GB2171665A

GB2171665A - Assemblies for use in the protection of bags

Info

Publication number: GB2171665A
Application number: GB8603821A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gilbert Ambal
Original assignee: ITW de France SAS
Current assignee: ITW de France SAS
Priority date: 1985-02-28
Filing date: 1986-02-17
Publication date: 1986-09-03
Also published as: GB8603821D0; JPH0618525B2; GB2171665B; JPS61199806A

Abstract

An assembly for use in the protection of a bag against theft from the bag, comprises a reusable bag 10 and a casing 1 formed from two shells 2, 3 connected by a hinge 4; a first of the shells 2 having a finger 11 thereon for hooking onto the bag, said finger 11 passing through the second shell 3 when the casing is closed upon the bag, and each of the shells 2, 3 being formed with at least one aperture 5A, 26, 27 for use in receiving at least one dissuasive seal to secure the assembly when the casing 1 is closed upon the bag 10; characterised in that plates 12B are secured at an inlet of the bag on flaps of pleats of the bag, each of said plates being formed with an opening 12A therein so as to be slidable onto said finger 11; the arrangement preferably being such that the casing 1 cannot be closed upon the bag 10 if one or more of the plates 12B are deliberately or accidentally not threaded onto the finger 11. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Assemblies for use in the protection of bags The invention relates to assemblies to be used, in combination with at least one dissuasive seal, in the protection of bags against theft of their contents, such as funds.

French patent application No. 83 18926 (GB 2 150 531 A) describes such an assembly, hereinafter referred to as an assembly of the kind described, comprising: a reusable hinged casing and a reusable bag; the casing being formed from two shells connected by a hinge; a first of the shells having a finger thereon for hooking onto the bag, said finger passing through the second shell when the casing is closed upon the bag, and each of the shells being formed with at least one aperture for use in receiving at least one dissuasive seal to secure the assembly when the casing is closed upon the bag.

In accordance with the present invention, an improvement of an assembly of the kind described is characterised in that plates are secured at an inlet of the bag on flaps of pleats of the bag, each of said plates being formed with an opening therein so as to be slidable onto said finger.

The improvement is significant, since when the plates made integral with the bag are threaded onto the finger it can be impossible to have the bag pleats come out of the casing, since each plate can be imprisoned therein.

Preferably, to limit any undesirable displacement of the plates in the casing, the finger extends as near as possible to an edge of the shell carrying it, and the area of each of the plates substantially corresponds to the inner area of each of the shells.

Also preferably, flanged edges of the shells which are to clamp the bag therebetween are notched and trap all of the plates entirely within the casing, when the casing is closed upon the bag. This means that it might be impossible to close the casing upon the bag and/or release the plates if one or more of the plates are deliberately or accidentally not threaded onto the finger. Protrusions on one of the notched edges may be located opposite respective recesses in the other of the notched edges, when the casing is closed upon the bag.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention: one of the shells carries a locking hook engagable with a locking slot formed in the other of the shells; each of the shells carries at least one bridge presenting respective ones of the apertures for use in receiving a dissuasive seal having a strap of generally rectangular cross-section; one of the bridges is carried by the locking hook; each of the shells is formed with a hole therethrough presenting respective ones of the apertures for use in receiving a dissuasive seal having a strap of generally circular cross-section; the holes are presented by respective chimneys formed on the shells; and each of the flaps of the pleats has a respective one of the plates secured thereto.

The invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 'is a side view of a casing in the open position; Figure 2 is a top view thereof; Figures 3 and 3A are enlarged fragmentary views of the respective left-hand and right-hand ends thereof, with Figure 3 being shown in the head-down position; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a casing in the open position comprising a carrying handle; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a bag inlet; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the casing of Figure 1 in the closed position upon the bag also showing sealing means; and Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 but shows another form of casing and another form of sealing means.

The casing 1 is formed from two shells 2 and 3 connected by a hinge 4 to permit the casing 1 to be closed upon the inlet of a bag 10 which, according to the improvement of this invention, comprises openings 12A (Figure 5) formed in plates 12B.

Such plates 12B, realised in any suitable manner (for example made of metal or a sufficiently rigid plastics material), are fixed at the bag inlet to the side flaps of the pleats. To be precise, one pleat consists of two successive flaps and each flap of the pleat carries a plate thereon. Securement is obtained by any sufficiently strong securement means (such as by gluing, welding, stitching, and the like) to make the plates 12B integral with the bag 10.

