US1653235A - Lock clamp for cords - Google Patents

Description

Dec.2o,1927. 1,653,235 4 f A. H. s oRELL LOCK CLAMP FORv CORDS Filed Aug. 5, 1927 Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

ALFRED E. SORELL, OF yBRIDGIEPORT7 CONNECTICUT, .assIGNoR To THE SMITH & EGGE rare. co., or Bn1DGnroRT,ooNnECTICUT, A oonroRATIoN or CONNECTICUT.

LOCK CLAMIB FOB, CORDS.

Applcationled August 5, 19,27*.*hSerial No.210,827.

This invention relates to cord fclampsbut more particularly has reference to" metal clamps such as are commonly employed for fastening the cord of sacks lthat are used in 'the postal service. l-leretofore clamps of this description have been in service,` but they could readily be loosened so that the contents of the sacksl couldl be easily gotten `at by unauthorized persons', and therefore devices of this nature are now so constructed that they can be locked in clamped condition7 so as to necessitate the use of a proper key in orderto release the cord and open the sack. n

The object of the presentinvention is 'to provide a cord clamp which can be locked in the manner above referred to, and furthermore to so constructhe clamp that it will be yvery durable .and simple, while the ends of the cord of a mail sack can be threaded through the clamp with the greatest facility.

It is a still further object` to provide a clamp that can be efficiently usedfwhether a lock is or is' not employedasince many business concerns and railroads use cord clamps for sacks merely as a convenient manner of closing the sacks for short transportations, and consider the lock as unnecessary. p i

In order that a clear understanding may be had of the invention attention is called to the following detail description which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a side elevation of the cord clamp with the parts in position for the insertion of the cord ends, the` side of the housing for the clamping member being broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the clamp as it is shown at Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section at Figure 2.

Figure tion.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly broken, showing the position of parts when the cord is partially clamped.

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the position of parts when the cord is fully clamped and a padlock applied tov lock the parts in clamped condition.

l is an end view of such construcy3 `at the lower end are y. Figure 7 isla section"atthe`line 77 yof( Figure "6.

Figure Sis a detail plan view show-ing'the in detached condition, and

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the clamping f member and the operating 'lever kclamping member andv operating lever connected as in the completed article.

Similarnumerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures `of the drawing.

l is any suitable base the outer. face of which is shaped and formed so asto provide the usual way 2 for labels or'address tags, At the inner end of thebaseand secured thereto isa housing 3 and at the other end ofthe base is the usual guide 4 for the ends of the cord.' and secured to the base midway of the guide land housing `is a flatup'right staple 5. y

6 lis the clampingfmember vwhose rear eX- tremity is pivotled within the housing near .its rear upper portion thereof as shown at 7, and 8 is the operating lever having' an elongated slotv 9 which, when the lever is depressed, embraces the staple 5, and for this.

reason this lever will bey hereinafter termed a hasp lever.

.The ha-sp lever v8 is .pivoted to the outer yend of the clamping member `6, and any form of pivotal connection may be employed, although in this instance it is preferable, for salie of simplicity and cheapness, to cut out the inner end of the hasp lever as shown at 10,-thereby forming a bar l1, and the out-er end of the clamping member is inserted through this cut out l() and curled around the bar 1l so as to 'form the pivotal connection. Y

The outer vertical walls of the housing i i cut away so as to form shoulders 12, while the `inner end of the hasp lever has projections side thereof. y

In applying the clamp the two ends of the cord from the sack are passed side by side through the passage-way denoted by the numeral 14 and between the clamping member 6 and base l., and these cords pass on opposite sides of the staple 5 out through the guide 4. y

The clamp is then pushed upward as far as it will go against lthe closed mouth of the sack, and the hasp lever 8 lowered and 13 at each depressed, and on the initial depression of this lever the projections 13 will be forced upward against the shoulders l2, thereby forcing the clamping member 6 against the cords, and as the lever is depressed to its limit the clamping pressure against the cord will be increased, and when the hasp lever is completely depressed a shackle of an ordinary padlock l5 can be locked through the staple 5, and thus secure the clamping member in its eifective condition.

In order to gieatly enhance the bite of the clamping member against the cord the bottom of the base may be provided with spaced raised portions 16, and the clamping member itself may be formed with similar portions l?, and although these portions are very serviceable, nevertheless it is not necessary to provide but one of such portions near the outer end of the clamping meinber, and the invention is therefore not to be limited to the provision of raised or depending clamping portions or to similar constructions such as serrations.

A denotes the cord to be clamped.

From an inspection of Figures l and 3 of the drawings it will be noted that the insertion ofthe ends of the cord through a clamp can be brought about with the great* est facility, and that when the hasp lever is depressed to its limit, as shown at Fignreb, it is not at all necessaryto employ a lock, since the parts will remain in their clamped condition unless they are deliberately loosened, and, as before stated, be* cause locks are required in some instances, this invention has been especially contrived with the end in view to provide for such lock.

lVhile the shoulders 12 are formed on the housing 3, they may be formed on any special projections from the base but `as the housing is itself a projection from the base it is not deemed necessary to show any special projection.

claim l. A cord clamp comprising a base, a housing secured to the inner end of said base, the latter affording a passage-way for the cord, a clamping member whose rear end is pivoted to the side walls of said housing immediately above said way, and a lever whose inner end is pivotally connect-ed to the outer end of said member and engages a stationary part when thefree end of the lever is depressed wherebyT said member will be forced downwardly against the cord.

2 A cord clamp comprising a base, a housing secured thereto, a clamping niember pivoted at its rear end to the side walls of the housing, shoulders at the lower front portions of said walls, a lever having piv etal connection with the front end of said member and adapted when depressed to engage said shoulders, and a cord `passageway beneath said member and lever, whereby, when said lever is depressed it will engage said shoulders and force said member downwardly against a coid inserted in said passage-way. v

3. A construction as in claim l, in which the inner end of the clamping member is pivoted near the upper portions of the side walls to allow free passage of the cord beneath said member.

LA construction as in claim l, in which an upright staple is secured to the base, while the lever hasytherein an elongated slot which embraces said staple when the lever is depressed, whereby said lever may be locked. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur-e hereto.-

ALFRED H, SORELL.Y

Images