Bungee cord

Bungee cords equipped with metal hooks

A bungee cord (sometimes spelled bungie), also known as a shock cord, is an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, usually covered in a woven cotton or polypropylene sheath. The sheath does not materially extend elastically, but it is braided with its strands spiraling around the core so that a longitudinal pull causes it to squeeze the core, transmitting the core's elastic compression to the longitudinal extension of the sheath and cord. Specialized bungees, such as some used in bungee jumping, may be made entirely of elastic strands.

Bungee cords have been used to provide a lightweight suspension for aircraft undercarriages from before World War I, and are still used on many small homebuilt aircraft where weight remains critical.^[1] Bungee cords were also used in parachuting to assist in opening the old-style parachute container after the ripcord was pulled.

Today, bungee cords are most often used to secure objects without tying knots and to absorb shock. Inexpensive bungee cords, with metal or plastic hooks on each end, are marketed as a general utility item. This form is also known as octopus, or "occy", straps in Australia, these can be an individually, or a set of four hooked straps held together by a metal ring allowing the occy strap to secure items around various tie points, for example a suitcase to a car roof rack. Extensions of the concept are available as a coarse net of bungee cords with metal or plastic hooks around the periphery, for securing irregularly shaped loads of luggage and cargo on the backs of pickup trucks, roofs of cars, and so on.

The origin of the name "bungee", "bu" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary records the use in 1938 of the phrase bungee-launching of gliders using an elasticized cord.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ Norman S. Currey, Aircraft landing Gear Design: Principles and Practices, AIAA Education Series, American Institute of Aeronaticsa and Astronautics, Inc., 1988 ISBN 0930403-41-X
2. ^ "Bungee launching explained". http://www.glidingmagazine.com/FeatureArticle.asp?id=386. Retrieved 2006-09-28. 

This article about sports equipment is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Fasteners Sports equipment stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР? Colin Murphy (ice hockey) Dudley Cemetery Look at other dictionaries: bungee cord — [bun′jē] n. [< ?] elasticized cord used to hold objects in place, as luggage on carts or racks, or attached to persons leaping for sport (bungee jumping) from great heights so as to allow them to come close to the ground without hitting it …   English World dictionary Bungee cord — Bun gee cord, n. a strong elastic cord, usually with a hook at each end, used as a shock absorbing device or to bind packages together, as on a dolly or handcart. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English bungee cord — noun an elasticized rope • Syn: ↑bungee • Hypernyms: ↑rope * * * noun : an elasticized cord used especially as a fastening or shock absorbing device * * * an elasticized cord, typically with a hook at each end, used to bind items or packages… …   Useful english dictionary bungee cord — noun A long elastic cord tied around the ankles of the jumper in bungee jumping. Syn: bungee, bungee line, bungee rope …   Wiktionary bungee cord — /ˈbʌndʒi kɔd/ (say bunjee kawd) noun 1. US → octopus strap. 2. the elasticised cord used in bungee jumping. 3. an elasticised cord used as a shock absorber. Also, bungy cord …   bungee cord — an elasticized cord, typically with a hook at each end, used to bind items or packages together, to secure a suitcase to a wheeled carrier, etc. Also called bungee, shock cord. * * * …   Universalium bungee cord — shock cord, stretchy cord designed especially for shock absorption (i.e. in bungee jumping etc.) …   English contemporary dictionary bungee cord — bun′gee cord [[t]ˈbʌn dʒi[/t]] n. cvb an elasticized cord, typically with a hook at each end, used chiefly as a fastener Also called bun′gee. Etymology: 1965–70; bungee rubber (of obscure orig.) …   From formal English to slang bungee cord — noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1948 an elasticized cord used especially as a fastening or shock absorbing device called also bungee …   New Collegiate Dictionary bungee cord — A rubber tie down strap of various lengths (usually 10 mm diameter) with a metal hook on each end. Most are covered with fabric. The hooks are often plastic coated to minimize scratching. Some have an extra hook attached in the middle. Others are …   Dictionary of automotive terms 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”