Abstract: Security seals (1) are used to indicate that a closed container has remained closed throughout a journey or during transport to show that its contents have not been tampered with. Once fixed such seals can only be removed by destroying them. A padlock-type security seal (1) includes a recess (10) in its body (2) accessible from the front face which houses a locking collet (11). The collet (11), in use, locks the leading end (4) of the hasp (3) of the seal (1) into the body (2). A cap (12) is welded onto the body (2) to close the recess (10) and seal the collet (11) into the body (2). Preferably, the body (2) of the padlock-type seal is chosen to be a color which will give a good contrast with a barcode (14) applied to it. The color of the cap (12) can vary from that of the body (2) to enable an audit trail of the seals (1).

Abstract: The application describes a sealing device of the type comprising a body part for irremovably receiving the shank of a bolt, the body comprising a barrel for receiving the bolt, a resilient clip being provided within the barrel for locating behind a shoulder of the bolt, wherein the clip comprises a head having a widenable gap formed there-through, the head being attached to legs at either side which locate against the sides and bottom of the interior of the barrel.

Abstract: A protective packaging sheet which is particularly suitable for packaging heavy loads such as coils of sheet steel. The packaging sheet is formed from a plastics sheet material having inherently relatively low compressions strength and resistance to impact forces and bending. These mechanical properties are vastly improved in the embossed packaging sheet. At least one of the surfaces of the sheet material is provided with shaped protuberances juxtaposed with adjacent shaped protuberances to provide a gap around each shaped protuberance. The shaped protuberances are arranged in such a way that all straight lines projected onto the surface cut through the shaped protuberances in addition to the gaps.

Abstract: A fastening element is adapted to cooperate with a tie member to exert a compressive force on first and second components. The fastening element has an inner portion (50) resiliently joined to an outer portion (52), such that when a tensile reaction force is applied to the tie member as a result of the compressive force, the reaction force causes the outer portion (52) to be displaced relative to the inner portion (50). The fastening element may further include a washer (56) rotatably attached to the outer portion (52) by a cage (54). An indicator element for use with such a fastening element is also provided, together with a method of securing a first component to a second component by means of such a fastening element.

Abstract: A lock system includes a lock unit (11) having a catch (13) and a memory (15). A key unit (21) has an aerial (25) for receiving location determining signals. The lock and key units establish a communications link (33) to release the catch (13) only when the location is a location stored in the memory (15). The lock system may be used to secure vehicles (1).

Abstract: A spray gun includes a main body and a spray head. The spray head has an air cap, a hollow nozzle member having a nozzle tip for dispensing a liquid to be sprayed. The hollow nozzle member has a radially extending weir which together with a surface of the main body defines an air distribution chamber for receiving and distributing compressed air from a supply inlet. An annular sealing member is sealingly disposed between the radially extending weir and the surface of the main body, dividing the chamber, so that air passing into the chamber through an opening to one side of the annular wall is directed to a central aperture of the air cap and air passing into the chamber through an opening to the other side of the annular wall is directed to lateral apertures of the air cap.

Abstract: The invention relates to a retrofittable pressure gauge for a spray gun comprising a pressure sensor, located in a pressure chamber, a power source and a display unit, all enclosed within a case, a passageway providing fluid communication between the pressure chamber and a pressurised interior space of a spray gun when the gauge is mounted on a spray gun and a means for attachment to a spray gun, wherein the means for attachment comprises a mounting fixture configured for mounting the pressure gauge at a spreader valve or a trigger operated fluid valve of a spray gun.

Abstract: An edge protector (1) for protecting the edge of an article comprises a pair of interconnected, non-parallel, first arms (2, 4) which, in use, do not contact any part of the article, and a pair of second arms (10, 12) for contacting or at least being situated adjacent the article in use, one of each of said second arms (10, 12) being connected to one of each of said first arms (2, 4), each said first arm (2, 4) and its' respective said second arm (10, 12) may be arranged in non-parallel relations. Further, the edge protector (1) may be resiliently deformable to absorb the energy of an impact therewith.

Abstract: The switch includes a microswitch switching mechanism having a biassed plunger. The body of the switching mechanism is covered by a lid having a user-operated slider mounted thereon. Movement of the slider is confined to a track formed in the lid. A cam surface is provided on a part of the slider which is engageable with the plunger of the switching mechanism. The “over-centre” profile of the cam surface is such that movement of the slider in one direction causes the plunger to be depressed and then released. Inadvertent operation of the switch is avoided due to the cam profile.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hinge for a vehicle lid, the hinge comprising a main biasing means operable to urge the hinge into an open position, and a mechanism for assisting the initial opening of the hinge from a closed position, the mechanism comprising a rotary cam engagable with another portion of the hinge to provide said assistance, and further biasing means which acts on the cam to rotate it relative to said other portion of the hinge.

Abstract: A fastening element is provided, which is adapted to cooperate with a tie member to exert a compressive force on first and second components, the fastening element comprising an inner portion (50) resiliently joined to an outer portion (52), such that when a tensile reaction force is applied to the tie member as a result of the compressive force, the reaction force causes the outer portion (52) to be displaced relative to the inner portion (50). The fastening element may further comprise a washer (56) rotatably attached to the outer portion (52) by a cage (54). An indicator element for use with such a fastening element is also provided, together with a method of securing a first component to a second component by means of such a fastening element.

