US2459530A - Bag and container tying device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1949. JOHNSTON 2,459,530

. BAG AND CONTAINER TYING DEVICE I Filed Nov. 21, 1946 FIG. 5

JNVENTOR.

LEWIS E. JOHNSTON Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC BAG AND CONTAINER TYIN G DEVICE Lewis E. Johnston, Winter Garden, Fla.

Application November 21, 1946, Serial No. 711,265

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved device for speedily tying of knotsand is particularly adapted for use in tying the closure cords of containers, bags and the like which contain fruits, vegetables and the like. The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which can be conveniently supported inthe hand of the operator.

The invention has for a further object to provide a device of the character named which is simplein construction, reliable in operation and has no moving parts.

\Other and further objects and certain advantagesof the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the device.

For the purpose of this application there has been elected to set forth one particular structure butit is to be understood that it is here presented for illustrative purposes only, and is not to be accorded any interpretations such as might have the efiect of limiting what is claimed as the invention short of its true and comprehensive scope in the art.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which: l l

Figure l is a perspectivevie'w of the improved tying device;

Figure 2 is a view of a fruit bag illustrating oneuse of the tying device;

Figure 3 is a view with parts broken away illustrating the first step in tying a closure cord, string and the like;

Figure 4 is a view showing the second stage of tying; and

Figure 5 is a view showing the last step of tying a knot. l

' Knot-tying devices heretofore proposed were difiicult to use and incorporated moving parts which resulted on relatively short life.

By the device disclosed in the drawing a tight and secure knot can be speedily tied and the knot is such that it can be easily untied. This is highly essential particularly in connection with citrus fruit bags as it permits inspection of the bag contents without impairingthe closure cord.

It is to be understood that the tying device can be made from any suitable material, but it is preferred that it be reasonably light weight materialsuch as aluminum, plastic or the like.

Referring to the drawings in detail, It indicates tying device generally. The handportion .l l which is formed out of a suitable light weight material, for example aluminum or plastic, is suitably shaped to fit comfortably in the hand of the operator. In one of the body portions in is formed an opening 12 by means of which the device may be secured to the wrist of the operator. Adjacent the other of the body portion is cut-out portion l3 and the and terminates in rounded end members l4 and I5. Positioned between the members l4 and I5, but rearwardly from their ends, is member f6 which is provided with hook-like portion l1. Shoulders l8 are formed adjacent the sides of the member [6. On these shoulders the securing means such as cord [9 lay when the knot is being tied.

In Figure 2 is shown a fruit container or bag I8 with the closure means l9 secured adjacent the open end.

The manner in which this device may be used will now be described, reference being had to Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings. The knot tier is held in the right hand, hold the fiat side of device as shown in Figure 3. Pass the device under the string to be tied which is held in the left hand. The loose end of the string should now be passed under the hook portion I! ofthe member l6 and pulled loop down tight against the hook. The device or tool should be held tight against the top of the bag or container as shown in Figure 4. The too] should now be pulled away from the bag with a short jerk. The knot is now tied with the cord under the hook member I 1 and lying on shoulder [8 on both sides of member IS. The tool is titled slightly to release it from the knot.

The bag tying device ties a knot that is tight and secure but that can easily be untied by pulling on the free end of the cord and the contents of the container or bag can be inspected. The cord can be retied as the cord has not in any manner been impaired.

The device has no mechanical parts to wear out and this insures a long life. Closure cords can be speedily tied without injury to the openator, and the tool is so formed that the cord does not slip off the hook during the tying operation.

These results are obtainable through the fact that the particular way in which the end zones of the closure cord are positioned on the device or implement preliminary to the withdrawal of the latter, have the effect of producing a knot of the slip-knot type, a knot known as the single bowline knot. This form of knot remains tied as long as the free ends of the cord are not pulled and a pull on these withdraws the loop from the bight and breaks the bl ght efilect. Hence, the knot so formed is necessarily tem porary in nature due to the ease with which it can be untied. Because of this vulnerability,

the knot differs from knots used for splicing, the latter generally including jam characteristics designed to prevent unloosening of the knot by pulling on either end.

To form the present knot by the use of the implement, care must be taken to follow the procedure indicated in Figs. 3 to 5 in certain particulars, viz: in training the two ends, which can be consideredasa'unit, care must be taken that in completing theconvolution' as in Fig; 4, the leading end must pass in rear of the trailing end, with the leading end then carried forward to the open ended slot 'without changing sides until the slot is reached; the leading end is then carried through the slot in'reaL-r ofthe hook, and then led forward; on such other side. The same results are obtained whether the beginning of the convolution is provided'on the same side as indicated inFig. 4 or on the opposite side, but the succeeding laying of the leading en'd must present the above indicated conditio'ns. When the 'i mplem'ent'is Withdrawn suddenly a's indicated, the bight. provided by the convolution'is' passed into overlying relation to the'trailirlg and leading end zones with the hook producing the loop, doing this without slippage. By It'hen removing 'the'loop irom the hook, the implment' 'is cofi1pletelyreleased from the tied container.

