material.

6. A header rail according to claim 5, wherein the elongate non-metal central core (12) comprises a reinforced plastics material.

7. A header rail according to any preceding claim, wherein the external coating (20) covering the central core (12) comprises a material with anti-fire properties.

8. A header rail according to any preceding claim, and further comprising a plurality of pinholes (28) located between pairs of holes (16) passing through the central core (12).5 9. A method of forming a header rail (10) comprising:• moulding an elongate non-metal central core (12),• applying an external coating (20) covering the central core (12),• connecting a plurality of metal collars (14) to the central core (12) so that each metal collar (14) surrounds a respective hole (16)io passing through the central core (12), and• attaching a metal bracket (18) to each end of the central core (12).

Images