Abstract:
A protective cover for cargo seals. The cover has two parts with intermating elements on the two parts, and a pair of apertures that can be aligned in the two parts. When the apertures are aligned a padlock hasp can be passed through the aligned apertures.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates, in general, to protective covers, and, in particular, to protective covers for the seals on doors. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   In the prior art various types of protective covers have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,419 to Strodtman discloses a single piece cover for a hasp and lock with apertures to allow the cover to be placed on the camming handle of a cargo door. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,886 to Bystry et al discloses a self locking wire seal with a two part body to cover the seal. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,765 to Jelavic discloses a two part security seal with a security wire which passes through two grooves on one part and then through a central opening between the parts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,386 to Fuehrer discloses a tamper resistant seal which has two parts and the wire is embedded in one part and protrudes from an end of the part. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a protective cover for cargo seals. The cover has two parts with intermating elements on the two parts, and a pair of apertures that can be aligned in the two parts. When the apertures are aligned a padlock hasp can be passed through the aligned apertures. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved protective cover which can be easily placed over a seal. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved protective cover which will protect the seal from unauthorized removal. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved protective cover which will be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to use. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention with the two parts closed. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention with the two parts open. 
       FIG. 3  is perspective view of the present invention with the two parts closed around a seal. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alignment device for the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,  FIG. 1  shows the protective cover  1  of the present invention. The cover has two parts or halves  2 ,  3 . Each half  2 ,  3  has a top surface, a bottom surface and sides connecting the top and bottom surfaces. The two mating halves  2 ,  3  are shown in a joined condition in  FIG. 1  and in a separated condition in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the two mating halves  2 ,  3  have aligned apertures  12 ,  6  in sides  13  of part  2 , and aligned apertures  5  (only one of which can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Sides  13  and floor  9  of half  2  will be received inside half  3  when the two halves are joined to form a protective cover that extends completely around the seal  14 ,  15  as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   The sides of part  2  have alignment formations to help align the apertures  5 ,  6 ,  12  when the mating halves  2 ,  3  are mated. The alignment formations comprise a horizontal ledge  7  which is joined to a downwardly sloping wall  8 . The downwardly sloping wall  8  extends from the rear end of ledge  7  to the bottom of the half  2 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The sides  4  of part  3  also have alignment formations to help align the apertures  5 ,  6 ,  12  when the mating halves  2 ,  3  are mated. 
   The alignment formations on part  3  comprise a horizontal ledge  10  which is joined to a downwardly sloping wall  11 . The downwardly sloping wall  11  extends from the forward end of ledge  10  to the bottom of half  3 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . When the halves  2 ,  3  are joined the ledges  7 ,  10  will mate and the sloping walls  8 ,  11  will also mate to form an uninterrupted cover, and the top surface of part  2  will be coplanar with the top surface of part  3 . In addition to providing an uninterrupted cover, the mating surfaces  7 ,  10 ,  8 ,  11  will help to align the apertures  5 ,  6 ,  12  so the hasp  18  of a padlock can be easily passed therethrough. 
   It should be noted that while it is preferred that the alignment formations are formed on both sides of parts  2 ,  3 , the alignment surfaces could be formed on only one side of parts  2 ,  3  without departing from the scope of the invention. Providing the alignment formations  7 , 8 , 10 ,  11  makes it easier for a user to join the two mating halves  2 ,  3 . The alignment tube  19  (see  FIG. 4 ) will be inserted through aligned apertures  6 ,  12  in sides  13  and through the apertures in the aligned flanges  16 ,  17 . The alignment tube  19  will make it easier for a user to place the present invention on the door. This is especially true if the user is trying to do all this in bad weather or at night. The alignment formations allow the user to join the mating halves almost completely by feel if necessary. 
   In order to make aligning the apertures  5 ,  6 ,  12 , as well as the apertures in the flanges  16 ,  17  and inserting the hasp  18  even easier, a hollow alignment tube  19  is provided, as shown in  FIG. 4 . The alignment tube  19  is inserted through the mating apertures  6 ,  12  until the flange  20  engages side  13  of half  2  after half  2  is placed onto flanges  16 ,  17 . After tube  19  is inserted, half  3  is slid into place and hasp  18  can be passed through the tube and the aligned apertures to join the halves permanently. 
   In order to use the protective cover  1  of the present invention, a user would install the seal on the door in the normal manner. That is, he would close the doors until the flanges  16 ,  17  (see  FIG. 4 ) are aligned. A wire  14  is passed through apertures in the flanges and a conventional seal  15  is applied to the wire. 
   Next, part  2  is mounted onto flanges  16 ,  17  and alignment tube  19  is passed through the aligned apertures until flange  20  rests against the outside surface on side  13 . Next, half  3  is mated to half  2 . The alignment formations  7 ,  8 ,  10 ,  11  provide a visual indicator of the proper way to hold half  3  as it is mated to half  2 , and in poor visibility they provide a tactile indicator of the proper way to hold the halves in order to join them. At this point, a hasp  18  of a padlock can be easily inserted through aligned apertures  5  and tube  19  thus joining halves  2 ,  3  since tube  19  holds apertures  6 ,  12  of half  2  and the apertures in flanges  16 ,  17  in alignment. 
   Although the Seal Guard and the method of using the same according to the present invention has been described in the foregoing specification with considerable details, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the invention which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims and modified forms of the present invention done by others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be considered infringements of this invention when those modified forms fall within the claimed scope of this invention.