A 'knot ofthis typ'e is of particular advantage in the par-ticular's'ervice for which the implement 'is provi'dedpsime it'provides eficient packaging if-"left undisturbed, but-is available at all times for releasing the knot to permit inspection of package -content without breaking or ailecting theco'rdgs'o that 'the package can be re-tied'b-y nse of the samecord. With the implement employed for "the re-tying action, the container is given i-ts initial characteristics,although it had been opened andits content inspected.

"Si-rice the hook is of less thickness than the thickness of the body portion','thus providingt-heshoulders 18, the developin loop produced by passing the convolution from the 'bodyhver the nose of the implement offers no obstruction to the free movement' of "the convolution being' cast off, the threads of the loop lying above the shhulders f8.

As will 'b'e'hnderstood, a knot of this type rednires that the bight "must 'b'epositioned at an intermediateep'oint in-t'lie "combined length of 'th'eF fr-ee ends of the closure cord and of the developed loopgan'd 'that such free ends-andthe loop iriust" ex'tend Y for material 'distances beyond thebight, i f 'theknot'is to remain tied. "If the lo op 'is' o'nb'ut slight *or small length extent, it is releasable by slight drawing of the 'free ends, possibly "by "accidental manipulation. If the "free ends' 'of the cord be" of slight or small extent, -s iini'la-iaccidental manipulation of the-loop ea-n -draw such 'ends through the bight and thus trainsform t-he knot into a non-slip orjam type -.l not. "Po-"assure the proper conditions-in this respect; -the rear'Wardly-open f-ace -oft'he hook :is 7 spaced materially "rearward of the' end of the hose to 'assurethe=formation of a-loop of the de's ired' l'en'gth,"While the procedure of moving the implement into "close proximity to the contaiihenby lateral movement of the implement atter the convolution ha's-loeenmade assures the production -of free ends of a *desired length extent beyond" the b'ight.

l.--A- not tying implement for tying closure cords ef containers; wherein the-ends sof the closure cord are tied with a knot of the slip-knot type to produce a temporary closure of the container releasable by drawing upon the free ends of the cord, said implement comprising a generally fiat body-portion having one end zone formed as a nose for positioning the closure cord end zones thereon with the latter including a portion having a convolution relation to the body proper and with siich cordend' 'zones arranged to produce the kriot 'by movemerit of the applied zones relative to the direction of length -=o'f the implement, said implement having its "nose "zoneof decreasing width toward the end of the nose with such nose zone bifurcated, the o-ppos'ite side-walls of the bifurcation being substantially symmetrical and spaced apart to provide an open-ended recess portion having the width-pf its open endsufficient to permit the free passage of a formed loop therethrough and with the recess enlarged rearwardlyots-uch open 'end, one of the sidewalls of the recess carrying a hook =formationuprojecting into the enlarged Zone of ther'ecess with the projected length less than the Width of such=enl anged -zone,-said hook :having a rear face; positioned remote -f-rOm-the end of the nose-a distance greater than-the width-oi the-enlarged-zone of the recess, whereby after the cord end zones havebeenalpplied to the nose end zone ofthe implementwith such cord "end-"norms extending "throng-h -the .recess en-larged zone in rear ofthe rear hook 'tace- -and the applied formation tight'ened-.-to.--.place the implement 'in' close proximity to l the container, "sudden- Withdrawal i movement ofthe --imp-lement lengthwise will develop -the-knot formation with the knot bight- -and --freecordends externalof the recess and with a 'closedloopmounted onthe hookand releasable therefrom for freemassage tl irough the'o'pen end" of the recess-with the loop intact,=the*distance dimension of the hook/rear ia'ce and theposition Of ibhe implement relative to the container vprior to the withdrawal movement causing the knot to be formed-witmitsloop lengtlr and free cord end portions projecting' on opposite-sidesof-t-heknot bightwith the projected lengths amply sufficient to maintain -knot integrity in Ithe absence --ofintentionalrelease of the loop of the knot by drawing on the-ireeends of themord.

2. An implement 'as l-n'--claiml charaeterized in t'hatt'he --th-icl :nessof -the hook. is materially less than the thicknessei the body of the' limplement to thereby presents-shoulders within t'henose open end on oppositesides :of the hook and above which loop portions may restduriing the movement {of '-the convolution portion within the casting-off period, whereby the rapid withdrawal-of the implement may be provided without int erference'between the convolution portion and the developing loopwtormation to assure proper positioning of the-bight otgthe knot.

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