US1738252A - Seal - Google Patents

Description

F. KEIDEL Doc. 3, 1929.

S EAL Filed Feb. 25, i929 jf j 542%@ 1517' 7 f6 la ATTORNEY liafcented Dec. 3, 1929 *UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK KEIDEL, F ELMHURST, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL SEAL AND IKNOT PROTECTOR CO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK suer.

rlhis invention is an improvement in seals ot that ltype in which there are employed relatively movable parts which are folded around the members to be sealed. The invention may be utilized for a wide variety of articles, and the details of construction andthe design and relative proportions of the parts may be varied within comparatively wide limits in accordance with the character of the article or l@ articles to be sealed, and within the scope of the appended claims.

In the specific construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings the parts are so designed and proportioned as to best adapt i5, the device for the securing together of a plurality of superposed layers of flexible material, such for instance as the neck portion of a cloth bag. Substantially the same type of constructionmight be employed for securing ne together a plurality of sheets of paper as a permanent binder.

\ 1n the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a 'perspective view of a device embodying my invention, the parts being in ne open position.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section showing the parts in partially closed position. Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2, but on a slightly larger scale, and showing the parts so in closed or locked position. l

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 oi Fig. 3.

lig. 5 is a section on the line 5*-5 of Fig. 4, an

Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sections on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Fig. 3. r1`he construction illustrated is ormed sub stantially entirely of a single piece of sheet metal which includes three main sections 10, 11 and 12, so connected that the sections may be moved relatively to each other. The middle section 11, and one of the end sections, 10, are the gripping sections, in that they directly `hold therebetween the material to b e clamped or sealed, while the other end sectionconstitutes a locking section in that it prevents the separation of the two gripping sections. The three sections are connected end to end, and each is of substantially channel 5U shape. r1`he end section 10 has a web 13 and parallel side walls 14, which latter present the gripping teeth 15. The middle section 11 is somewhat similar in design, in that it has a web portion 16, side walls 17, and teeth 18 pro-V jecting from and in the plane of the side walls. lIhe web 16 has an extension 19 be yond the end of the side wall 17, and a portion of this extension forms an end wall 20 for the channel constituting the section 10.

This end wall is set in from the extremities of the side walls 14, and the said side walls have projections or lugs 21 beyond the plane of the end wall 2O so as to constitute a part of the locking feature referred to more in detail hereinafter. The web 16 is so connected to the extension 19 as to insure bendl ing along a predetermined line, which may be considered as a hinge. As shown, the web has an aperture 22 whereby the web is wealtened at the end ot' the side walls 17, so that when the sections 10 and 11 are moved relatively to each other, the comparatively weak portions upon opposite sides of the aperture will cause the entire bending movement to take place atthis point.

The parts as delivered for use may be in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, and in use the section 10 is folded down on to the section 11 so that the extension 19 forms an end wall for the channel constituting the section 11.

At the opposite end of the middle section 11 there is the section`12 which has a web 23 and side walls 24. This section is slightly wider than the other two sections so that the section 13 may nest within the section 10 when the parts are in sealing position. n The web 23 o1 the section 10 is formed integral with the web 16 of the channel 11, there being an extension 25 on the web 16 and iornr' ing an end wall for the channel of the section 12. The extension 25 has an aperture 26 deining the line oi bending as closely adjacent to the ends of the side walls 17.

At the opposite end of the section 12 there is a casing which includes an end wall 27 and side walls 28, the latter constituting extensions of the side walls 24 of the channel. Within this casing there is provided a spring catch which includes a free end portion 29 im and a body portion 30. This body portion is permanently secured to the channel 23 in any suitable manner, as for instance by the action of lugs 31 struck from the web and extended through apertures in the body portion 30 of the spring, and gripping the inner surface of the latter as shown particularly in Fig. 6.

The free end 29 of the spring is so positioned that it will engage with the outer surface of the end wall 20 and the edges of this free end present lugs 32 which may snap past the projections or lugs 21 on the ends of the side walls 14. Thus the end of the spring is disposed between the end walls 20 and 27 when the seal is in closed position, and due `to the offsetting of the end wall 20 in respect to the extension 19, the latter comes into direct contact with the end wall 27 and prevents the entrance of any tool for forcing the spring 29 outwardly and freeing it from the projections 21. j

Likewise the shoulder between the parts 19 and 20 protects the end of the spring 29 so that if a thin instrument be inserted between the walls 19 and 27 it cannot be used to pry out the end of the spring.

