US3602538A

US3602538A - Padlock seal

Info

Publication number: US3602538A
Application number: US45154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gilbert Canter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-06-10
Filing date: 1970-06-10
Publication date: 1971-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-31

Abstract

A keyless padlock seal which comprises a lock body having its lock tumbler receiving recess sealed at its lower end by a sealing closure. Pins are driven through the lock body and into the closure to prevent nondestructive removal of the seal.

Description

United States Patent References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1903 Thybe'rg Jessup Diefze.... Peake Rose...

Childs Primary Examinerlan A. Calvert Assistant Examiner-Edward J McCarthy Att0rney Edward Halle ABSTRACT: A keyless padlock segl which comprises a lock body having its lock tumbler receiving recess sealed at its lower end by a sealing closure. Pins are driven through the T lock body and into the closure to prevent nondestructive removal of the seal.

l6 y i. 22 8! 42 4O PATENIED AUGB] l9?! INVENTOR. GILBERT CANTER FIG: 3

A TTOR/VEX PADLOCK SEAL The present invention covers a keyless self-locking padlock seal which is designed to be used as a padlock seal to prevent pilfering and tampering with merchandise on trailer trucks, boxcars and the like. It comprises a heavy duty padlock body having a hasp which may be locked by detent receivers and a tumbler receiving recess which communicates with the exterior through an opening in the bottom of the padlock body. The tumbler recess does not contain either tumbler, cylinder or key-opening means and is closed off from the exterior by a sealing closure. Pins are placed through an opening in the padlock body and are forced into the sealing closure to prevent its removal from the recess. The padlock seal cannot be removed unless it is destroyed. Such destruction would indicate the lock seal had been tampered with.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and is shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the padlock seal in open position;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 22 of H6. 1 showing the padlock seal in sealed position; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal view showing the padlock seal in sealed position with the sealing closure and pin means shown in dotted line.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 The keyless padlock seal of the present invention comprises a body portion 10 of hard material such as brass, steel, plastic or the like. The body has a central cavity 18 in the form of a tumbler receiving recess having an opening 20 at its bottom end in the bottom surface of body 10. The central cavity 18 communicates at its other end with a through bore 22 which is transverse to the body portion. A pair of

hasp openings

24 and 26 respectively are placed'substantially perpendicular to the transverse bore 22 and communicate with the bore and continue beyond the bore in a downward direction away from the top 36 of the body 10 towards the lower portion thereof. One of the hasp openings 24 is provided with spring means 28 at its lowermost portion 30. A U-shaped hasp 12 rides in

hasp openings

24 and 26 and has a pair of notches 42 in both of its

legs

14 and 16. Leg 14 is longer than leg 16 and its lower end 34 bears upon the upper end 32 of spring 28. When hasp 12 is pushed downwardly against the spring 28, the notches 42 in

legs

14 and 16 come into contact with a detent means comprising ball members 38 which are affixed to opposite ends of spring means 40. The spring 40 urges ball members 38 towards and into the notches 42 when the latter are in proper position and locks the hasp 12 into place.

In order to prevent tampering with the padlock seal, the lower end of the tumbler-receiving central cavity 18 is sealed such as a name, initials orconsecutive serial number as shown in FIG. 1. This closure is held in place by sealing means such as pin means 50 which are placed through openings in the side of body portion 10 adjacent closure 44, and are wedged into sealing closure 44. The pins are preferably slightly wider than the openings, and once they are wedged into sealing closure 44 the latter cannot be removed. The only way in which the padlock seal can be removed is by destruction of the seal itself such as by cutting the hasp 12 or smashing body portion 10.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the present invention comprises a keyless self-sealing padlock seal which, once sealed, cannot be tampered with without destroying the seal and thus indicating that the lock has been opened. This removes the possibility which exists in conventional key-tumbler padlock seals of a person picking the lock to open the seal followed by rescaling. Such conventional seals can be opened and resealed without leaving evidence that such tampering has occurred,

As various changes may be made in the form, arrangement or construction of the various component parts of this inventron without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and

without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A keyless lock seal comprising a body portion having a central cavity in the form of a lock tumbler receiving recess, said recess communicating at one end with the exterior through an opening in a portion of bottom surface of said body and communicating at its other end with a through bore transverse to said tumbler-receiving recess, a pair of hasp openings substantially perpendicular to and communicating with said transverse through bore and extending downwardly through a portion of the upper surface of said body towards the bottom surface of the body, one of said hasp openings being provided with spring means, a U-shaped hasp having a pair of notches for receiving detent means, said through bore being provided with spring means urging said detents toward said notches, said hasp having one leg longer than the other bearing against the upper end of said first mentioned spring, said tumbler recess having a closure member sealing off said recess from the exterior, and sealing means for said closure member.

2. The lock seal as defined in claim 1, in which a serial code is marked into the closure member.

3. The lock seal as defined in claim 1, in which a pinhole is formed in the body portion adjacent the position of said closure member and pin means extend through said pinhole and into said closure member to prevent its removal from the recess.

4. The lock seal as defined in claim 1, in which the pinhole is located on one of the side portions of said body.