GB2037869A - Plastics Tie - Google Patents

Plastics Tie Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2037869A
GB2037869A GB7936204A GB7936204A GB2037869A GB 2037869 A GB2037869 A GB 2037869A GB 7936204 A GB7936204 A GB 7936204A GB 7936204 A GB7936204 A GB 7936204A GB 2037869 A GB2037869 A GB 2037869A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
strap
pawl
tie
aperture
head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB7936204A
Other versions
GB2037869B (en
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bowthorpe Hellerman Ltd
Original Assignee
Bowthorpe Hellerman Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bowthorpe Hellerman Ltd filed Critical Bowthorpe Hellerman Ltd
Priority to GB7936204A priority Critical patent/GB2037869B/en
Publication of GB2037869A publication Critical patent/GB2037869A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2037869B publication Critical patent/GB2037869B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L3/00—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets
    • F16L3/22—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals
    • F16L3/23—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals for a bundle of pipes or a plurality of pipes placed side by side in contact with each other
    • F16L3/233—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals for a bundle of pipes or a plurality of pipes placed side by side in contact with each other by means of a flexible band
    • F16L3/2332—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals for a bundle of pipes or a plurality of pipes placed side by side in contact with each other by means of a flexible band having a single plastic locking barb
    • F16L3/2334—Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets specially adapted for supporting a number of parallel pipes at intervals for a bundle of pipes or a plurality of pipes placed side by side in contact with each other by means of a flexible band having a single plastic locking barb the barb having a plurality of serrations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2563/00—Flexible elongated elements, e.g. straps for bundling or supporting atricles
    • B65D2563/10—Non-metallic straps, tapes or bands; Filamentary elements, e.g. strings, threads, wires; Joints between ends thereof
    • B65D2563/101—Details of non-metallic straps, tapes or bands
    • B65D2563/108—Appendages formed with/on the strap for purposes other than joining, releasing or bundling, e.g. for fixing the strap to a wall, label plates

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Package Frames And Binding Bands (AREA)

