Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SECURITY DEVICE
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a security device for a slide fastener and
relates particularly, though not exclusively, to a security device for re-
useable security envelopes typically used for cash, currency and
document transport.
Background of the Invention
Re-useable security envelopes are commonplace for the
transportation of documents or articles between various offices of a
business or government departments. The envelope is made from a
sturdy material e.g. plastics, canvas, etc which is sealed around the
edges. A slide fastener closes an opening in the envelope to allow entry
to the envelope. Articles are placed in the envelope and the slider is
drawn across the chain of teeth fitted to the tapes of the slide fastener
to close the envelope. In order to prevent tampering of the contents of
the envelope a security device is fitted to both the chain and the
security envelope to prevent, or make evident, any unauthorised access
to the envelope. Typically, the security device is fitted to secure the
slider and includes a disposable numbered identification tag which must
be broken to release the slider. Any tampering is clearly visible if the tag
has been broken. It is not possible to substitute a tag that has been
broken to avoid suspicion that the security of the envelope has been
compromised as each tag has its own unique number with a no repeat
in six million numbered combinations.
Examples of such devices are shown in US Patent Nos.
4112990, 4008914, 4602405 and 3955842. These devices have proved
popular as the disposable tags or plugs that provide visual evidence of
tampering are cheap to mass produce and provide a certain degree of
security. Unfortunately these devices can be easily manipulated using
dexterity and lock picks to release the disposable tag or plug without
damage thereto. The slide fastener can then be released and the
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contents of the envelope taken or substituted. The tag or plug can then be re-
inserted
in the usual manner and there will be no evidence of tampering. The applicant
has
determined that the major problem is the external exposure of both the slider
and the
security device. This allows the thief ready access using lock picks and
similar tools.
Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a security device for a
slide
fastener that provides enhanced security over the prior art.
A further object of the invention is to provide a security device for a slide
fastener
where the slider of the slide fastener is hidden when in use.
More particularly, there is provided a security device for a slide fastener,
said
security device including a housing adapted to be fitted to an object to which
the tapes
of said slide fastener are attached or the tapes themselves, a closure member
adapted
to co-operate with said housing and a frangible locking element adapted to
link said
housing to said closure member, said locking element being resiliently
yieldable and
slidably insertable into said closure member but not retractable therefrom
without
fracturing said frangible locking element, wherein said housing and said
closure
member surround and cover said slider in its fully closed position to prevent
access
thereto.
With these objects in view the present invention provides a security device
for a
slide fastener, said security device including a housing adapted to be fitted
to an object
to which the tapes of said slide fastener are attached or to the tapes
themselves, said
housing substantially surrounding the slider of said slide fastener in its
fully closed
position, a closure member adapted to co-operate with said housing which, in
use,
covers said slider to prevent access thereto and a frangible locking element
adapted to
link said housing to said closure member, said locking element being
resiliently
yieldable and slidably insertable into said closure member but not retractable
therefrom
without fracturing said frangible locking element.
DOCSTOR: 1519929U
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Preferably said closure member is attached at one end to a puller and said
puller is
attached to said slider. In a preferred embodiment said closure member can
pivot about
said housing and block exit of said slider from said housing in its closed
position.
In a practical embodiment said housing includes a guide member which aligns
with a
slot in said closure member in its closed position and said frangible locking
element
includes barbs which lock behind said guide member to prevent extraction of
said
frangible locking element from said housing and said closure member.
DoCSTOa: 1519929v
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Preferably said housing includes a spreader which spreads said
barbs apart during insertion of said frangible locking element into said
closure member to further assist in preventing extraction of said
frangible locking element from said housing and said closure member.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In order that the invention may be more readily understood and
put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a security envelope having
lo attached thereto a security device made in accordance with the
invention shown in the locked position;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the security device shown in
Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the security device
shown in Fig. I in the open position;
Fig. 4 is a similar view to that of Fig. 3 in the almost closed
position;
Fig. 5 is a similar view to that of Fig. 3 in the closed position prior
to insertion of the locking element;
Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view along and in the direction of
arrows 6-6 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 7 is a similar view to that of Fig. 6 with the locking element
being broken;
Fig. 8 is a similar view to that of Fig. 7 in the open position with
part of the locking element still inside;
Fig. 9 is a plan view of the housing of the security device shown
in Fig. 1;
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view along and in the direction of
arrows 10-10 shown in Fig. 6; and
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the locking element shown in
Fig. 5.
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Detailed Description of the Invention
In the drawings there is shown a security envelope 10 which is
closed by a conventional slide fastener 12. Slide fastener 12 has tapes
14 with respective chains of teeth 16. A slider 18 slides along the chains
of teeth 16 to either close or open the slide fastener. A puller 20 is
swingably or pivotally attached at one end to slider 18 by bridge 22. A
housing 24 is fixed to security envelope 10 using studs, glue, screws or
other suitable fixing means. In the preferred embodiment illustrated
fixing holes 25 are located in the floor of housing 24 for studs (not
1o shown). For additional security, a base member 30 is provided which
matches the shape of the floor of housing 24. Base member 30 is
located on the inside of security envelope 10 and has co-operating
fixing holes 32 to receive the studs (not shown). Housing 24 is basically
rectangular in shape but can be any desired shape to suit the
application. A rectangular cut out 26 extends a certain distance along
the floor of housing 24 to allow slider 18 to enter housing 24. The
rectangular cut out 26 will end adjacent the top end piece (not shown)
of slide fastener 12 which prevents slider 18 from being pulled from
teeth 16 when at its closed position. Cut out 26 has a peripheral U-
shaped wall 28 extending upwardly into housing 24.
