Bungee cord
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007) |
A bungee cord is an elastic cord composed of one or more elastic strands forming a core, covered in a woven sheath usually of nylon or cotton. More recently, specialized bungee jumping cords are made entirely of elastic strands. Also known as octopus, or "ockky", straps in Australia.
Bungee cords were originally used in parachuting to absorb the shock of the opening of the canopy in order to prevent damage to the parachute. Bungee cords are most often used to secure objects without tying knots and to absorb shock, as in bungee jumping or dog sports such as scootering. In dog sports a bungee cord absorbs the shock of sudden loads like a suddenly stuck sled or bicycle so that the dogs are not jerked.
Cheap bungee cords, with metal hooks on each end, are kept on hand as a general utility item by many people. They can be used:
- to secure items in the bed of a pick-up truck or on the roof-rack of a car.
- to wrap a roll or bundle of material.
- to hold a door or gate shut.
- to suspend an item from a pole or tree branch.
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[edit] Safety
Bungee cords under tension can cause serious injuries if they come loose unexpectedly. Many recommend avoiding the use of Bungee cords altogether.[1]
[edit] Etymology
The Oxford English Dictionary records the use in 1938 of the phrase bungee-launching of gliders using an elasticated cord[2].
[edit] Other
The Dilbert comic strip featured a series about a corporate phenomenon that the author called a "bungee boss" -- a manager who is sent to perform a specific management task, and whose duration with the specific group is so short that he appears to have "snapped back" to the manager pool as if he were on a bungee cord.
[edit] References
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007) |
- ^ Bungee Cords - More Than Meets The Eye
- ^ Bungee launching explained. Retrieved on 2006-09-28.