Abstract

A one-piece tie of plastics material has a flat head 14 through which the strap 12 passes, after looping around a bundle of cables for example, for its serrations 13 to interlock with the teeth 22 of a pawl which is pivoted at one end 18, the strap being introduced through the head from the pivoted end of the pawl, and increasing back-tension in the strap, after the tie is tied, causing the strap to pivot the pawl so as more firmly to grip the strap. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Plastics Tie This invention relates to a one-piece tie of plastics material.
The tie which is the subject of British patent 943 240 to Emery and Insuloid was the forerunner of plastics one-piece ties comprising a flexible strap having ratchet serrations on one surface for locking with transverse teeth formed on a pivoted pawl when a free end of the strap is passed through an apertured head which is at the other end of the strap and which contains the pawl, wherein any tension applied to the strap tending to withdraw it again from the aperture acts to pivot the pawl so as more firmly to grip the strap against an abutment surface opposite the pawl. The aperture through the head extends generally transverse to the plane of the strap.
Such ties have hitherto been used with widespread success in tying around bundles of electric cables or the like.
The head of the above ties are not flat and this is a disadvantage in certain applications. For example, one proposed application of one-piece cable tie is an orthopaedic application, but the head of the known ties do not lie sufficiently flat against the bone surface, and indeed protrudes considerably even when the excess length of the strap projecting beyond the head is cut off, so that a noticeable protuberance will occur on the surface of the limb, for example even after the wound has healed.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a one-piece of plastics material, comprising a flexible elongate strap formed on a first side thereof with a series of ratchet serrations, a head at one end of the strap and projecting from one side of the strap, an aperture extending through the head generally parallel to the plane of the strap, and a pawl disposed to form a side of said aperture and being provided with a plurality of teeth, said pawl being pivotably mounted at one of its ends for movement of all its teeth in respective arcs across said aperture, said aperture being formed generally opposite said pawl with an abutment surface or surfaces, the ratchet serrations and pawl teeth being profiled so as to cooperate and permit passage of the free end of the strap through said aperture from the pivoted end of the pawl when the strap is tied with said one side facing outwards but so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the strap in the opposite direction, any tension applied to the strap in said opposite direction serving to pivot the pawl to firmly grip the strap against the abutment surface or surfaces.
Accordingly, when the tie is tied, the length of strap projecting from the head lies flat against the underlying portion of strap which extends from the head. The invention enables a much flatter head than the prior art cable ties.
The locking teeth of the head are provided on a pivoting pawl, instead of being formed immovably on a solid portion of the head as in some alternative types of tie. Two advantages therefore derive. Firstly, the strap can be inserted through the head reasonably easily, because the pawl pivots so as to open the aperture, by a camming action between the strap serrations and pawl teeth. Secondly, a greater locking strength is achieved against withdrawal of the strap, because increased tension applied to the strap in the withdrawal direction serves only to pivot the pawl so as to more firmly grip the strap against the abutment surface or surfaces of the head.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a one-piece tie in its as-moulded condition; Figure 2 is a plan view of the tie; Figure 3 is a cross-section through the head of the tie; Figure 4 is a medial longitudinal section of a second embodiment of tie, indicating both its asmoulded form and its mode of tying; Figure 5 is a plan view of the tie of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-section on the line VI-VI of Figure 4; Figure 7 is a medial longitudinal section of a tie modified from the tie of Figures 4-6 shown in tied condition; Figure 8 is a view in the direction of arrow E shown in Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a medial section of a third embodiment of tie, shown in tied condition.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, there is shown a one-piece tie of plastics material comprising a flexible elongate strap 12 provided with a series of transverse ratchet serrations 13 on one side thereof and a generally rectangular head 14 at one end thereof, the head projecting from the serrated side of the strap. The head 14 comprises a pair of parallel side walls 1 6a, 1 6b projecting from the serrated side of the strap, and a cross-piece 18 by which a pawl 20 is pivotably mounted between the opposite side walls of the head. Thus the pawl 20 has one end united to the cross-piece 18 and extends generally parallel to the plane of the strap towards the other, free end of the strap, and spaced away from the serrated side of the strap. The pawl is provided with a series of three transverse teeth 22.
