US3009276A

US3009276A - Seals and method of attaching them to tying elements

Info

Publication number: US3009276A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stelzer William
Original assignee: Stoffel Seals Corp
Current assignee: Stoffel Seals Corp
Priority date: 1959-03-31
Filing date: 1959-03-31
Publication date: 1961-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-21

Description

Nov. 21, 1961 w. STELZER 3,009,276

SEALS AND, METHOD OF ATTACHING THEM TO 'rymc ELEMENTS Filed March 31, 1959 ATTORNEY atent flfice 3,fl9,276 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 SEALS AND METHOD OF ATTACHING THEM TO TYlNG ELEMENTS William Stelzer, Bloomfield Hills, Mich, assignor to Stolfel Seals Corporation, Tuckahoe, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 31, 1959, Ser. No. 803,259 8 Claims. (Cl. 40-316) The invention relates to seals and the method of attaching them to elongated members such as tying elements, and more particularly to interconnected seals made in strip form, and the method of separating single seals from a strip and attaching them to tying elements.

An object of the invention is to produce an inexpensive and tamperproof seal that lends itself for use with a manually or power operated device for rapid attachment to the strands of a tying element used in sealing articles or for securing price tags.

Another object is to produce novel seals in strip form that are securely held together and yet can be severed with a minimum effort by using a novel method.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the seal strip;

FIG. 2, a front elevation thereof;

FIG. 3, a cross-section through the seal at the end of the strip shown partly closed by a curling die and punch;

FIG. 4, a cross-section through the seal adjacent the first seal held in a fixed guide element; and

FIG. 5, a perspective view of a seal separated from the strip and secured to the strands of a tying element.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates seals having tag and channel portions and connected side-byside at the channel portions along lines weakened in such manner as to facilitate or produce separation of an end seal as its channel portion is bent to apply the same around tying elements.

The seals are manufactured in gang strip form as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the seal strip 1 being formed from a single piece of sheet metal and comprising a channel section having a Web 2, an outer flange 3, and an inner flange 4 connected to a tag section 5. The tag section is a continuation of flange 4 and is bent away from the plane of flange 4, preferably to be more or less parallel with web 2, as shown. The tag section 5, which may receive identifying indicia or other marking, has a plurality of transverse equally spaced slots 6 extending through inner flange 4 partly into web 2 of the channel section. The outer flange 3 has notches 7 in alignment with slots 6 and extending through outer flange 3 a short distance into web 2. Web 2 is scored transversely, so that there is a weakening line 8 extending from each slot 6 to the corresponding notch 7. Thus the strip 1 is divided by the slots and notches into a plurality of interconnected seals a, 5b, 5c, etc.

In order to facilitate the separation of the seals as a result of or immediately following the application of each, the web is preferably weakened to the greatest extent adjacent to the slot 6, the degree of weakening becoming less adjacent to the notch 7. One method of accomplishing this is to progressively more deeply indent a score line 8 into the web as the line progresses from the notch 7 to the slot 6. It is also contemplated that the scoring may be done on both sides of the web. However, in a strip of seals, it may be desirable to prevent separation of the last end seal from the adjoining seal until such end seal has been moved into position for closing, in order to facilitate feeding of the end seal. For such purpose the scoring between such two seals may be less pronounced and of uniform depth on one side only.

In order to impart a certain rigidity and strength to the seal strip to prevent breakage from handling without sacrificing the ease of severing a seal from the strip for attachment to a tying member, the web 2 is preferably slightly curved, which is particularly beneficial when a very thin sheet material is used to form the strip. The rigidity of the seal strip can be further improved by alternately continuing the weakening line 8 on opposite sides of web 2, for example, by having a score mark on the outside of web 2 starting at slot 6 to extend a short distance along line 8, continuing on the inside through the central portion of web 2 (to which the line of numeral 2 points) and terminating on the outside again into notch *7.

The construction of the seal strip is contemplated to make possible a novel method of severance of the first end seal from the strip and attachment to the strands of a tying element. This method is illustrated in principle in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 3, the seal 5a is placed between a curling die 10 and a punch 11, and the strands 12 of a tying element are placed into the channel section, as shown. The illustration shows the die partly closed, the curling action being incomplete. The second seal 5b is held by

guide members

14 and 15 as shown in FIG. 4 to maintain the original form. These guide members are fixed in relation to punch 11. Thus when the channel section of the first seal is being curled, it is gradually shear-torn from the strip, requiring a minimum amount of effort.

Because of the presence of the scoring adjacent to the portion of the seal being curled, the separation of such portion from the strip during such curling is facilitated. Furthermore, due to the progressive weakening of the connection in the direction of progression of the curl, as previously described, the curling operation in itself may produce complete separation of the seal, or so nearly complete that the movement required to separate is negligible. However, between the last pair of seals the connection is preferably of greater strength as previously described, in order to promote feeding of the last end seal into position prior to the breaking off of its adjoining seal.

