An Improved Fastening for Bundles, Packages, Bags, Boxes, Doors, and the like, Combined with a Label or Seal.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by TIBERIUS BENJAMIN KISCH, Secretary and
Manager of the City Tramways Company, Limited, of Cape Town, Cape
Colony, South Africa.]
An Improved Fastening for Bundles, Packages, Bags, Boxes, Doors,
and the like, Combined with a Label or Seal.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433 Strand, in the County of London,
Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, relates to
an improved means of fastening bundles, packages, bags, boxes and other like
articles in such a manner that the same cannot be unfastened without giving
indications thereof. It is also applicable to similarly secure a hasp or latch to a
staple, as is often used upon the lids of boxes, doors, and the like which are
ordinarily secured by padlocks or combination locks. The improved fastening is
combined with a label or seal in such a way that any attempt to undo the fastening
will scratch, deface, or otherwise mar the surface of the said label or seal, and will
thus indicate that the fastening has been tampered with.
The improved fastening is made by stamping or otherwise forming a piece of
sheet metal with three or four sides (the latter preferred) and having the corners
cut off diagonally, to a slight extent. This will allow of a margin of the sides to
be turned up like a flange, and subsequently turned completely over and flattened,
the corners being mitred owing to the diagonal cutting aforesaid. Three small
slots are then formed in the body of the piece of sheet metal, one being in the
centre of each of two opposite sides, exactly at the edge where the marginal flanges
are turned over, and the other at any point between the two. These slots are in
line with, and parallel to each other and of the same dimensions, and they are
adapted to receive a narrow strip or ribbon of sheet metal.
The side margins or flanges of a square or rectangular piece of metal (hereinafter
called the body) being turned up at right angles to its face, and the slots formed,
the end of a narrow strip of sheet metal of suitable length is inserted through one
of the side slots, passed through the next adjoining slot (frequently placed in the
centre of the body) and its end bent over and flattened down on the back of the
body. This leaves a projecting length of the strip on one side of the body, which
is bent round, passed through a staple (for example) receiving the hasp of a box
lid or door, and its free end is passed through the opposite side slot to the first one
named, and lays closely to and across the face of the body. If there is a super-
fluous length of the strip it can be cut off, or again passed through the first slot and
turned up like the marginal side flanges. A printed label, seal, or equivalent
device, of suitable size, is now placed over the face of the body and strip passing
across it, but within the marginal flanges, and the said flanges are then bent over
and flattened down upon the label or seal by means of a mallet, pliers, or in any
other suitable manner. Any attempt to open such a fastening would require a pointed
or edge tool to pry up the flattened marginal flanges, and would necessarily
involve the marring of the surface of the label, seal, or equivalent means used
therefor.
A modification is made by using two metal strips instead of one, and doubling
the number of slots made in the body. The second strip is inserted on an adjoining
side of the square or rectangular body to the first strip, so that the two strips,
when extended are at right angles to each other. This is a suitable form for
.

page_text: enclosing bundles, boxes, and other articles, and it is secured in the manner before
stated.
The fastening may be made of tin, copper, brass or other suitable metal or
combinations thereof, and in addition to the other uses referred to it may be applied
to secure mail bags, the doors of mail carts, freight waggons or cars, and other
useful purposes. By using new labels or seals, the metallic fastening may be used
more than once.
Dated this 14th day of June 1892.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fastening for Bundles, Packages, Bags, Boxes, Doors,
and the like, Combined with a Label or Seal.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433 Strand, in the County of London,
Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, 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 :-
This invention, as communicated to me from abroad, relates to an improved means
of fastening bundles, packages, bags, boxes and other like articles in such a manner
that the same cannot be unfastened without giving indications thereof. The
fastening is likewise applicable to secure a hasp or latch to a staple as used upon
doors, the lids of boxes and the like, and which are generally secured by padlocks
or combination locks. The improved fastening is combined with a label or seal in
such a manner that any attempt to undo the fastening will scratch, deface, or
otherwise mar the surface of the said label or seal; and will thus indicate that the
fastening has been tampered with.
In the accompanying drawings,
a represents a piece of sheet metal (preferably square-shaped in the body
portion thereof) with a marginal flange on each of its sides, the ends of the
latter being cut off diagonally, or rounded as shown in Fig. 1. This allows the
marginal flanges to be turned over on the face of the body piece a along the dotted
lines. Two slots c, c, are made, one on each opposite side, along the dotted line;
and an intermediate slot d is also made in the body a. A narrow strip e, of sheet
metal, is inserted through a slot c passed through the adjoining slot d, and the end
bent over beneath to fasten it in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This strip
is made of any required length, projecting on one side of the body a, and is bent
round (when used) to pass through a staple holding the hasp of a box g, (for
example), and its free end inserted in the other slot c, opposite to the starting
slot, so that it lays closely to and across the body a. If the length of the strip e
is more than that required for its particular application, it may be cut off, or again
passed through one or more of the slots and turned over like the marginal flanges b.
A printed label, seal, or equivalent device of suitable size, is now placed over
the face of the body part a and the strip e crossing the same, within the marginal
flanges b, which latter are then bent over and flattened down on the label by means
of a mallet, pliers, or other suitable means; as indicated by Figs. 2 and 3.
A modification is indicated by Fig. 4, in which two metal strips e, e, are used
instead of one, and doubling the number of slots made in the body a. The second
stripe is inserted on an adjoining side of the square or rectangular body a to that
of the first strip, so that the two strips-when extended-are at right angles to
each other. This is a suitable form for enclosing bundles, boxes, and other
articles; and the ends and the seal and label are secured in the manner before
stated.
The sheet metal fastening may be made of tin, copper, brass, or other suitable
metal or combination thereof; and in addition to the other uses already referred

page_text: to, it may be applied to secure mail bags, the doors of mail carts, freight waggons
or cars, and other useful purposes. Any attempt to open the fastening requires a
pointed or edge tool to pry up the flattened marginal flanges b, b, and would
necessarily involve the marring of the surface of the label, seal, or equivalent
means used therefor. By using new labels or seals, the metallic fastening may be
used more than once.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. A metallic fastening of sheet metal consisting of a body part, a narrow strip
or strips bent round and passed through an opening in the said body part, a label
or seal combined with the said body part and enclosed within marginal flanges
thereof, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
2. A metallic fastening of sheet metal consisting of a body part a surrounded by
marginal flanges b adapted to be turned over and Hattened down upon a face of the
said body part, a strip e adapted to pass through slots c and d, substantially as and
for the purpose described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
מ
2011
haha1902
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.