Improvements in and relating to the Sealing and Securing of Sacks, Casks, Boxes, and other Receptacles for Goods.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan.. 1895
Improvements in and relating to the Sealing and Securing of Sacks,
Casks, Boxes, and other Receptacles for Goods.
I PETER DUNSIRE of Methil Fifeshire, Postmaster do hereby declare the
nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the method of
fastening up and securing by sealing from being tampered with sack more
particularly mail bags baskets etc. and which method of applying the seal is also
applicable to casks say in bond where it could be applied over the bung or other
opening also various kinds of boxes, crates, hand bags, and many other receptacles
for goods when it is desirable to prevent or detect tampering with same by
unauthorized persons and which improvements in the case of mail bags will effect a
great saving by avoiding the use of the twine or cord used at present.
According to one modification the improved means for securing and sealing mail
bags or other sacks consists of a strap of leather or other suitable material of
sufficient length to incircle the closed up neck of the bag and preferably much
wider near the centre part where it is stitched.
Rivitted or otherwise secured to the substance of the bag, near to or at one end
of this strap a metal plate preferably rectangular, would be rivitted or otherwise
secured to it projecting to some distance beyond the end of the strap with to sharp
prongs to enter into the bag placed one on each end of and near the outer edges of
the plate the projecting end of this plate would be formed with turned over edges
to form a groove on each side into which a small plate secured to the strap a short
distance from the other and would slide to form a clasp fastening the grooves being
close at the outer ends to form stops.
By another method the fastening might be effected by a small perforated plate
on the one end taking on to a stud or pin on the first mentioned rectangular plate
or the one end of the strap might be fitted with a hook piece to take on to the
plate on the other end when the strap is brought round the neck of the bag and
the metal clasp or other fastening is secured in its place the two ends of the strap
which would be made of such a length as just to meet on the front of the metal
plate would be brought together and the sealing wax be applied over the junction
and impressed with the desired seal by this means the bag could not be opened
without breaking the seal or severing the strap.
By another means for fastening of baskets, casks, or crates, the strap would be
cut in two, one end fastened to the lower part of the basket, cask, or crate, and the
other half which would be attached with a small spring incased in a small box of
metal plate to the lid of the basket etc. the spring drawing back the two divisions
of either at the junction the seal would be effected.
To protect the seal from accidental breakage a short strap would be secured to
the fastening strap at one side of the clasp and be carried over the seal and passed
through a loop formed on or secured to the strap at the other side of the clasp one
of these improved securing straps would be applied to both the inside and outside
of the mail bags to permit of its reversal by turning inside out and vice versa.
apply this improved fastening to a cask say one in bond to prevent tampering with
the contents without breaking the seal, the strap would be applied in two pieces
To

page_text: one on each side of the bung, or of any other opening, and the ends would be
brought together secured and sealed in a manner analogous to that described.
This method of applying the seal could be used for boxes, one part being secured
to the 'id and the other to the body part and either of the methods could be used
in connection with many varieties of receptacles for goods where suitable and which
it is desirable to secure by applying an impressed seal.
D1 I1001
PETER DUNSIRE,
Post Office, Methil, Fife.
Improvements in and relating to the Sealing and Securing of Sacks,
Casks, Boxes, and other Receptacles for Goods.
I PETER DUNSIRE of Methil Fifeshire Postmaster do hereby declare the
nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in the method of
fastening up and securing by sealing from being tampered with sacks more
particularly mail bags; and which method of applying the seal is also applicable
to casks say in bond, where it could be applied over the bung or other opening,
also various kinds of boxes, crates, hand bags, and many other receptacles for goods
where it is desirable to prevent or detect tampering with same by unauthorized
persons and which improvements in the case of mail bags will effect a great saving
by avoiding the use of the twine or cord used at present.
*
"
According to one modification the improved means for securing and sealing mail
bags or other sacks consists of a strap of leather " 1 or other suitable material of
sufficient length to encircle the closed up neck of the bag and preferably much
wider near the centre part "2" where it is stitched rivetted or otherwise secured
to the substance of the bag near to or at one end of the strap a metal plate
preferably rectangular would be rivetted or otherwise secured to it "3" projecting
to some distance beyond the end of the strap the projecting end of this plate would
be formed with turned over edges to form a groove on each side into which a small
plate "4" secured to the strap a short distance from the other end would slide to
form a clasp fastening, the grooves being closed at the outer ends to form stops.
By another method the fastening might be applied by a small perforated plate on
the one end taking on to a stud or pin on the first mentioned rectangular plate or
the one end of the strap might be fitted with a hook piece to take on the plate
at the other end when the strap is brought round the neck of the bag and the metal
clasp or other fastening is secured in its place the two ends of the strap which
would be made of such a length as just to meet on the front of the metal plate "3"
would be brought together and the sealing wax would be applied over the
junction "3" & "4" and impressed with the desired seal. By this means the bag
would not be opened without breaking the seal or severing the strap. To protect
the seal from accidental breakage a short strap would be secured to the fastening
strap at one side of the clasp and be carried over the seal and passed through a
loop formed on or secured to the strap at the other side of the clasp, one of these
improved securing straps would be applied to both inside and outside of the mail
bags to admit of its reversal by turning inside out and vice versa. To prevent the
neck of the mail bag or sack passing down through the leather strap a small stopper
of iron, wood, or other substance suitable placed at the corner of the bags so as to
prevent there being entered into by pulling the cloth of bag through the leather
strap. To apply this improved fastening to a cask say one in bond to prevent
tampering with the contents without breaking the seal, the strap would be applied

page_text: in two pieces one on each side of the bung or of any other opening and the ends
would be brought together secured and sealed in a manner analogous to that
described.
This method of applying the seal could be used for boxes one part being secured
to the lid and the other to the body part and either of the methods could be used
in connection with many varieties of receptacles of goods, where suitable and which
it is desirable to secure by applying an impressed seal and improvements in and
relating to the sealing and securing of sacks casks boxes and other receptacles for
goods.
I do hereby declare the nature of my Patent as described in the following
statement with its claims.
I claim for my Patent which is made of a strap of leather with brass (or any
other metallic substance) on each end of the strap preferably rectangle rivetted or
otherwise secured preferably much wider near the centre which is stiched rivetted
or otherwise secured to bags, casks, or other receptacles for goods with bags, more
particularly mail bags which is brought over the neck of the bag and fastened by a
clutch and sealed over the junction where the two ends meet and with stoppers
made of iron or wood or any metallic substance which is fastened at the corners of
the bags & so preventing the substance of the bags from being drawn through the
neck of the bags where the strap is fastened for casks the strap would be cut in
two and fastened on each side of the bung brought together & sealed. With
baskets etc. the strap would be put one half on the body and the other on the lid
brought together and sealed.
I claim for mail bags particularly the following advantages.
1. Security.
2. The entire saving of twine.
3. The saving of two-thirds of wax.
4. A great saving of time.
5. The entire saving of tare & ware of bags over the place where it is sealed at