In order to improve the tamperproofness of the seal, the curled portion of the latter may be curved and the central portion crimped as shown in FIG. 5 where numeral 18 indicates the crimped central portion of the curved curled channel section, making opening without breakage more diificult. For this purpose punch 11 is recessed at 16, and surface 17 of die 10 is curved longitudinally to cooperate with recess 16 to produce the curled crimped configuration.

Accordingly, it will be understood that the present invention includes seal members connected in a manner to form a strip from which individual seals are substantially or completely separated by the closing or application of the same, the seals being so interconnected that a strip of substantial rigidity and strength is formed but in such manner that separation is easily accomplished.

It will be obviousto those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A seal strip made of a single piece of sheet metal formed to have a channel section and an adjacent tag section, said channel section consisting of a web, an outer flange, and an inner flange joining said tag section, said seal strip having a plurality of transverse spaced slots extending across said tag section and dividing said section into a plurality of tags, said slots extending across said inner flange to said web, said outer flange having a notch in alignment with each of said slots and extending from the outer edge to said web, said web being weakened along transverse lines extending from said notches to said opposite slots, whereby said strip is divided into a plurality of seals connected along a weakened line extending transversely of said channel section.

2. A seal strip as defined in claim 1 in which the web is slightly curved in cross-section, providing increased concavity in association with the flanges.

3. A seal strip as defined in claim 1 in which the weakening of the web along said transverse lines between at least certain of said seals is greatest adjacent to said slots and is progressively less progressing toward said notches.

4. A seal strip as defined in claim 1 in which the web along said transverse lines between at least certain of said seals is weakened by discontinuous scoring occurring alternately on opposite sides of said web.

5. A seal for permanent attachment to one or more elongated members comprising a tag portion adapted to receive printed information thereon, a first flange connected to one end of said tag portion and projecting substantially at right angles thereto, a web extending from the flange in a direction opposite to and generally parallel with said tag, an outer flange projecting from said web in generally parallel relation to said first flange, the spacing between said flanges being greater than necessary to receive the members therebetween.

6. The method of attaching an end seal of a series to elongated members comprising providing a series of seals having channel-shaped portions connected together by a continuous web portion integral with the seals and having weakening lines thereacross and intermediate the seals for facilitating separation of the seals from each other, said seals each having an inner and outer flange on each edge of said web, an integral tag extending from the inner flange and away from said outer flange, the tags and flanges of each seal being completely separated from the adjacent seal, the method comprising placing the elongated members in the channel formed between the flanges of an end seal and curling the outer flange of said seal around said members and against said web and said inner flange in contacting relation to secure said members against movement, the curling of said web severing the said one seal from the strip of seals along its adjacent weakened line.

7. In the attachment of seals of a seal strip made of a single piece of sheet metal formed to have a channel section and an adjacent tag section, said channel section consisting of a web, an outer flange, and an inner flange joining said tag section, said seal strip having a plurality of transverse spaced slots in said tag section, notches in said outer flange in alignment with said slots, said web being weakened along transverse lines extending from said notches to said opposite slots, whereby said strip is divided into a plurality of interconnected seals which may he severed along said transverse lines and secured to strands of a tying element, the method comprising the steps of positioning said strands in said channel section of one seal at the end of said strip, curling said channel section of said one seal around said strands by starting the curl at the notched end of said seal and securely holding the adjacent seal, whereby said one seal is gradually shear-torn from said strip and said strands become securely embedded in said curled channel section, said step of curling said channel section being performed in a manner to cause a curvature in the axis of the curled section.

8. In the attachment of seals of a seal strip made of a single piece of sheet metal formed to have a channel section and an adjacent tag section, said channel section consisting of a web, an outer flange, and an inner flange joining said tag section, said seal strip having a plurality of transverse spaced slots in said tag section, notches in said outer flange in alignment with said slots, said web being weakened along transverse lines extending from said notches to said opposite slots, whereby said strip is divided into a plurality of interconnected seals which may be severed along said transverse lines and secured to strands of a tying element, the method comprising the steps of first positioning said strands in said channel section of one seal at the end of said strip, curling said channel section of said one seal around said strands by starting the curl at the notched end of said seal and securely holding the adjacent seal, whereby said one seal is gradually shear-torn from said strip and said strands become securely embedded in said curled channel section, and crimping said curled channel section to more firmly hold said strands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,298,981 Loughridge Apr. 1, 1919 1,779,241 Kohnle Oct. 31, 1930 2,043,919 Bengtson June 9, 1936 2,514,437 Bailhe July 11, 1950 l l l l