GB1563833A

GB1563833A - Cable sealing device

Info

Publication number: GB1563833A
Application number: GB4466376A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Envopak Ltd
Current assignee: Envopak Ltd
Priority date: 1977-10-26
Filing date: 1977-10-26
Publication date: 1980-04-02

Description

(54) CABLE SEALIiNG DEVICE (71) We, EISVOPAK LimITLi5, a British Company, of Pcwerscroft Road, Sidcup, Kent DA 14 SEF, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement :- This invention relates to cable devices for the locking or security sealing of doors or other closures of freight containers, railway trucks, warehouses and so forth where it is of prime importance to prevent theft or interference.

One form of cable device as at present known and used for this purpose comprises a socket element attached to one end of a cable and a complementary plug element attached to the other end of the cable, there being associated with one of the elements a member such as a circlip which becomes irremovably engaged with a groove in the other element when the plug element is caused to enter the socket element, whereafter separation of the elements is impossible so that the ends of the cable are effectively locked and sealed together.

In use the cable is passed through aligned holes in a door hasp or bolting assembly and the plug and socket elements are interengaged as aforesaid to form a closed cable loop.

A second form of cable locking and sealing device comprises a cable having a stop member fixed to one end and a plug element fixed to the other end, and a socket element which by interlocking engagement with the plug element constitutes a stop member at the other end of the cable after the cable has been passed through aligned holes as aforesaid.

A disadvantage of these devices is that even when the plug and socket elements are fully engaged, there is some tolerance between them, with the result that it is oftcn possible by prolonged effort to cause internal wear of the components such that the circlip can be disengaged from the groove whereaftcr the plug and socket elements can be separated from one another.

Another and severe disadvantage of existing devices, which often rely on a physical jamming effect for closure purposes and may even require application of force by a hammer or other tool is that it cannot always visually be determined with certainty that interengagement of the circlip and groove has actually occurred. An operator has then experimentally to attempt to withdraw the plug ands socket elements from one another to make sure that they are truly locked. This obviously undermines the whole object of using a security locking device of this kind.

Accordingly, and with the object of avoiding the foregoing disadvantages, a cable locking and sealing device of the kind comprising a cable with a plug element and a socket element which are lockingly engageable one with another to prevent detachment or withdrawal of the cable from components which it serves to secure, is characterised firstly in that the plug and socket elements are formed or provided with interengageable parts, which when the device is locked prevent relative rotation between the plug and socket elements, and secondly in that when the plug element is lockingly inserted in the socket element an indicating part of the plug element is visible through an aperture in the socket element.

Preferably, to yield the first characteristic, the plug element is formed with at least one axially extending spline which is engageable in a complementary axial groove or grooves formed in the socket element.

Also preferably, and in order to yield the second characteristic, the plug element is formed at its end so as visibly to project through an aperture in the end of the socket element when the plug element has been inserted fully into the socket element and a locking member or circlip in one of said elements has lockingly engaged a complementary part or groove of the other of said elements.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described by reference to the drawings which accompanied our Provisional Specification in which :- Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section showing plug and socket elements of a cable locking and sealing device separated from one another ; Figure 2 is an elevation showing the plug element lockingly inserted in the socket element ; Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an elevation showing one mode of use of the device.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is shown a plug element I permanently attached to the end of a cable 2 and a socket element 3. The plug element is formed with a circumferential groove 4 and with three equally spaced axially extending splines 5. The plug element tapers at its leading end which is formed with a small axial projection or"pip"6.

The socket element 3 has an internal circumferential groove which accommodates a circlip 7 and the bore of the socket element has three equally spaced axially extending grooves 8 which are complementary to the splines 5 of the plug element so as to be slidably engageable one with another. The rear end of the bore in the socket element is of diminishing diameter to match the leading tapered part of the plug element and is formed with an axial opening 9 capable of admitting the projection 6 on the plug element.

It will be evident from Figure 2, which shows a complete cable locking device including a tail end stop 10 fixed to the cable 2, that when the plug element I has been fully engaged with the socket element 3, the splines 5 have entered the groove 8 so that there is no possibility of rotating the male element relative to the female element. Further in this full locking position the projection 5 has penetrated the opening 9 so that its tip is clearly visible as an indication that the circlip 7 has entered the groove 4 and that as a consequence the plug element and the socket element are locked to one another.

Figure 4 shows a typical mode of use of the cable locking and sealing device.

The cable 2 with the attached plug element I has been fed downwardly through a hole in a rotatable catch 11 attached to a door and thence through a hole in a flange part 12 of a door bolt locking lever. The stop 10 rests on the catch 11 and the socket element 3 has been applied as already described.

Preferably the socket element is individually embossed with the name of the user and one of a number of consecutive serial numbers. Also, if desired, the socket element could be colour coded. This would for example make the device suitable for use by an organisation wishing to classify the use of the seal at different depots by different colours.

If desired, there could be fitted inside the end of the socket element a coloured membrane made of thin resiliently deformable material. It would thus happeen that when the plug element had been fully inserted into the socket element the end projection or'pip'would force a film of this membrane through the end aperture in the socket element. As the membrane would be of a colour contrasting with that of the socket element itself it would therefore be a conspicuous indication that the plug element and the socket element had been truly interlocked with one another.

The cable 2 will usually be relatively short, particularly when the device is required to be used in a pendent position as illustrated in Figure 4. It may however be of any length convenient to its intended purpose.

An alternative embodiment of the invention would differ from that which has been described with reference to the drawings in that the elements of the device are all attached to one another before the device is used. The device would then comprise a cable having a plug element (1) permanently secured to it's one end and a socket element (3) permanently secured to it's other endthere being no equivalent of the tail end stop (10). The cable would be of sufficient length such as to enable it-after being threaded through components to be sealed- to be formed into a loop and the plug element inserted into the socket element as previously described.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS :-

1. A cable locking and sealing device of the kind comprising a cable with a plug element and a socket element which are lockingly engageable one with another to prevent detachment or withdrawal of the cable from components which it serves to secure; characterised firstly in that the plug and socket elements are formed or provided with interengageable parts which, when the device is locked prevent relative rotation between the plug and socket elements, and secondly in that when the plug element is lockingly inserted in the socket element an indicating part of the plug element is visible through an aperture in the socket.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the plug element is formed with at least one axially extending spline which is engageable in a complementary axially extending groove or grooves formed in the socket element.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the plug element is formed at its end so as visibly to project through an aperture in the end of the socket when the plug element has been inserted fully into the socket element and a locking member or circlip in one of said elements has lockingly engaged a complementary part or groove in the other of said elements.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the end of the socket element contains a membrane made of thin resiliently deformable material for indicating, by exposure through said aperture, that the plug element is fully and lockingly engaged within the socket element.

5. A cable locking and sealing device constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the Provisional Specification drawings.