Rigid Engaging Means Patents (Class 292/320)
  • Patent number: 4832387
    Abstract: A padlock type security seal and method of making same including a U-shaped shackle, a pair of reversely bent end portions, and a body portion having a pair of chambers for receiving the bent end portions. The chambers each have a locking groove therein for receiving the bent end portions. The seal elements are designed from two molded pieces, an insert and a body. The relative dimensions of the chambers, the shackle, and the locking grooves are chosen to prevent picking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Richard S. Guiler
  • Patent number: 4818002
    Abstract: A high security sealing system is described wherein a single-piece security seal has a lock introduced in a cavity through two openings formed respectively in two elements to be sealed. In order to prevent that a predeformation allows an apparent closing of the system, whereby a violation could take place, the invention proposes the formation of a deflecting member (18, 18') inside the cavity (9), so that, when the lock (26) of the seal (13) is introduced, the lock is inclined with respect to the axis of the openings (12, 21), whereby its locking arms become fastened not only laterally with respect to the inner opening (21) of the two openings, but also above or below them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1989
    Inventor: Eduardo De Lima Castro Netto
  • Patent number: 4793644
    Abstract: A security seal having a plastic body including three elongated parallel chambers. Mating with the body is a U-shaped resilient shackle having a pair of legs each having a reversely bent end portion terminating in a sharp edge for insertion in two of the chambers. The third chamber in the body contains a frangible ampule containing a liquid dye. When used to seal a structure, the shackle is threaded through the structure, and the legs are inserted into the chambers. The sharp edges of the reversely bent end portions are flexed into tight engagement with the interior walls of the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Allan W. Swift
  • Patent number: 4775175
    Abstract: A security seal having a plastic body including three elongated parallel chambers. Mating with the body is a U-shaped resilient shackle having a pair of legs each having a reversely bent end portion terminating in a sharp edge for insertion in two of the chambers. The third chamber in the body contains a frangible ampule containing a colorless liquid. A solid substance that combines with the liquid to create a third substance with a bright hue is stored in the third chamber and/or is coated on selected portions of the seal. When used to seal a structure, the shackle is threaded through the structure, and the legs are inserted into the chambers. The sharp edges of the reversely bent end portions are flexed into tight engagement with the interior walls of the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Allan W. Swift
  • Patent number: 4733893
    Abstract: A seal for utility meters and the like has a generally hollow pendular transparent body with two openings spaced along its upper surface connecting with a central cavity. An opaque plastic locking member is inserted into the cavity and permanently connected to the body. For locking the seal irreversibly, a generally U-shaped fastening shackle, each end of which is reversibly bent to form a tang, is inserted through the openings in the upper surface of the body down into the cavity and into locking engagement with the body and the locking member. Frangible fingers and leaves formed in the locking member are designed to provide visual evidence of any attempt to tamper with the seal whether successful or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1988
    Assignee: Inner-Tite Corporation
    Inventors: George W. Davis, Frank P. Aadahl
  • Patent number: 4687240
    Abstract: A seal of the type resembling a padlock and comprising a plastic housing having a pair of apertures for receiving a shackle of the type formed of a U-shaped piece of wire which reversely bent end portions, the extreme ends of which are intended to dig into the walls of the body apertures to prevent removal of the shackle. The body is provided with at least one longitudinal groove which is centrally located between the position of the shackle apertures, and the ends of the shackle are sharpened or beveled in a manner such that if an excessive tension is applied to a shackle leg, the sharpened end will penetrate the side wall of the groove, pass across the groove or just behind the bottom of the groove, and enter the opposite groove wall. The shackle, or a portion of raised plastic from the bottom of the groove is thereafter visible in the groove and gives visual evidence of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1987
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Allan W. Swift
  • Patent number: 4676535