Abstract: An edge protector for the edges of roll shaped articles, e.g. pallets, reeled steel and paper products is made from an elongated sheet (10) of plastics material, the sheet having an indentation (11) extending longitudinally along a major surface of the sheet and extending only partially into the thickness of the sheet. The indentation (11) divides the sheet into webs (12, 13) which are folded into an L-shape.

Abstract: A hinge for a vehicle lid comprises a main spring means (112) operable to urge the hinge into an open position, and a device (114) for assisting the initial opening of the hinge, the device comprising an elongate body in which a plunger (116) is sliceable, the plunger being engageable with the hinge, and spring means disposed in the body and acting on the plunger to urge it into an extended position. The plunger is cylindrical and is retained in a cylindrical cavity in the body by an annular fastening, the fastening being formed with one or more radially projecting ribs which engage with an annular recess at the opening of the cylindrical cavity to attach the fastening means to the body. The plunger is formed such that in the extended position disengagement of the one or more ribs from the annular recess is inhibited, preventing the plunger from forcing the fastening out of the body.

Abstract: A hinge mechanism for assisting the lifting of a trunk lid of a vehicle comprises a V-shaped leaf spring (12) mounted on a first hinge part (2) attached to the vehicle body, and a roller element (32) mounted on a second hinge part (4) attached to the lid. A compressible gas strut (38) may be connected directly between the lid and the body; alternatively the strut may be connected between the first and second hinge parts, (2, 4) so that the resulting sub-assembly can be mounted directly to the lid and body on the vehicle assembly line. The hinge mechanism assists in initially lifting the trunk lid so that the gas strut (38) is disposed in an advantageous leveraged position at which it can continue the lifting movement of the trunk lid.

Abstract: In a thermal printer in which ink is transferred from a single-use thermal print ribbon to a substrate such as packaging material by energizing selected print elements of a thermal print head (22), a first print run is executed by energizing only a group of print elements in registry with one half of the ribbon width so that ink is depleted from only one half of the ribbon, and a second print run is executed by energising the same group of elements using the same ribbon but with the ribbon supply and take-up spools interchanged in order that ink is depleted only from the other half of the ribbon. This allows printing on comparatively narrow printing areas using ribbon which is at least twice the width of the printed area without undue ribbon wastage and with reduced ribbon breakage frequency compared to the breakage frequency with a ribbon of a width nearer to the width of the printed area.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a continuous print medium by ink transfer from a thermal print ribbon has a print head which is pivotally mounted and which is driven in an oscillatory nodding motion by means of a stepper motor so as repeatedly to bring a linear array of energizable printing elements to bear against a platen roller. Both the element array and the platen extend transversely to respective paths of travel of the print medium and the ribbon. The print medium is fed through the printer from an inlet region, between the platen and print head, and thence to an outlet region. The instantaneous rate of travel of the print medium past the print head is substantially the same as the rate of feed of print medium to the printer. Typically this rate is of the order of 250 to 400 mm per second. The ribbon also travels between the print head and the platen, overlying the print medium and is driven in such a manner that it travels at the same rate as the print medium during each printing operation.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a continuous print medium by ink transfer from a thermal print ribbon has a print head which is pivotally mounted and which is driven in an oscillatory pivotable motion by a stepper motor so as to repeatedly bring a linear array of energizable printing elements to bear against a platen roller. The print medium is fed through the printer between the platen roller and the print head. The instantaneous rate of travel of the print medium past the print head is substantially the same as the rate of feed of the print medium to the printer. The ribbon also travels between the print head and the platen roller, overlying the print medium, and is driven in such a manner that it travels at the same rate as the print medium during each printing operation up to a speed equivalent to the maximum printing speed of the print head.

Abstract: An improved spray gun having an aluminum gun body and a sprayhead made of a plastics material, preferably of polybutylene terephthalate. The sprayhead is permanently secured to the spray gun body, preferably with a swaged ring of stainless steel. The spray gun may be provided with a plastic handle which is preferably formed from polybutylene with 10% of a polyester elastomer. In one embodiment, the sprayhead is oriented relative to the gun body prior to securing to select either gravity feed or suction feed for the sprayed fluid.

Abstract: A hinge device is provided comprising a first member (12) pivotally connected about a hinge axis (14) to a second member (16), an implement to permit radial movement of the hinge axis (14) upon the application of a force to the members, and a locking assembly on at least one of the members to enable inter-engagement of the members to prevent pivotal movement therebetween when the force is applied. The locking assembly is provided by a projection (30) formed in one member and engageable in the other member. The hinge device is particularly of use in attaching a hood along its rear edge to a car body, in which one member is attached to the hood and the other member is attached to the car body.

Abstract: A hand-held tension-weld strapping tool for sequentially tensioning and welding together overlapping portions of strapping comprises a handle, a motor control arm arranged to actuate a motor, a weld actuating arm and a mechanical interlock for holding the motor control arm in an actuated position during a welding cycle. In the preferred embodiment, the mechanical interlock is a cranked extension portion of the motor control arm which, in use, is trapped between the handle and the weld actuating arm when the weld actuating arm is moved to an operative position for actuating a welding cycle.