Security fastening device

Abstract

A security fastening device is disclosed which is similar to a cable tie but which cannot be removed without destroying the device. A locking head with locking mechanism is enclosed and protected by a shroud that prevents access to the mechanism to defeat it. The head has an entrance opening and the shroud has an exit opening through which an elongated member with locking projections of the fastening device passes and the projections cooperate with the locking mechanism to lock the fastening device. The projections all have a diameter that is only slightly smaller than the diameter of the entrance opening. When the elongated member has been inserted through the locking mechanism and shroud a locking projection sits in each of the entrance and exit openings. Due to the snug fit nothing can be inserted through the entrance opening to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device. A variation of the security fastening device has an insert that is mounted inside the shroud from the exit opening. The insert has a hole through it having the same diameter as the entrance opening and the elongated member passes through the hole. Due to the snug fit between the hole and locking projection nothing can be inserted through the insert hole to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device. Another variation has a cup that is placed over the locking head and shroud. The cup has two holes of the same diameter as the entrance opening that are coaxial with the entrance opening when the cup is placed over the locking head and shroud. In use of the fastening device a locking projection lies in each hole of the cup and due to the snug fit nothing can be inserted between the two to defeat the locking mechanism and open the fastening device.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fastening device used to seal a container, door or other item, the fastening device comprising: 
 a locking head at a first end of the fastening device, the locking head having a base with a hole through it;    locking means that is part of the locking head;    a shroud around the locking means to limit access to the locking means;    an elongated piece connected to the locking head; and    a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through the hole through the base of the locking head and through the locking head and shroud when the fastening device is used to seal something, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means and prevents the elongated piece from being withdrawn from the locking head to open the fastening device;    wherein the width of each locking projection is only slightly smaller than the hole through the base of the locking head and when the elongated piece is positioned through the hole in the base of the locking head and shroud while in use a locking projection is positioned in the hole through the base and restricts passing through the hole into the interior of the shroud to access the first locking projection therein and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head to open the fastening device.    
     
     
         2 . The fastening device of  claim 1  wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped projections are inserted first through the locking head hole and then through the locking means within the shroud, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that are spread as a cone shaped locking projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a locking projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of each locking projections is shaped in a way prevents it from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.  
     
     
         3 . The fastening device of  claim 2  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         4 . The fastening device of  claim 1  further comprising an insert piece that is inserted into the shroud, the insert piece having a hole through which the elongated piece with locking cones pass when the fastening device is in use.  
     
     
         5 . The fastening device of  claim 4  wherein the hole through the insert piece is only slightly larger than the width of each locking projection and when the elongated piece is positioned through the hole in the base of the locking head a locking projection is positioned in the hole through the insert piece and thereby restricts passing anything into the interior of the locking head to access the locking means inside the locking head to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head and open the fastening device.  
     
     
         6 . The fastening device of  claim 5  wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped locking projections are inserted through the locking head base hole, the locking means, and the insert piece hole when the fastening device is utilized, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that are spread as a cone shaped locking projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a cone shaped locking projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of a cone is shaped in a way that prevents the cone shaped locking projection from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.  
     
     
         7 . The fastening device of  claim 6  wherein the shroud has an interior wall which has a first means as a part thereof, and the insert piece has a second means as part a thereof, and when the insert piece is inserted into the shroud the first means and the second means cooperate to prevent removal of the insert piece from the shroud and open the fastening device.  
     
     
         8 . The fastening device of  claim 4  wherein the shroud, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the hole through the insert piece and the widest ends of the cone shaped locking projection cooperate to prevent access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head and open the fastening device.  
     
     
         9 . The fastening device of  claim 8  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         10 . The fastening device of  claim 1  further comprising a cup piece having an open end, and a first and a second hole through the sides of the cup piece; 
 wherein the open end of the cup piece is slid over the locking head and shroud until the first hole is coaxially aligned with the hole through the locking head base and the second hole is approximately coaxially aligned with the hole through the locking head base, the elongated piece is then inserted through the first hole, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the locking means and the second hole, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means; and  
 wherein the elongated piece inserted through the locking head and the holes through the cup piece prevents removal of the cup piece and prevents thereby access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.  
 