The base of the head, being the extreme end portion of the strap itself, is formed with a rectangular aperture 24 directly aligned, lengthwise of the strap, with the pawl and its cross-piece 18, as shown in Figure 1. The aperture 24 extends the full width of the strap, being the spacing between the walls 1 6a, 1 6b.
It will be noted that the head is effectively formed with a through-aperture, extending generally parallel to the plane of the strap in the as-moulded condition, and disposed between the base of the head and the pawl and the cross-piece 1 8. The width of the head aperture is slightly greater than the width of the strap: the depth of the head aperture, between the under-side of the crosspiece 18 and the upper surface of the base of the head, is slightly greater than the overall thickness of the strap. The upper surface of the base of the head is divided, by the aperture 24, into two portions 26 which serve as strap abutment surfaces when the tie is tied.
The ratchet serrations 13 of the strap and the teeth 22 of the pawl are complementarily profiled as shown so as to interengage when the strap is tied around a bone with the serrated side of the strap facing radially outwards, and the free end of the strap is pulled through the aperture in the head from left to right as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. The head 14 is provided with a pair of guiding abutment surfaces 36a, 36b, on the side walls 1 6a, 1 6b, generally parallel to the head aperture, for marginal plain portions 38a, 38b of the strap to run upon when the strap is being pulled through the head. The length of the strap serrations across the strap is greater than the width of the pawl but less than the transverse distance between the two guiding abutment surfaces.In the example, the plain marginal portions 38a, 38b are flush with the crests of the strap serrations and the guiding abutment surfaces are spaced from the strap abutment surfaces 26 by slightly greater than the overall thickness of the strap.
In use of the tie, the strap is looped around the bone to which it is to be applied, with the serrated side of the strap facing radially outwards. The free end of the strap is passed through the head aperture and then tension is applied to the free end of the strap, projecting from the right hand side of the head as viewed in Figure 1, to pull the strap through the head aperture and tight around the bone. As the strap is pulled through the head aperture, the successive strap serrations ride over the pawl teeth, causing the pawl to repeatedly pivot away from the strap (thus opening the head aperture wider) by the inclined surfaces of the serrations sliding on the inclined surfaces of the pawl teeth, to accommodate the linear movement of the head.In this connection it will be noted that the strap serrations and pawl teeth are profiled so as to permit insertion of the strap through the head from left to right, as viewed in Figure 1, but so as to prevent withdrawal in the opposite direction.
When the tensioning force is removed from the free end of the strap, the back-tension within the looped portion thereof causes the strap to tend to move relative to the head, in the withdrawal direction. The serrations 13 accordingly lock with the pawl teeth and the back tension serves to pivot the pawl so as to grip the strap flat against the strap abutment surfaces 26. Increasing back tension serves to increase this pivoting of the pawl and more firmly grip the strap against the strap abutment surfaces 26.
It will be noted that the crests of the pawl teeth lie in a common plane parallel to the head aperture. Each pawl tooth comprises a first, inclined surface as shown, but its second surface is not perpendicular to the head aperture, but is slightly inclined as shown. The strap serrations are similarly oriented. As a result, the force to which each pawl tooth is subjected, by its mating strap serrations (which force is normal to said second surface of the pawl tooth) is inclined to the common plane of the pawl teeth crests, in a direction (upwards and leftwards as viewed in Figure 1) generally towards the pivoting axis (which is contained within cross-piece 18).
Because the force on the pawl teeth is inclined towards the pivoting axis in this manner, rather than parallel to the head aperture, the risk is reduced of the pawl being sheared from the head under conditions of excessive back-tension in the strap.
The tie is manufactured by injection moulding from plastics material such as nylon, using two dies defining a mould cavity and separable in a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the strap. The aperture 24 facilitates moulding of the pawl teeth by an upwards projecting part carried by the lower of upper and lower dies. The aperture 24 also serves to receive a stainless steel pad, provided with barbs which bite into and maintain a purchase on the bone during tying.
This pad thereafter enables X-ray identification.
The particularly flat-head design of the tie will be noted. Apart from orthopaedic applications, the tie may be used in other applications, for example tying bundles of electric cables or the like.
It will be noted that the abutment surface 26 at the outlet end of the head aperture is inclined upwardly, as viewed in Figure 1, and is followed by a raised, transverse rib 28 of semi-circular section. These two features ensure that the free end of the strap, projecting from the head after the tie is tied, will project from the head in an inclined direction away from the underlying portion of the strap: thus the free, projecting end of the strap can be more easily grasped for pulling through the head to tension the tie.
