US550478A - Franklin w - Google Patents

Description

" Mel) I F. W. BROOKS.

SEAL.

No. 550,478. Patented Nov. 26. 1895.

WITNESSES; /NVENTOB W'WXW A TTORNEY AN DREW EYGRAHAM. PHOTO UTHO WASHINGTDNDC UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN IV. BROOKS, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,478, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed April 2 7, 1 895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN W. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in baggage-seals, and particularly that class which forms the subject-matter of Letters Patent granted to me on the 19th day of June, 1894, No. 521,632, and in which the seal is composed of a sheetmetal cup, a lead plug, and a wire bail. In the Letters Patent above referred to the bail passes through a radial orifice in the inclined flange of the sheet-metal cup and is formed with a guard, which is designed to bridge the orifice, and the opposite end of the wire is wrapped or twisted around the shank of the headed projection on the soft-metal plug.

My present invention is designed to dispense with the necessity of wrapping or twistin g the free end of the wire around the shank of the soft-metal plug and to facilitate the operation of putting the several parts in position and likewise to secure a more positive and effectual locking of the ends of the wire in place; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the peculiarities of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter and in detail described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one of my improved seals with the parts in proper relation and before compression. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the changes effected by compression. Fig. 3 is aperspective View of the parts separated. Fig. at is a side View of a modification of the soft-metal plug and showing the same with a continuous flange below the wire orifices. Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a modification of the locking ends of wire. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of another modification of the soft-metal plug, and showing the wires interlocked with projecting shoulders and held in place before and after compression by a diametric bridge. Fig.

Serial No. 547,337. (No model.)

'7 is a transverse section taken at line 00 cc of Fig. 6.

Similar letters and numerals denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A represents a sheet-metal cup with a continuous flange slightly converging, as shown. B is a soft-metal plug of hat form, the crown being hollow and the rim aeXtended,

so as to pass by slight pressure within the inner periphery of the top edge of beveled flange of sheet-metal cup A. The soft-metal plug is formed with wire orifices 1 1, leading into the space under the crown, and these orifices may be made above and adjacent to the rim a, thus leaving the rim continuous, as shown at Fig. 4, or the wire orifices may pass through the rim 0., as shown at Fig. 3. In the first construction the production of the soft-metal plug would be accomplished by the molding process, while in the latter form the construction might be effected by subjecting the soft metal to the action of dies and in many respects may therefore be preferred to the form shown at Fig. 3, although in both cases the same general result is secured when the parts are finally compressed. In the modification shown. at Fig. 6 the soft-metal hat-shaped plug is formed with a diametric bridge 6, located between the wire orifices, and the interior surface of the wall is cut away, as shown, to leave projecting shoulders 2 2, behind which the enlarged ends of the wire bail spring and interlock.

In preparing my improved seal for the market I prefer to first assemble the sheet-metal cup A and soft plug B, which is done by forcing the rim of the plug within the flange or side wall of the cup in such manner that the frictional contact between the two will maintain them in that relation. I then force one end of the wire bail through one of the orifices or gates 1, whereupon it will expand behind the wall of the plug and in the space under the crown. The seals are then in condition for use, and when using the same the free end of the wire is passed into the other gate or orifice 1 of the plug and operatingin like manner, as already described with reference to the concealed end of the wire, the seal with its bail is in proper position to be readily grasped and compressed by any of the well-known sealing-presses, and when so compressed the bail-wire is carried downwardly from the top edge of the sheet-metal cup to constitute a right-angled hook, While the loop coil or other enlargement of the end of the wire traverses horizontally and at right angles to the first-named hook and gives a strong and durable lock. The crown of the soft-metal plug being substantially hollow, as shown, makes the plug very easy to com press and the rim (,1, under the compressive action of the seal-press, is forced circumferentially into the inclined space below the edge of the flange of sheet-metal cup. The crown of the soft-metal plug receives the impression of the characters or letters out upon the dies of the press in a very distinct and perfect manner, by reason of the fact that a smooth and uninterrupted surface is pre sented to their action, and a very safe and neat seal is the net result.

The presence of the bridge I), illustratedin the modification shown at Fig. 6, serves to deflect the hook end of the Wire and force it into contact with the locking-shoulders 2 2 in threading the wire before compression, and when compressed the metal composing said bridge fills the space between the ends of the wire and secures them permanently in place.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A baggage or car seal embodying in its or ganization a sheet metal cup A with converging wall, a hollow hat-shaped soft metal plug B, with wire channels or orifices 1, 1, and a bail wire with its ends adapted to pass through the channels 1, 1, and interlock with. the wall of the hat, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN WV. BROOKS.

Witnesses EDWIN L. BRADFORD, N. CURTIS LAMMOND.

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