    Abstract: An all plastic fastener adapted, in one embodiment, for use as a seal for a coin bag or the like, and in another embodiment as a cable tie or the like.The seal comprises a housing having an aperture therethrough and an integral shackle extending from the housing for insertion into the housing opening. The shackle has ratchet teeth along the outer edges, and the housing has internal means for engaging the ratchet teeth when the shackle is pulled through the opening, to prevent reverse movement of the shackle in the housing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the shackle has an axial slot disposed in the portion having the teeth to allow the sides of the shackle to flex together when it is drawn through the housing. When used as a security seal, a locking member may be inserted into the slot between the shackle portions in the housing to maintain them pressed outwardly into engagement with the locking members in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1987
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Jacob E. Mautner
  • Patent number: 4674778
    Abstract: A locking ring formed of a plurality of curved clamp portions connecting in an end-to-end relationship for securing an electrical power measuring device with a mounting base is disclosed. The semi-circular clamp portions are molded from a single piece of plastic, are identical in construction and are fully interchangeable. Each clamp is preferably formed with a semi-circular curved arc body having a male connection at one end and a female connection at the other end. The male end is formed with a pair of projections of which the first male projection serves as an alignment guide during make-up and use while the second male projection carries a movable latch shoulder for effecting the end-to-end connection with the adjacent mating clamp portion. The female end includes a housing having a central opening with separated first and second entrances formed by a roof mounted lug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Inventor: Jose M. Ruiz
  • Patent number: 4658481
    Abstract: A safety release pin for locking the operating mechanism of a fire extinguisher includes a shank having a longitudinal slot near one end defining parallel side walls, each formed with a vertical groove, which attach a nose portion to the end of the shank. An elongated locking member pivotally mounted to the shank overlying the slot defines a cam surface which coacts with surfaces of the operating mechanism as the pin is inserted to pivot the locking member into the slot to facilitate insertion, the locking member springs back to its locking position. When the pin is withdrawn, a detent surface of the locking member coacts with surfaces of the operating mechanism to deflect the nose portion downwardly tearing the side walls apart along the grooves, severing the nose portion from the shank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: Pittway Corporation
    Inventors: Gerard Seyler, Donald R. Sloan
  • Patent number: 4609218
    Abstract: This invention provides a locking seal which comprises a socket member, a latch member and a locking cap member. The socket member comprises a body having first and second open ends communicating with a hollow portion extending through the body; and at least one locking finger extending towards the second end of the body. The latch member comprises an elongated locking end adapted for insertion into the hollow portion of the body and to interlock with the locking finger. The locking end comprises a first section having a surface tapering into a second section and defining with the second section at least one shoulder. The locking cap member comprises a closure member adapted to matingly engage the latch member and prevent access to the second end. The seal of this invention is suitable for use in securing or locking trucks, containers, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Les Enterprises Tritton LTEE
    Inventors: Paul F. Chevillard, Victor R. Tritton, Gary E. Tritton
  • Patent number: 4502305
    Abstract: A security latch is provided in the form of a two-piece molded plastic padlock. The padlock comprises a one-piece molded plastic body having an opening at one end thereof. The body is hollow and is closed at the open end by a plate. A flexible shackle is molded integrally with the lock body or a separate plate and has a free end with a resilient reentrant finger thereon. The free end is insertable into an opening with the finger snapping behind a structural portion of the lock to latch the free end within said opening. An additional access opening is provided into the body and a key element is insertable therein to cam said latching finger out of latching engagement to allow retraction of the shackle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1985
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Bakker
  • Patent number: 4425999
    Abstract: There is disclosed a security seal apparatus for securing information recorded on a recording medium such as a floppy disc or recording tape which incorporates an aperture therein. The security seal apparatus includes a circular rigid pad projecting beyond the edges of such aperture and formed centrally with a post for projecting through such aperture. The post is formed on its free extremity with an enlarged-in-diameter conical lock head having its base of a cross-section less than the cross-section of the aperture. A fastener plate is provided with a central opening having a diameter slightly less than the base of such conical lock head so that such fastener plate may be pressed onto such lock head causing the base of the conical lock to be compressed radially inwardly whereby the lock will pass through such opening and expand radially outwardly to overlie the peripheral edges of such opening and lock the fastener in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Inventors: Christopher N. MacDonald, Vesta J. Crow
