Patent ID: 6578886
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: G09F,Y10T

Abstract:
A self-locking seal, comprising:a body; a spiral wound wire having a first and a second end, said first end secured to said body, said spiral wound wire comprising a first, single-stranded generally non-wound wire and a second, single-stranded wire wound about said first wire, said second wire being wound about and in contact with said first wire in such a manner as to define a series of notches on the external surface of said spiral wound wire, said notches being defined by spaces between windings of said second wire; a channel defined in said body, said channel being sufficiently large to receive said second end of said spiral wound wire; a lock positioned adjacent said channel, said lock adapted to contact said spiral wound wire and allow said wire to be inserted into said channel and past said lock but prevent said wire from being retracted from said channel through said lock, said lock preventing said wire from being retracted from said channel by being inserted into at least one of the notches defined on the external surface of said spiral wound wire.