Continuous steel strapping seals

A strip of multiple seals, each seal for sealing around overlying courses of strapping material to form a seal of the strapping material onto itself at the overlying courses includes an elongated strip of ductile metal. The strip has a longitudinal direction having edges and defining a longitudinal axis parallel to the edges, and a transverse direction normal to the longitudinal axis. Each seal defines a respective transverse axis. The strip has a plurality of substantially identical slots formed in the transverse direction to define the respective seals. The slots extend toward, but not to, the edges of the strip and define connecting portions between ends of the slot and the respective edges. The slots are equally spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction to define the respective seals.

BACKGROUND

In an effort to ensure the stability of cargo and large bundles, during both intermediary and extended transport, a ligature or wrapping of some sort, such as steel or plastic strapping, is routinely placed around the load. Contained within a secure wrapping, such as steel or plastic strapping, the load is more likely to remain in position during transport to a desired location. Typically, to facilitate the transport and lifting of large bundles, the strapping is made of fabric, wire, metal or plastic and secured by metal seals. These seals join the opposing overlapping ends of the strapping together, and become crimped or flattened or cut to form joints in the seal that are used to secure and prevent movement of the load.

The seals are formed as individual elements. The seals can be provided, for example in a powered strapping machine, in a magazine, in which the seals are loaded. The individual seals are fed on an as needed basis from the magazine. The seals are maintained in a stack in the magazine and are used until the magazine is depleted of seals. When the magazine is depleted, a new stack of seals is placed in the magazine and the strapping operation is restarted or commenced. Exemplary seals are disclosed in Meier, U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,233 and Young, U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,256, both of which patents are incorporated herein by reference.

While this type of seal and system of supply functions well, it will be recognized that there is lost time and labor required when the magazine is depleted. This is particularly the case when an operator may not immediately recognize that the magazine is depleted.

Accordingly, there is a need for a more efficient supply and delivery system for seals. Desirably, such a system reduces or eliminated the need for replenishing seals in a strapping tool. More desirably still such a supply and delivery system provides a large quantity or available seals in a readily replenishable and usable form.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A strip of multiple, substantially identical seals, each seal for sealing around overlying courses of strapping material to form a seal of the strapping material onto itself at the overlying courses is provided. The strip includes an elongated strip of ductile or malleable metal, such as mild steel, the material preferably having a hardness of about 60 to 75 on a Rockwell C scale.

The strip has a longitudinal direction having edges and defining a longitudinal axis parallel to the edges. A transverse direction is normal to the longitudinal axis. Each seal defines a respective transverse axis. The strip has a plurality of substantially identical slots formed in the transverse direction that define the respective seals. The slots extend toward but not to the edges of the strip and define connecting portions between ends of the slot and the respective edges. The slots are equally spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction to define the respective seals.

One present strip has parallel, longitudinally extending fold lines crossing the slots, inward of the respective edges. The fold lines are formed in the strip, equally spaced from the longitudinal axis.

The strip can also include slits formed in the seals. The slits extend in the transverse direction across the fold lines and toward, but not to the edges. An embodiment of the seal includes at least two pairs of slits, each of the slits of a pair of slits being disposed along a common transverse line and symmetrically disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the strip. The pairs of slits are symmetrical relative to one another. A presently preferred seal includes four pairs of slits.

The seals can include a locating element formed in each seal. The locating element can be formed as an opening formed along the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis of each seal. The locating opening is used to properly locate the seal within, for example, an automatic or automated strapping machine.

The connectors between seals are formed having a width that is less than about 10 percent of the width of the seal, and preferably about 7 percent to 8 percent of the width of the seal.

These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the present disclosure is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there are shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described several embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the device and is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated.

Referring to the figures and in particular toFIG. 1, there is shown a section of a continuous strip10of strapping seals12. The illustrated strip10section includes three seals12a-c, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the section is merely representative of the continuous strip10, which can be provided in roll form14, one such roll being shown inFIG. 3. When unwound or laid flat, the seals12form the elongated strip10.

