GB2130632A - Ligature - Google Patents

Description

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GB 2 130 632 A

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SPECIFICATION Ligature

5 The present invention relates to an improved ligature (ortie) which may be used, for example, for tyingthetopofabagorsack.

It is well knowntoclosethetopofafull bag or sack by tightening a ligature about a neck formed in the 10 bag. The neck isformed by holding and twisting a portion of the bag adjacent the opening. The ligature may simply be a length of wire, the ends of which are twisted together after the wire has been passed around the neck.

15 Asecond known ligature comprises a filament of flexible material having an eye at a first end through which the second end can pass. The inner surface of the eye and the outer surface of the filament cooperate to preventthe loopformed by the ligature from 20 loosening. Forthis reason, the cooperating surfaces may be roughened or shaped to provide increased friction between the eye and thefilament.

Successful application of a ligature, particularlyto a full bag, can be hard to achieve. The bag may be 25 difficult to support in a convenient position, and there is a tendency for the neck of the bag to untwist while the ends of the ligature are being connected, orthe ligature is being tightened.

The present invention provides a ligature fortying 30 articles comprising a flexible filament describing a curve in a first plane and having first and second terminal portions,thefirstterminal portion being adapted so as to be capable of being hooked onto the filament adjacentthe second terminal portion, to be 35 slidably engageable with the filament.

While the known ligatures described above require two hands to connect the ends of the ligature, a ligature according to the invention may be passed around a bag with one hand. The user's first hand can 40 also connectthe ends of the ligature and tighten it about the neck. The user's second hand is therefore free to provide supportforthe bag and to preventthe neckfrom untwisting throughout the operation, until the ligature has been successfully applied and tight-45 ened.

Two embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:—

Figs. 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the ligature according to the invention and indicates its method of 50 use, and

Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 1, the first embodiment of the ligature 10comprisesaflexiblefilament 12which may be, for instance, of 1 mm diameter copper wire, or 55 another malleable metal. Thefilament describes a curve in a first plane, which is the plane of the paper in Fig. 1.Thefirstterminal portion 14forms a portion of a spiral in a second plane, which is perpendicular to the paperinFig. 1. Thefirstterminal portion 14maybe 60 hooked onto thefilament 12 adjacentthe second terminal portion 16. When hooked onto the filament 12, the second terminal portion 14isslidablealongthe filament 12, and the ligature 10 forms a closed loop. Forease of use, the ligature 10should be formed so 65 that before use,the spiral portion 14and the filament

12adjacentthe second terminal portion 16areonly separated by a narrow gap 18.

The second terminal portion 16 isformed into a ring by tightly wrapping the encH7 around thefilament 12. The ring 16 so formed has dimensions which enable a fingerto be inserted therein.

The curve of the filament 12 incorporates a straight portion 20, substantially perpendicularto thefilament 12 adjacentthe ring, between the spiral portion 14 and an elbow22 in thefilament 12.

The spiral portion 14definesasufficient portion ofa spiral to enable the portion 14to be securely hooked onto the filament 12. In the case of copper wire, it has been foundthatthe ligature is satisfactory when the spiral portion 14defines one complete revolution ofa spiral. Theform of the spiral portion 14 can be varied according to the properties of the filament material.

Referring also to Figs. 2,3 and 4, the method by which the ligature 10 may be used to secure the opening ofa bag will now be described. The ligature 10 is held in one hand, with a finger through the ring 16. A neck 24 isformed in the bag in the manner described above and the ligature 10 is passed around the neck, so that the neck passes through the gap 18. The filament 12 is then around the neck 24. Thethumb of the hand holding the ligature is applied to the elbow 22 and, by pushing againstthe resilience of the wire, guides the spiral portion 14underthe past the filament 12 (the term "under" being used to indicate the position relative to the ligature which appears as "under" in the drawings).

Upon release of the elbow 22 by the thumb, the filament springs back until the spiral portion 14 surrounds the filament (see Fig. 3). The spiral portion 14 is thereby in slidable engagement with the filament adjacent the ring 16 and the ligature forms a closed loop around the neck 24 of the bag.