  • Patent number: 4353583
    Abstract: A seal of the padlock type which has a plastic body with a pair of spaced cavities, and a U-shaped shackle having ends non-removably engaged in the cavities in which the ends in the cavities each have reversely bent portions, forming a bight, and the plastic body is deformed inwardly into the cavity between each of the end portions and the cavity entrance to prevent extraction of the end portions from the openings and to provide a visual indication that the seal has been properly closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Sigurd M. Moberg
  • Patent number: 4299417
    Abstract: A tamper proof all plastic one piece security seal comprising a shackle or securing strap and retainer in which the retainer comprises a body having a keeper portion, defining a latching cavity, and a flange portion integral with one side of the keeper portion and also integral with one end of the shackle or securing strap. The other end of the shackle or strap is formed to define a rectilinear latching segment that has elastic memory, and is formed to define recesses spaced apart longitudinally thereof for free fitting relation with correspondingly located lugs formed in the latching cavity when the shackle latching segment is in its locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1981
    Assignee: Dickey Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Kenneth R. McClure
  • Patent number: 4278281
    Abstract: A seal of the type resembling a padlock and comprising a plastic housing having two portions joined only by a weakened portion, each of the housing portions having an aperture for receiving an end of a shackle. In the illustrated and preferred embodiment the weakened portion is disposed at the bottom of a narrow elongated recess formed by adjacent housing portions, to minimize the effect of exposure to sunlight on the weakened portion. The seal can be easily fractured along the weakened portion, unintentionally, by unauthorized persons trying to remove the seal without destroying it, and can be easily fractured intentionally by authorized service personnel to facilitate removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1981
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Sigurd M. Moberg
  • Patent number: 4254977
    Abstract: A seal of the type resembling a padlock which comprises a plastic housing having a pair of apertures in the top surface for receiving the ends of a wire shackle. To provide evidence of tampering, by attempts to work a shackle end out of an aperture with a pair of pliers or the like, upwardly extending protuberance are provided on the upper surface of the body, which are mashed down by the tool being used in an attempt to open the seal, thereby giving evidence of tampering. When certain types of colored plastic are used for the seal body, the deformation of the protuberance causes them to turn white, giving further evidence of tampering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1981
    Assignee: E. J. Brooks Company
    Inventor: Richard S. Guiler
  • Patent number: 4106802
    Abstract: A self-locking band, to be used as a seal or a tag holder, has an integral elastomeric body which forms a flexible stem terminating at one end in a double hook and on the other end in a flat sleeve formed with two pairs of internal barbs of dovetail shape facing in opposite directions. The stem is attached midway to the sleeve, allowing its hook to be inserted into the sleeve from either end thereof for interengagement with the corresponding pair of barbs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: Lozio Battista e Figli S.p.A.
    Inventor: Battista Lozio
  • Patent number: 4067339
    Abstract: An enterostomy retainer comprising a rigid cylindrical base portion and a flexible tubular portion extending from a first end of the base portion. The second end of the base portion and the free end of the tubular portion have interconnecting means to facilitate connection of the tubular portion free end to the cylindrical portion second end to form a closed loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Medico Developments, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert D. Chiulli
  • Patent number: 3980332
    Abstract: A seal for meters and the like is provided having a generally rectangular housing with a central slot passing therethrough, a generally U-shaped shackle member having at each end a reversely bent inwardly extending hook insertable in said slot and keeper means inserted into said slot from the end opposite the shackle member, said keeper means having opposed notches intermediate its ends engaging the hook means of the shackle within the housing and breakable stop means on the keeper means limiting movement of the keeper into the slot to hold the notches and hook means in the housing and when the stop means are broken to permit the keeper to pass fully through the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1976
    Assignee: Inner-Tite (Division of Yara Engineering Corporation)
    Inventor: Karl G. King, Sr.