The seals12each include a body portion16formed essentially symmetrically about a longitudinal axis A10defined by the strip10. The axis A12of each seal12is coaxial with the strip axis A10and the axes of others of the seals12on the strip10. The strip10defines a longitudinal direction, as indicated at18, along the longitudinal axis A10of the strip10and a transverse direction, as indicated at20, transverse to the longitudinal direction18.

The lateral edges22of each seal12include connecting portions24that connect each seal, for example, seal12b, with its adjacent seals, for example, seals12aand12c. The end seals12a,12c, that is, the seals at the end of the strip10, include a connecting portion24with only one adjacent seal.

The connection portions24are defined by lateral or transverse slots26formed in the strip10, between the seals12. The slots26can be formed having squared or angled ends as seen inFIG. 1or with rounded ends as seen inFIGS. 2 and 3. The slots26extend toward the lateral edges22, but do not extend fully to the edges22so as to form the connecting portions24. The connecting portions24, on either side of the slot26, form tabs28at the ends of each seal12.

A central opening or hole30is formed in each seal12. The holes30are present to permit the use of a centering or locating device, such as a pin (not shown), to properly locate the seal12within the strapping machine (also not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the central opening30is about 0.20 inches.

The seals12can be formed with slight indents or fold lines32that extend longitudinally along the strip10, inwardly of the edges22. The fold lines32facilitate forming or folding the seal12around the strap10. The fold lines32are formed in the strip10to intersect the slots26.

The seals12can also be formed with slits34formed in the seals12. The slits34are formed in the transverse direction20on either side of the longitudinal axis A12and extend across the longitudinal fold lines32inwardly of the edges22. The slits34do not, however, extend out to the edges22. The slits34are provided to facilitate notching the seals12(where the seals12bite into the strap), to reduce the effort required by the sealing tool and wear on the tool, and to improve joint efficiency (again, by biting into the strap). Those skilled in the art will recognize the seal configuration when sealed on the overlying courses of strap material. By remaining within the confines of the body16of the seal12, the slits34do not adversely affect the strength or integrity of the seal12.

Present continuous strap seals12are formed from a malleable or ductile material that can be bent or deformed to form the seal without loosing strength. One such material is steel, such as a mild steel, the material having a hardness of about 60-75 measured on a Rockwell C scale. When flat, the seal12has a width w12of about 2.40 inches and a thickness t12of about 0.042 inches (42 mils). The connecting portions24each have a width w24of about 0.1875, which corresponds to a slot width w26(dimension in the transverse direction20) of about 2.025 inches. The connecting portions24have a length l24(dimension in the longitudinal direction18) of about 0.080 inches, such that each tab28has a length l28of ½ of the connecting portion length l24or about 0.040 inches. Each seal12has an overall length l12of about 2.080 inches, including its tabs28.

The fold lines32are formed inward of the edges22about 0.50 inches as indicated at36. Four sets of slits34are cut into the seals12extending across their respective fold lines32. The slits34are formed on either side of a central transverse axis Atabout 0.535 inches apart, with slits34bformed at about 0.469 inches outwardly from the inner slits34a. The slits34extend inwardly of the seal12from edge22about 0.25 inches as indicated38for a distance of about 0.50 inches as indicated at40.

The connecting portions24are defined by a continuity in the strip10at about the edges22that extends inward from the edges22, as indicated at w24, about 0.0938 (about 3/32) inches.

In use, as the strip10is fed into a strapping machine, the seal12cis located on the strap and is separated or severed from its adjacent seal12bon the strip10at their shared connectors22. The separated seal12cis formed around the strap and notched onto the strap by teeth or notchers that contact the seal12at about the slits34to urge the seal12, at the slit34edges into contact with the strap.

Those skilled in the art will also recognize the various configurations of the seal12that can be made for use in a wide variety of strapping machines, such seals12being other than that described above. Such other seal12configurations are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. All patents referred to herein, are hereby incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.