Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 24th May, 1887.
I ALEXANDER DERBY PENFOLD, of No. 335 Broadway, in the City of New York, in
the State of New York, United States of America, Accountant, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to devices for indicating when boxes and packing cases have
been tampered with in transit.
It is possible to open boxes and packing cases in transit, abstract more or less of the
contents thereof, and to replace the cover so skilfully that no evidence of the case
having been tampered with is left. In this way much merchandise is lost and the
theft cannot be traced as it cannot be discovered until the goods reach the consignee
and are unpacked. Under such a condition of affairs, it is difficult to know whether
the shipper, the Companies that transport the goods, or the consignee is chargeable
with the alleged shortage.
My invention is designed to overcome this and to prevent boxes and packing cases
from being opened without leaving evidence of the same upon the case.
The invention consists in a piece of metal, made in substantially the form shown in
the accompanying drawing, which is adapted to be driven into a box or case over the
joints of the same, and which when any part of the box is removed, will tear away a
portion of the material of the same, so that when it is replaced, unmistakable evidence
that the box has been tampered with will remain. In this way the exact location of
the theft within certain limits can be traced, and it will be made known who is
responsible for the same.
Figure 1 shows a part of a packing case having two seals over a joint in the same,
one of which is represented as having been driven in, and the other in position before
driving; and Figure 2 is a plan of my seal.
My seal is made of metal and may be cut from a single piece of substantially the
shape set forth and struck up in the form shown.
In the drawings, the seal is represented as cut from a piece of metal of the form
represented by the dotted and full lines of the seal that is represented as driven into the
wood in Figure 1, with V-shaped pieces cut from the corners and scolloped or serrated

page_text: around the perimeter, which should preferably be chamfered or sharpened so as to
make it drive easier. It is then struck up into pyramidal or other shape making a
slitted prong or projecting tooth at each corner and having sides inclined outward.
When the seal is driven into the wood, it assumes very nearly its first form. The two
parts of the slitted prongs are separated, the inclined sides are bent further outward
by the driving, and pass beneath the surface of the wood so as to tear out an area of
the wood larger than the body of the seal when the cover of the case is removed
rendering it impossible to replace the seal and cover so as to conceal the fact that the
case has been tampered with.
The seal may also be provided with a number, which is cut therein or stencilled
thereupon, which number is to represent the station or place from which the goods
were shipped. The seal is to be driven over the joints of the case at numerous places
and on all sides if desired; so that the shipping place will be displayed at numerous
places upon the case.
I coat the upper surface of the seals, before driving them or afterwards, with a
water color dye, so that when a case is exposed to water, the dye will stain the wood
and indicate that the same has been exposed.
A seal having the water color dye thereupon may be driven at any part of the case,
which is likely to be exposed to inoisture.
1.
Such a seal as I have described can be driven into a packing case as easily as a nail,
is very cheap, its cost being a nominal one only, is easily manufactured, is very
effective, and can be used to protect any kind of merchandise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A seal of substantially the form described made of metal and adapted to be driven
into a packing case over the joints of the same in the manner and for the purpose
specified.
2. A metallic seal for packing cases of the form shown with downwardly and out-
wardly inclined sides and slitted end prongs adapted to be driven into the packing
case over the joints of the same for the purpose specified and operating in the manner
described.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.