Referring to Figures 46 of the drawings, there is shown a one-piece tie of plastics material comprising a flexible elongate strap 12 provided with a series of transverse ratchet serrations 13 on one side thereof and a generally rectangular head 14 at one end thereof, the head projecting from that side of the strap which is opposite the serrated side of the strap. The head 14 comprises a pair of parallel side walls 1 6a, 1 6b projecting from the non-serrated side of the strap, and a cross-piece 18 by which a pawl 20 is pivotably mounted between the opposite side walls of the head. Thus, the pawl 20 has one end united to the cross-piece 18 and extends generally parallel to the plane of the strap towards said one end of the strap (away from the other, free end thereof), and spaced from the serrated side of the strap. The pawl is provided with a series of four transverse teeth 22.
It will be noted that the head is effectively formed with a through-aperture, extending generally parallel to the plane of the strap in the as-moulded planar condition, and disposed between the base of the head (which is apertured at 24) and the cross-piece 18 and pawl 20. The upper surface of the base of the head is divided, by the aperture 24, into two portions 26 which serve as strap abutment surfaces when the tie is tied.
The ratchet serrations 13 of the strap and the teeth 22 of the pawl are complementarily profiled as shown so as to interengage when the strap is tied around a bundle of cables, for example, with the serrated side of the strap facing outwards, as indicated in Figure 4, and the free end of the strap is pulled through the head from right to left as viewed in Figure 4.
Thus, in use of the tie, the strap is looped around the bundle of cables or the like, for example, with the serrated side facing radially outwards. The free end of the strap is passed through the head aperture and then tension is applied to the free end of the strap, projecting from the left side of the head as viewed in Figure 4, to pull the strap through the head aperture and tight around the bundle of cables. As the strap is pulled through the head aperture, the successive strap serrations ride over the pawl teeth, causing the pawl to repeatedly pivot away from the strap (thus opening the head aperture wider) by the inclined surface of the serrations sliding on the inclined surfaces of the pawl teeth, to accommodate the linear movement of the strap through the head.In particular, all pawl teeth are spaced from the pawl pivot in the direction of the head aperture so as to all move in respective arcs transverse of the aperture.
When the tensioning force is removed from the free end of the strap, the back-tension within the looped portion thereof causes the strap to tend to move relative to the head, in the withdrawal direction. The serrations 13 accordingly lock with the pawl teeth and the back tension serves to pivot the pawl so as to grip the strap flat against the strap abutment surfaces 26. Increasing back tension serves to increase this pivoting of the pawl and more firmly grip the strap against the strap abutment surfaces.
A projecting lug 28 is provided on the pawl and enables the pawl to be manually pivoted (clockwise as viewed in Figure 4) to release the strap. The tie is thus releasable and re-usable.
Such a lug may be provided also in the tie of Figures 1 to 3.
The tie is manufactured by injection moulding from plastics material such as nylon, using two dies defining a mould cavity and separable in a straight line perpendicular to the plane of the strap.
It will be appreciated that when the tie of Figures 4-6 is tied, the head projects more or less in the radial direction relative to the bundle of cables or the like which it ties. This makes it particularly useful for securing the bundle of cables to a panel and a particular modification for this application is shewn in Figure 7 and 8. Thus, the modification consists in the provision of a rectangular collar 30 moulded integrally with the head, at the end of the head to which the pawl is pivoted, and extending in a plane perpendicular to that of the head. The collar 30 is slotted at 31 to accommodate pivoting movement of the pawl.In use, the free end of the strap is passed through an aperture 32 in the panel 33 from the rear side of the panel and is then looped around the bundle of cables to be passed through the head aperture and tensioned in the same manner as described in relation to the tie of Figures 4-6. The collar 30 becomes pressed flat against the rear side of the panel and the cable bundle is tied by the strap and secured against the front side of the panel.
In the third embodiment shown in Figure 9, the pawl 20 lies generally planar with the strap, in the as-moulded, flat, condition of the tie and the abutment surfaces 26 are formed by a bridging portion between the two parallel sides 1 6a, 1 6b of the head, which bridging portion is parallel to but spaced from the plane of the strap and is provided with the aperture 24. The two parallel sides 1 6a, 1 6b form continuations of the one end of the strap and the pawl 20 extends inwards from the cross-piece 18 which is situated adjacent the outer end of the head. When tied, the strap serrations face against the bundle being tied but the head lies flat against the bundle, in the same manner as the tie of Figures 1 to 3.
Particularly in Figure 8, guide ribs 34 will be seen from the marginal plane edge portions of the strap to run upon when the strap is being pulled through the head.