By pulling with thefinger in the ring 16, the closed loop formed by the ligature 10 tightens as the spiral portion 14 slides along thefilament 12 to the position shown in Fig. 4. The ring is pulled until the neck24 is held satisfactorily tightly. During application of the ligature 10, the spiral portion 14 may partially uncoil, but the bag can be secured except when it has a very narrow neck, before the spiral portion 14 disengages thefilament 12. Indeed, the end of the spiral has been observed to engage a plastic bag and to be driven into the neck of the bag as the ligature is tightened, thus securely tying the bag.

Asecond embodiment of the ligature is shown in Fig. 5. Where applicable, numerals used in Figs. 1 to 4 are used in Fig. 5to indicate corresponding parts ofthe two embodiments ofthe ligature. The ligature 10 shown in Fig. 5 is made from a flexible synthetic plastics material, for instance nylon. The plastic filament 12 has an integrally formed ring 16 at one end. Atthe other end, the filament widens into a spiral band 14. Thefilament may conveniently have a circularcross-section, but other cross-sections may of course, be used.

The ligature 10 of Fig. 5 is applied to the neck of a bag in the same way as is the first embodiment. The inner-facing surface ofthe spiral band 14 and the outer surface of thefilament 12 along a portion ofthe length ofthe filament 12, are formed to cooperate to prevent

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GB2 130 632 A

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the spiral band 14from moving along thefilament towards the ring 16, and thereby to preventthe ligature 10from loosening once it has been tightened. To this end the surface ofthe filament 12 is roughened 5 and the inside ofthe spiral band 14 is provided with ridges.

It will be seen thatthe ligatures described above are more convenient to use than known devices. The present ligature can be applied with one hand, in the 10 mannerdescribed,whilsttheuser'ssecondhand prevents the neck from untwisting. The ligature can be tightened sufficiently for the ring 16 to be used as a carrying handleforthe closed bag.

The ring 16forms a useful carrying handle by which 15 the bag can be carried. The ring can in an alternative be replaced by a T-bar at the end of the filament

While the ligature has been described for use in tying a bag, it can be used for a multitude of other purposes, forexample for holding a bundle of cable 20 together.

It will be apparentthatthe ligatures described may be made in a variety of materials, sizes and shapes according to theapplication for which they are intended, whilst remaining within the scope ofthe 25 invention. It is thoughtthat glass fibre mightform a suitable basis as an alternative material.

Claims (6)

1. A ligaturefortying articles, comprising a flexible filament describing a curve in afirst plane and 30 havingfirstandsecondterminalportions,thefirst terminal portion being adapted so as to be capable of being hooked onto the filament adjacent the second terminal portion, to be slidably engageable with the filament.

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2. A ligature according to claiml inwhichthefirst terminal portion form a portion of a spiral in a second plane.

3. A ligature according to either ofthe above claims, in which there is an elbowat an intermediate

40 point in thefilament, and the portion ofthe curve between thefirstterminal portion and the elbow is straightand substantially perpendicularto the portion ofthe curve adjacentthe second terminal portion.

4. A ligature according to any ofthe above claims, 45 in which the second terminal portion forms a ring to facilitate pulling thefilament to tighten the ligature.

5. A ligature according to any ofthe above claims, in which thefilament is deformable to preventthe 75 ligature loosening when it has been tightened.

Printed forHer Majesty's Stationery Office byTheTweeddale Press Ltd., Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1984.

Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.

5. A ligature according to any ofthe above claims, in which the filament is deformable so thatthe ligature remainstightened when the pulling ceases.

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6. A ligature according to claim 5, in which the filament is made from copper.

7. A ligature according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the filament is made from a synthetic plastics material and in which the filament along at least part

55 of its length andthefirstterminal portion cooperateto preventthe ligature loosening when it has been tightened.

8. A ligature according to claim 7, in which the synthetic plastics material is nylon.

60 9. Aligaturesubstantiallyasdescribedabovewith reference to the accompanying drawings.

Superseded claims 1 and 5 New or amended claims:—

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1. A ligature fortying articles, comprising a resilient flexible filament describing a pre-determined curve in a first plane and having first and second terminal portions, thefirst terminal portion being 70 adapted so as to be capable of being hooked onto the filamentadjacentthesecondterminal portion,to be slidably engageable with the filament.