Housing 24 has a pair of guide members 34 mounted on the floor
and each guide member 34 has a groove 36 therein. A small front wall
(not shown) links guide members 34. A gap 37 is left between guide
members 34 and U-shaped wall 28. A pair of side walls 38 run the
length of housing 24. A pair of arcuate bearing surfaces 40 are provided
on end walls 41 to join U-shaped wall 28 and close off one end of the
housing 24 whilst the other end 42 is open to provide a ledge 44.
A lid or closure member 46 is adapted to fit on housing 24. Lid 46
has a pair of longitudinal side walls 48 and an end wall 50. At the other
end there is an intermediate end wall 52 located between a pair of
offset hinge members 54. Hinge members 54 have a complementary
shape to arcuate bearing surfaces 40 to provide a hinging action when
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assembled. The other end of puller 20 is pivotally secured to
intermediate end wall 52 to join lid 46 to slide fastener 12. A roof 56
completes the external construction of lid 46. A flange 58 will, in the
locked position, abut ledge 44. For additional security a U-shaped
interior wall 60 fits within the confines of U-shaped wall 28. A slot 62 in
end wall 50 co-operates with grooves 36, when aligned, for reception of
a frangible locking element 64.
Frangible locking element 64 has a rectangular tab 66 with a pair
of arms 68 attached thereto. Arms 68 are of a width that they can be
readily fractured along the join line with rectangular tab 66. Barbs 70 on
arms 68 are adapted to engage behind guide members 34 to prevent
withdrawal of locking element 64 when fitted. A further set of arms 72
are attached to a head member 74 and angle downwardly relative to
arms 68. Arms 68 will also assist in preventing withdrawal of locking
element 64.
The use of security device will now be described. The sequence
of operations can also be seen in Figs. 3 to 8. The open position is
shown in Fig. 3. In order to lock the security envelope 10, the slider 18
is pulled to the right (Fig. 3) by grasping lid 46. Slider 18 enters cut out
26 and abuts, or is adjacent, the base of U-shaped wall 28 of housing
24. Lid 46 is pulled backwardly to cause puller 20 to pivot backwardly.
Offset hinge members 54 of lid 46 are then mated with the arcuate
bearing surfaces 40 of housing 24 as shown in Fig. 4. Lid 46 is then
closed over housing 24 to be flush therewith as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and
5. Thus slider 18 will not be visible and intermediate wall 52 of lid 46 will
prevent withdrawal of slider 18 from housing 24. Slider 18 will also be
surrounded by the U-shaped wall 28 of housing 24 and the U-shaped
interior wall 60 depending from underneath roof 56 which will be located
within the U-shaped wall 28. Access to slider 18 is prevented ensuring
that lock picks cannot be used. Flange 58 will overly ledge 44 and slot
62 will be aligned with grooves 36. It is preferred that the height of both
grooves 36 and slot 62 are the same as the thickness of locking
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element 64. This will leave no gap through which lock picks can be
inserted. Arms 68 of locking element 64 are pushed through slot 62 and
along grooves 36. It is preferred that arms 68 are flexed inwardly as
they travel along grooves 36 and will spring open to allow barbs 70 to
lock behind the ends of guide members 34 in gap 37. Arms 72 will flex
upwardly to lie inside arms 68 during initial insertion of locking element 64.
Once the free ends of arms 72 are inside housing 24 they will spring
downwardly as shown in Fig. 6 and fall behind the front wall linking
guide members 34. Tab 66 will sit on ledge 44 and occupy the full
1 o length and width of ledge 44. It will not be possible to pull the locking
element 64 from the security device as barbs 70 will prevent such
action, as will arms 68 abutting the front wall linking guide members 34.
Any substantial tug of locking element 64 will fracture arms 68 from tab
66 which will clearly indicate tampering has occurred. It will also not be
possible to pull lid 46 from housing 24 because of the hinging action of
hinge members 54 at one end and the interference fit of locking element
64 at the other end. Any attempt to prise open lid 46 by forcing a pick
between flange 58 and ledge 44 will also cause fracturing of locking
element 64. To open the security device tab 66 is simply bent upwardly
to fracture locking element 64 as shown in Fig. 7. Lid 46 can then be
pivoted to the open position as shown in Fig. 8. Arms 72 and 68 can
then be simply removed and thrown away to enable re-use of the
security envelope.
The invention provides a simple but effective solution to ensuring
the security of such envelopes. It will be extremely difficult to tamper
with the security device as there is no access to the slider. Although the
preferred embodiment has been described with reference to its use with
security envelopes the invention is not so restricted. The invention can
be used on any application using a slide fastener e.g. suitcases. For
3o additional security a spreader 76 may be used between guide members 34
to outwardly spread apart arms 68 to ensure that barbs 70 will be forced
behind guide members 34 in a wedging action. The number, shape and
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orientation of guide members 34 can vary to suit other types of locking
elements 64 other than the one depicted in the preferred embodiment.
Locking element 64 may have a smaller tab 66 which does not fully
cover ledge 44. The numbers and positions of arms 68 and barbs 70
may vary as well. The invention is not limited to the preferred
embodiment shown as the shape and configuration can be readily
changed to suit requirements.
The invention will be understood to embrace many further
modifications as will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art and
which will be deemed to reside within the broad scope and ambit of the
invention, there having been set forth herein only the broad nature of
the invention and certain specific embodiments by way of example.
