Reusable, tamper-indicating seal
First Claim
1. A tamper-indicating seal comprising a large plurality of small colored balls of different colors confined therein, means for locking a wire loop in the seal, means for segregating a small plurality of said small colored balls in the seal in a location visible from outside the seal and maintaining them in position when the wire loop is locked within the seal and means for removing the balls from the segregated location when the seal is opened and for mixing the balls whereby a different pattern of balls appears in the segregated location the next time the seal is locked.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reusable, tamper-indicating seal comprises a drum confined within a fixed body and rotatable in one direction therewithin, the top of the drum constituting a tray carrying a large number of small balls of several different colors. The fixed body contains parallel holes for looping a seal wire therethrough. The base of the drums carries cams adapted to coact with cam followers to lock the wire within the seal at one angular position of the drum. A channel in the fixed body -- visible from outside the seal -- adjacent the tray constitutes a segregated location for a small plurality of the colored balls. A spring in the tray forces colored balls into the segregated location at one angular position of the drum, further rotation securing the balls in position and the wires in the seal. A wedge-shaped plough removes the balls from the segregated location, at a different angular position of the drum, the wire being unlocked at the same position. A new pattern of colored balls will appear in the segregated location when the seal is relocked.
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Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A tamper-indicating seal comprising a large plurality of small colored balls of different colors confined therein, means for locking a wire loop in the seal, means for segregating a small plurality of said small colored balls in the seal in a location visible from outside the seal and maintaining them in position when the wire loop is locked within the seal and means for removing the balls from the segregated location when the seal is opened and for mixing the balls whereby a different pattern of balls appears in the segregated location the next time the seal is locked.
- 7. A seal (10) comprising a fixed body (16), a cover (19) therefor, a drum (18) rotatably carried therewithin, a ratchet (34) carried on said drum, a pawl (35) fixed to said body engageable with the ratchet to permit rotation thereof in one direction only, said body having parallel holes (51) for looping a wire therethrough, cam means (39) fixed to said drum, cam followers (41) movable by said cam means adapted to clamp the wire within the seal, the top of said drum constituting a tray (29), a large plurality of small differently colored plastic balls (12) in said tray, means (56, 57, 60,) for randomly segregating a small plurality of said balls in a position visible from outside the seal when the wire is clamped within the seal, and means (50) for positively removing said small plurality of balls from said segregated location when the wire is unclamped, and for assuring that a different arrangement of colored balls will appear in said segregated location the next time the wire is clamped in the seal.
Specification