When' the parts are in closed position the end section 12 telescopes with the end section 10, and thus thebent under ends of the lugs 31 are clamped between the webs 13 and 23. This prevents the opening of the seal by the bending of the lugs 31 and the separation of the spring from the locking section 12. To prevent the gripping section 10 from being forced down out of the locking section 12, the side walls 14 and 17 of the two sections 10 and 11 may have wider portions 33 and 34 respectively, which abut and limit t-he move` ment ofthe sections toward each other.

The teethvor projections 15 and 18 may be modified as to number, size and spacing, in accordance with the character of the material which is to be sealed, and whether or not the teeth are intended to penetrate or merely grip the material.

The connections between the three sections form hinges in that they have definite bend ing points. It will be obvious that in some 'constructions it may be desirable to employ hinges at the opposite ends of the web 16, although this is not either desirable or necessary if the device is to be used only once and to be broken on opening.

The seal illustrated is intended to be broken by inserting the end of a screw driver or any such tool between the sections adjacent to either end, and'by applying suflicient pressure or bending strainA to break` the metal where it has been bent in applying the seal, that is, at the narrow or fragile portions at the opposite sides 0f either the .aperture 22 or the aperture 26, or both. The device is very easy to apply, in that it is merely necessary to place the sheets, layers, or other articles or members to be sealed on the middle section 11, fold over the other gripping section 13, and then fold over the locking section 12. The parts when they reach final position-,will automatically interengage at the spring 32 and lugs 21 to prevent the opening of the seal. It will be noted particularly from Fig. 2 that a compound leverage may be brought to bear to force the gripping sections into engagement with the sheets or other articles to be sealed. Witli the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, downward pressure on the upper end of the section 12 will apply pressure to the free end of the section 13 and force the latter into linal position as the free end of the section 13 travels along the web of the section 12J As the entire device, aside from the spring, is formed of only a single piece of sheet metal, and as the design is simple, the device may be made at comparatively small expense, with simple dies,and a. very small number of die operations. The low cost will permit it to be broken and thrown away after a single use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A seal including a strip of sheet metal comprising three sections united end to end, and all of approximately the same length, said strip being hendable between said sections, two of said sections comprising gripping members and the third section having means for locking the free end thereof to 'the strip at a point adjacent to the bendable part between the two gripping sections.

2. A seal comprising a strip of sheet metal including three main sections connected end to end, said strip being bendable at points between adjacent sections, two of said sections comprising gripping members, and the third section having a easing at the free end thereof adapted to receive the opposite end of the intermediate section.

3. A seal formed of a strip of sheet metal comprising three sections connected end to end, one of the end sections being adapted to be folded over the intermediate section to grip an article therebetween, and the other section being adapted to be folded over the first mentioned end section, the free end of the second mentioned end section having means adapted to interlock with the other two sections at the connected ends of the latter.

4. A seal formed of three strip sections connected to ether end to end, one of the end sections eing of substantially channel form and adapted to receive therein the other end section when thel two end sections are folded over the intermediate section.

5. A seal formed of three strip sections connected together end to end, one of the end sections being of substantially channel form and adapted to receive therein the other ,end

section when the two end sections are folded over the intermediate section, said first mentioned end section having at the free end thereof ya catch adapted to engage and interlock with a portion of the second mentioned end section when the two are insuperposed' and nesting relationship.

6. A seal including three sections connected end to end, the two end sections being adapted to fold over the intermediate section in superposed relationship, the end of the outer end section having means for interlocking with the adjacent end of the other end section to prevent opening movement of the sections after the seal has been closed.v

7 A seal comprising three metal strips connected end to end, each being of channel shape in cross-section, and the seal being bendable at points between adjacent strips, one end strip having adjacent to its bending point a projection, and the other end strip having adjacent to its free end a catch for engaging said projection.

8. A seal comprising three strips connected together end to end, the seal being bendable at points between adjacent strips, one end strip having a casing'at its free end with a spring catch therein, and means on one of the other. sections for engaging said catch to lock the three sections in superposed or closed relationship.

9.` A seal comprising a sheet metal strip including three main sections connected end to end by extensions of the intermediate section, each of said extensions having a weakened portion determining the point of bending of the intermediate portion in bringing the three sections to superposed relationship.

l0. A seal comprising three sections connected end to end, and each of substantially channel shape in cross-section, the interme date section and one end section being'osubstantially the same width, and having their side edges in the same planes and presenting gripping teeth, and the other end section being of slightly greater width and adapted to receive therein the other two sections when the three sections are folded in superposed relationship.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 20th day of Feb., A. D. 1929.

FRANK KEIDEL.

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