Tangle free spacer cart

Abstract

A method and cart for handling spacers used for spacing the wire mesh reinforcing cages used in the production of concrete pipe. The spacers are placed and shipped on hollow tubes laid in layers in a shipping container. The spacers are shipped to the user stored on these hollow tubes together with a mobile cart that has a vertical support containing a plurality of outwardly extending arms. When ready to be installed at the concrete pipe production site, a tube containing the spacers is removed from the shipping container and slipped over each arm. The cart can then easily be moved around the production location where the spacers for readily available for use in making the concrete product.

What is claimed is as follows: 
     
         1 . A cart for storing and handling spacers used for spacing wire mesh cages employed in the manufacture of large concrete pipes and the like, said cart comprising:
 a base;   a vertical support combined with the base, the support having a plurality of vertically spaced-apart holes; and   a plurality of arms received in selected ones of the holes and extending outwardly from the support;   each arm being adapted to receive a hollow tube carrying a plurality of spacers.   
     
     
         2 . The cart of  claim 1  in which each arm is removable. 
     
     
         3 . The cart of  claim 2  in which the vertical support is rectangular in cross section to present four sides, and the holes are formed on at least two opposing sides. 
     
     
         4 . The cart of  claim 3  in which the holes on one side of the vertical support are vertically offset from the holes on the opposing side so that an arm received in the holes on opposing sides extends outwardly and upwardly. 
     
     
         5 . The cart of  claim 4  in which each arm has an end that extends through opposing holes and beyond the vertical support, and a pin is combined with the arm end to removably hold the arm in place. 
     
     
         6 . The cart of  claim 5  in which wheels support the base to provide for movement of the cart. 
     
     
         7 . The cart of  claim 6  in which the cart has a handle to facilitate movement of the cart. 
     
     
         8 . The cart of  claim 7  in which the vertical support is provided with one or more tool handling rods which provide for carrying tools used in securing the spacers to the wire mesh cage. 
     
     
         9 . A method for storing and handling spacers used for spacing wire mesh cages employed in the manufacture of large concrete pipes and the like, said method comprising:
 providing a plurality of hollow tubes;   sliding a plurality of spacers onto each tube; and   layering the tubes in a shipping container, each layer being separated by a barrier.   
     
     
         10 . A method for storing and handling spacers used for spacing wire mesh cages employed in the manufacture of large concrete pipes and the like, said method comprising:
 providing a plurality of hollow tubes;   sliding a plurality of spacers onto each tube;   layering the tubes in a shipping container, each layer being separated by a barrier;   providing a moveable cart having a vertical support with a plurality of outwardly extending arms spaced apart vertically on the support;   removing the tubes containing the spacers from the shipping container;   sliding the tubes containing the spacers onto the arms; and   removing the spacers from the tubes as needed.   
     
     
         11 . A method for storing and handling spacers used for spacing wire mesh cages employed in the manufacture of large concrete pipes and the like, said method comprising:
 providing a plurality of hollow tubes;   sliding a plurality of spacers onto each tube;   providing a moveable cart having a vertical support with a plurality of outwardly extending arms spaced apart vertically on the support;   sliding the tubes containing the spacers onto the arms; and   removing the spacers from the tubes as needed.