One edge 18A of each shell 2, 3 is shown formed into repeated teeth or half-rounded notches therealong resembling trap jaws so that, both edges being drawn together upon closing the shells, a tooth in the one edge corresponds to or is located opposite a tooth hollow in the other edge, and the teeth may nest in the tooth hollows.

Both edges 18A are provided so that they clamp the bag in a staggered manner in the closed position of the casing. The plates which are then beyond the notches remain flat and if one pulls at the bag, the plates cannot move down through the notches due to their strength (in order to come down they should take the form of the notches but this is impossible). Such an arrangement prevents access to the inside of the bag by drawing upon the pleats.

Moreover, if a plate 12B is not threaded onto the finger 11 of the casing, it becomes clamped between both of the notched edges 18A and it is then impossible to close the casing.

The geometry of the plates 12B is such as substantially to correspond to the inner dimensions of the casing, and in particular to reception chambers 9 and 19 for the inlet of the bag 10, the chamber 9 being formed in the base shell 2 and comprising the finger 11 on which the openings 12A in the plates 12B are mounted, and the chamber 19 being formed in the cover shell 3.

Implantation of the finger 11 in the chamber 9 is designed so that it is as close as possible to that edge of the shell 2 turned away from its notched edge 18A to prevent any pivotal displacement of the plates 12A about the pivot formed by said finger 11. Consequently, the corresponding opening 13 formed in the cover shell 3 is also close to that edge of such shell which is turned away from its notched edge 18A.

By pivoting the cover shell 3 about the hinge 4 the cover shell 3 applies itself onto the base shell 2. In the same operation the finger 11 passes through the opening 13 of the cover shell 3 and a hook 7A of the cover shell provided with its stud 8A thereon slides against the base shell 2 so as to lock itself into a slot 6A of the base shell.

The hook 7A outwardly carries a bridge 5A with three feet 5B and on either side of such bridge (when the cover shell is closed onto the base shell) the base shell 2 carries two other similar bridges 5A with three feet 5B thereon.

Such an arrangement enables a flat dissuasive seal 24 to pass through the three bridges 5A then in the aligned position, the casing 1 becoming tamper-proof and the hook 7A unlockable (Figure 6).

The three feet 5B formed with each bridge 5A significantly improve rigidity thereof. Abutments 29 can be provided within the bridges 5A of base shell 2 onto which the flat seal 24 can bear by maintaining the seal spaced from the base shell 2.

Additionally, or alternatively, another dissuasive seal 25 (Figure 7) may be slipped through the closed casing by passing it through a hole 26 formed in the base shell 2 and another hole 27 formed in the cover shell 3. Each hole 26 or 27 can be formed by a chimney 28 made integrally with the corresponding shell, the chimneys 28 coming into abutment upon closing.

The casing 1 may be provided with a handle 23.

Claims

1. An assembly, for use in the protection of a bag against theft from the bag, comprising: a reusable hinged casing and a reusable bag; the casing being formed from two shells connected by a hinge; a first of the shells having a finger thereon for hooking onto the bag, said finger passing through the second shell when the casing is closed upon the bag, and each of the shells being formed with at least one aperture for use in receiving at least one dissuasive seal to secure the assembly when the casing is closed upon the bag; characterised in that plates are secured at an inlet of the bag on flaps of pleats of the bag, each of said plates being formed with an opening therein so as to be slidable onto said finger.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, in which the finger extends as near as possible to an edge of the shell carrying it.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the area of each of the plates substantially corresponds to the inner area of each of the shells.

4. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which flanged edges of the shells which are to clamp the bag therebetween are notched and trap all of the plates entirely within the casing, when the casing is closed upon the bag.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, in which protrusions on one of the notched edges are located opposite respective recesses in the other of the notched edges, when the casing is closed upon the bag.

6. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which one of the shells carries a locking hook engagable with a locking slot formed in the other of the shells.

7. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which each of the shells carries at least one bridge presenting respective ones of the apertures for use in receiving a dissuasive seal having a strap of generally rectangular cross-section.

8. An assembly according to claims 6 and 7, in which one of the bridges is carried by the locking hook.

9. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which each of the shells is formed with a hole therethrough presenting respective ones of the apertures for use in receiving a dissuasive seal having a strap of generally circular cross-section.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, in which the holes are presented by respective chimneys formed on the shells.

11. An assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which each of the flaps of the pleats has a respective one of the plates secured thereto.

12. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5 and 6, or those Figures as modified by Figure 4 or Figure 7, of the accompanying drawings.