US1516609A - Seal - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 25, 1924.

C. KNOTH, JR

SEAL

Filed Sept. 18 1923 I LVENTOR KM} M ATTORNE Y;

Patented Nov 25, i924.

TATE PATEN raw-519 CONRAD KNOTH, JR., 015 BIDGEWOOD, YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN T.

BLADEN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

' SEAL.

,application filed ,Sentemb er 18, 1923. Serial No. 663,379.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, C RAD Kno'rrr, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ridgewood, Long Island, county of Queens, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Seals, of which the fo-llowingiis a specification.

My invention relates to seals for vsealing packages, bones, and all other articls around which or partly through whichfa string, cord, rope or wire may bectied. My

object is to provide a seal adapted, among rebend it. One object of my invention isto provide a seal which will give absolute and complete protection to the contents of the packageto which it is attached and which will immediately reveal anyattempt to open the package. Another object is to provide a seal which is inexpensive and one which may be very quicklyattached to the package, and closed after the package has been tied. The present seal is adaptedtor use on any and all forms of boxes, packages, crates, and other containers" and fitis especially useful as applied to suitfalndcloak boxes and the like which arepto be forwarded by express or mail, as ameans oi protectingthe shipper and consigneefrom disputes iegarding losses inshipment, to discourage lossesin shipment byrendering it impossible to extract contents of the containerwithout detection and also to protect express companies against .fair and uniair claims-for losses inltransit.

Inthe drawing formingxpart ofthisapplioation,

Figure 1 is an elevation of abox orpackage tied withia cord and having improved seal appliedto .protecttheiknot in the cord,

FigureQ is aplan viewof theibox showing the seal in side elevation,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the shell of the seal, a

Figure 4 is an elevation thereof,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5+5 of Figures,

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6 ,6 of Figure L nd Figure 7 is [a perspective View of the closingstrip.

The seal comprises two principal parts, one of which is a shell 1 of sufficient size to enclose the knot 2 or the cord or rope with which the package or container is tied. I have indicated this shell as having a cylindrical wall 3 with a dome-shaped top 4 at one end and having its opposite end open to permit itto bepassed over the knot. The shell is provided with oppositely arranged ivertical slots 5 to receive the straight \run fi of the cord or rope and topermitthisto enter the slots whenthe shell is placed over the knot. Nearlthe bottom ofthe shell there are arranged slots or openings 7 at opposite positionsinthe shelland preferably about,90 degrees displaced from the vertical slots 5. The slots 7 are shown arranged nearer the open endof the shell than the upper ends -fthe vvertical slots v5.

The closing member consists of a strip '8 of a very fragile form of metal whichl will permititto be bent at any particular place but once and which will break off if any attempt is made to rebend it ,This strip of metal may be such LS is commonly used in the Edgar seal which well known and is ,disclosed in prior Letters Patent; I have shown-thisstripprovided with a solid, intermediate portion QtOgether with end portions which are weakened by ,removing or blanking out openings 10. Along the side bars 11 of thesevopenings there are provided indentations or partial cuts 12", to iacilitate the bending ot these bars at an yione of several points. These strips may be provided in the form shown in Figure 7 wherein twoof the bars 11 are bent at right angles at the ,point 13 and again at the point 14: so 1 that one end of the strip is turnedhack upon itself'in U shape.

The top or dome 4 of the shell is preferably provided with apertures 15 slightly larger than the cord or rope with which the package or receptacle is tied.

Operation.

After the package or receptacle has been closed, the cord or rope 6 is passed around it in any approved manner, preferably in the way shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 594,681, and the ends of the cord are brought together and tied in a double knot 2 as shown in Figure 6. Preferably, the free ends of the cord or rope are left extending from the knot 52 for the purpose hereinafter described. The shell 1 is placed over the knot 2 so that the latter is inclosed within the shell and the latter is moved down so that the run 6 of the rope rises up in the verticalslots 5 of the shell, or rather the shell moves down over the rope until the latter engages through the upper ends of the slots 5. During this operation the free ends of the rope extending beyond the knot 52 may be individually passed through the top openings 15 and the exterior knot 16 may be tied in these free ends for the purpose of holding the shell in place while the closing strip is, being applied. The closing strip is then inserted through the slots 7 in the shell and the straight end is bent downwardly at 17 and then again at 18 so that the strip takes the form of the letter C as shown in Figure 6. The function of the knot 16 formed in the free ends of the rope outside of the shell is merely to hold the shell in place temporarily and while it facilitates the rapid application of the seal it performs no function in the actual protection of the package.

It will be understood that the seals, or at least the closing strips 8 will be marked with individual identifying marks such as numbers or letters so that the consignee may be apprised through a corresponding mark on the invoice of the number or letter or other identifying mark on the closing strip applied to a particular package represented in the invoice. This makes'it difficult or impossible for one to surreptitiously remove the closing strip and after removing part or all of the contents of the package to reattach the shell and apply a. new or different closing strip. The consignee, by comparing the number or other identifying mark on the closing strip before opening the package, and comparing that mark with. the corresponding mark on the invoice, may be reasonably sure that the closing strip is the one which was applied by the shipper. If any attempt is made to remove the rope from the package the only access which can be had to the knot 2 is by removing the closing strip 8 but if any attempt is made to bend this strip to permit it to be withdrawn from the slots 7 the strip will be immediately broken because of its fragile nature and it will be impossible for the thief to replace the same strip and it will also be difficult to replace the strip with a new one on account of the individual identification marks above referred to. The identifying marks may be placed on the surface of the strip 8 which faces the inside shell, if desired, in order that this mark will not be visible until the strip has been actually removed. It will be understood that when the consignee removes the closing strip the latter is broken and can not be reused although the shell may be used again providing a new closing strip is supplied.

It will be apparent that the present device is inexpensive and that it may be very quickly applied and that it protects the package during transit.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A seal of the class described comprising a shell adapted toenclose a knot in a cord, rope or the like and having on opening therein to receive the knot, said shell having slots therein, and a closing strip composed of easily breakable material and adapted to be inserted through said slots and then bent, for the purpose of sealing the knot in said shell.

2. A seal of the class described comprising a shell having an open end and a closed end, said shell forming an enclosure to receive a knot in a cord, rope or the like, said shell having slots adjacent its open end, and a closing strip of easily breakable material adapted to be passed through said slots and to be bent, for the purpose of sealing the knot in said shell.

3. A seal of the class described compris ing a shell having an open end and a closed end, said shell having slots extending upwardly from said open end to receive a run of cord, rope, or the like therein, the shell being adapted to enclose a knot in the cord or rope, and a closing strip of easily breakable material adapted to be inserted through said shell and to close the opening through which the knot enters the shell for the purpose of sealing the same therein.

4:. A seal of the class described comprising a. shell open at one end to receive a knot tied in a cord or rope therein, an easily breakable strip adapted to be passed through said shell and to-be bent to close said open end for the purpose of sealing the knot therein, said shell having apertures in its opposite end permitting the ends of the cord or rope to be carried outside the shell for the purpose set forth.

5. A seal of the class described comprising a cylindrical shell having a cap at one end having apertures for thepurpose set forth, the opposite end of said shell being open to receive a knot of a cord or rope therein, said shell having slots extending upwardly from its open end to receive a run of cord or rope therein, said shell having slots therein adjacent its open end and a closing strip of easily breakable material passing through said latter slots and across the open end of the shell, said closing strip being bent at an angle at each side of the 10 shell for the purpose set forth.

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 1st day of September, 1923.

CONRAD KNOTH, JR.

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