Claims (8)

Claims
1. A one-piece tie of plastics material comprising a flexible elongate strap formed on a first side thereof with a series of ratchet serrations, a head at one end of the strap and projecting from one side of the strap, an aperture extending through the head generally parallel to the plane of the strap, and a pawl disposed to form a side of said aperture and being provided with a plurality of teeth, said pawl being pivotably mounted at one of its ends for movement of all its teeth in respective arcs across said aperture, said aperture being formed generally opposite said pawl with an abutment surface or surfaces, the ratchet serrations and pawl teeth being profiled so as to co-operate and permit passage of the free end of the strap through said aperture from the pivoted end of the pawl when the strap is tied with said one side facing outwards but so as to prevent subsequent withdrawal of the strap in the opposite direction, any tension applied to the strap in said opposite direction serving to pivot the pawl to firmly grip the strap against the abutment surface or surfaces.
2. A tie as claimed in claim 1, in which said ratchet serrations are provided on said one side of the strap, the pawl forming a side of said aperture remote from said one side of the strap with the pawl teeth facing said one side of the strap, and the pawl being pivoted at its end nearer said one end of the strap.
3. A tie as claimed in claim 1, in which said ratchet serrations are provided on the side of said strap opposite said one side, the pawl forming a side of said aperture co-planar with said one side of the strap with the pawl teeth facing away from said one side, and being pivoted at its end nearer said one end of the strap.
4. A tie as claimed in claim 1, in which said ratchet serrations are provided on the side of said strap opposite said one side, the pawl forming a side of said aperture remote from said one side of the strap with the pawl teeth facing said one side of the strap, and the pawl being pivoted at its end nearer said free end of the strap.
5. A tie as claimed in claim 4, in which the head includes a collar between the pawl and the ratchet serrations, for abutting a panel when the tie is applied through a hole in a panel.
6. A tie as claimed in claim 2, 4 or 5, in which a lug projects from said pawl to enable manual release of the pawl teeth from the strap serrations.
7. A tie as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the head is formed with an aperture directly opposite the pawl teeth.
8. A one-piece tie of plastics material substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 3, Figures 4 to 8, or Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.
GB7936204A 1978-11-27 1979-10-18 Plastics tie Expired GB2037869B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7936204A GB2037869B (en) 1978-11-27 1979-10-18 Plastics tie

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7846108 1978-11-27
GB7936204A GB2037869B (en) 1978-11-27 1979-10-18 Plastics tie

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2037869A true GB2037869A (en) 1980-07-16
GB2037869B GB2037869B (en) 1982-10-13

Family

ID=26269744

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB7936204A Expired GB2037869B (en) 1978-11-27 1979-10-18 Plastics tie

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GB (1) GB2037869B (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2733569A1 (en) * 1995-04-25 1996-10-31 Peugeot Retainer for unused electrical connectors in motor vehicle wiring
US5745957A (en) * 1997-03-26 1998-05-05 Thomas & Betts Corporation In-line cable tie
US6497421B1 (en) 1998-07-07 2002-12-24 Innovo International Limited Skating and other apparatus
EP1840042A1 (en) * 2006-03-29 2007-10-03 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Buoyant detectable cable tie
GB2517846B (en) * 2014-09-09 2016-01-13 B & W Group Ltd Improvements in and relating to loudspeakers
EP3712478A1 (en) * 2019-03-19 2020-09-23 Hellermanntyton Corporation Adjustable cable tie head

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USD422487S (en) 1997-03-21 2000-04-11 Thomas & Betts Corporation Double pawl parallel-entry cable tie
USD419861S (en) 1997-03-21 2000-02-01 Thomas & Betts Corporation Single pawl parallel-entry cable tie

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2733569A1 (en) * 1995-04-25 1996-10-31 Peugeot Retainer for unused electrical connectors in motor vehicle wiring
US5745957A (en) * 1997-03-26 1998-05-05 Thomas & Betts Corporation In-line cable tie
US6076234A (en) * 1997-03-26 2000-06-20 Thomas & Betts Corporation In-line cable tie
US6497421B1 (en) 1998-07-07 2002-12-24 Innovo International Limited Skating and other apparatus
EP1840042A1 (en) * 2006-03-29 2007-10-03 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Buoyant detectable cable tie
US7935412B2 (en) 2006-03-29 2011-05-03 Thomas & Betts International, Inc. Buoyant detectable cable tie
GB2517846B (en) * 2014-09-09 2016-01-13 B & W Group Ltd Improvements in and relating to loudspeakers
EP3712478A1 (en) * 2019-03-19 2020-09-23 Hellermanntyton Corporation Adjustable cable tie head
US11117724B2 (en) 2019-03-19 2021-09-14 Hellermanntyton Corporation Adjustable cable tie head

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2037869B (en) 1982-10-13

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Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19921018