     
     
         11 . The fastening device of  claim 10  wherein the first and second holes through the cup piece are only slightly larger than size of the locking projections and when the elongated piece is inserted through the first hole, the hole through the base of the fastening device, the locking means and the second hole, a locking projection is positioned in the first hole and in the second hole and it restricts passing anything into the interior of the shroud to access the locking means and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.  
     
     
         12 . The fastening device of  claim 10  wherein the shroud, the size of the hole through the base of the fastening device, the size of the first and the second holes through the cup piece and the width of the locking pieces cooperate to restrict passing anything into the shroud to access the locking projections and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.  
     
     
         13 . The fastening device of  claim 12  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         14 . A fastening device used to seal an item the fastening device comprising: 
 a locking head having a base with a first hole through it;    locking means that is part of the locking head;    a shroud around the locking means and having a top with a second hole through it which is further from the first hole through the base than the locking means;    an elongated piece that may be connected to the locking head; and    a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through the first hole, through the locking head and through the second hole through the shroud when the fastening device is in use;    wherein the width of each locking projection is only slightly smaller than the width of either the first hole and the second hole, and when the elongated piece is inserted completely through the locking head and shroud a first locking projection is positioned in the first hole through the base and a second locking projection is positioned in the second hole through the shroud to restrict passing anything through either of the two holes into the interior of the shroud to access the locking means and withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.    
     
     
         15 . The fastening device of  claim 14  wherein the locking projections are cone shaped and the pointed end of the cone shaped projections are inserted through the hole in the base and through the locking means within the shroud, and wherein the locking means comprise a plurality of flexible arms that arm spread as a cone shaped projection passes through the locking means and the arms close behind the widest end of a cone shaped projection as it completely passes through the locking means, and the widest end of each cone shaped projection is shaped in a way that prevents a cone shaped projection from passing back through the locking means to open the fastening device.  
     
     
         16 . The fastening device of  claim 15  wherein the shroud, the first hole through the base of the fastening device, the second hole through the shroud and the widest ends of the cone shaped projections cooperate to prevent access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.  
     
     
         17 . The fastening device of  claim 16  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         18 . The fastening device of  claim 14  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         19 . The fastening device of  claim 1  wherein the elongated piece has a first end that is connected to the locking head and a second end that has an extension on which there are no locking projections, and further comprising an indicia embossed into the extension that is unique and is used for identification purposes and no two fastening devices have the same indicia embossed into their extension.  
     
     
         20 . The fastening device of  claim 6  wherein the shroud has an interior wall which has a protrusion formed therein, and the insert piece has a groove on its exterior, and when the insert piece is inserted into the shroud the groove of the insert piece with the protrusion of the shroud, the groove and projection cooperating to prevent removal of the insert piece from the shroud and open the fastening device.  
     
     
         21 . A security cover for a fastening device used to seal a container, door or other item, wherein the fastening device has a locking head, locking means attached to the locking head, a shroud attached to the locking head and surrounding the locking means, an elongated piece connected to the locking head and having a plurality of locking projections spaced along the elongated piece, the elongated piece being inserted through a hole through the base of the locking head and through the locking means when the fastening device is used, and a first one of the locking projections is held by the locking means to prevent the elongated piece from being withdrawn from the locking head to open the fastening device, the security cover comprising: 
 A cup shaped piece having an opening in one side and a top and a bottom with the distance between the top and bottom inside the cup being slightly higher than the overall height of the locking head and shroud, there being a hole through the top and through the bottom of the cup, the dimensions of the hole through the top and bottom of the cup being only slightly larger than cross sectional dimensions of the elongated piece, the width of the cup shaped piece inside the cup being slightly wider than the width of the wider of the locking head or shroud,    wherein when the cup shaped piece is used to provide security against opening the fastening device the cup opening is slid over the locking head of the fastening device so that the holes through the top and bottom of the cup shaped piece are approximately coaxially aligned with the hole through the base of the locking head, the elongated piece is then inserted through the hole through the bottom of the cup shaped piece, through the hole through the base of the locking head, through the locking means inside the shroud, and through the hole though the top of the cup shaped piece, and one of the locking projections is held by the locking means, the cup shaped piece then cannot be removed and it prevents access to the locking means inside the shroud to withdraw the elongated piece from the locking head.