Supporting and spacing member for web material rolls

Claim 1

In a structure for protectively supporting and spacing rolls of web material in a multi-layer stack, comprising an elongated member of expanded polystyrene material having a pair of opposed surfaces, a first of said surfaces having a plurality of spaced, parallel, generally semi-cylindrical indentations disposed to receive rolls of web material, said indentations being separated by separating walls, the endmost indentations being oriented between a separating wall and an end wall, the radius of each of said semi-cylindrical indentations being greater than the depth of said indentation, whereby the rolls will be snugly retained within the indentations in a pair of members and the members will be out of contact with each other, the improvement comprising wherein at least one upright and spaced wall segment is provided in each said indentation along one lateral edge of said elongated member and between said separating walls and associated end walls, each said wall segment having an arcuate edge with a radius opposite the radius of said semi-cylindrical indentation and conforming to the radius of a respective indentation in an adjacent member thereby enabling, upon a lengthwise shifting of one member relative to said adjacent member, said wall segment in one indentation to be received in the indentation of said adjacent member upon a nesting thereof and without any lateral offset of said one member relative to said adjacent member.