US3548906A - Combined wire bag tie and handle - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Dana L. Murphy Nashua Road, East Pepperell, Mass. 01437 787,791

Dec. 30, 1968 Dec. 22, 1970 lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented COMBINED WIRE BAG TIE AND HANDLE 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. 150/12, 229/52, 229/54, 229/63; 16/114 Int. Cl A45c 13/26, 865d 33/06 FieldofSearch 16/110,

114; 229/54, 63, 65, 52A, 52AW, 52AL, (Handle Digest), 68C, 54C; 150/12, 33; 2l5/100A; 24/30.5; 224/5-17, 50, 55, 56, 58, 57

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,930 8/1917 Malvern et al 150/12 2,437,055 3/1948 Thompson 224/57 2,749,172 6/1956 Jacobs"; 224/57X 2,980,314 4/1961 Adams 229/63X FOREIGN PATENTS 259,274 6/1949 Switzerland 224/56 855,517 11/1952 Germany 24/24 Primary Examiner-Raphael H. Schwartz Attorney-Pearson and Pearson ABSTRACT: A container such as a potato bag, of the type normally closed by bunching the neck and twisting a wire tie i into a loop around the neck is provided with a hand grip attached to the looped tie. The closed bag may thus be lifted by the hand grip rather than by the bunched neck. The pull on the handle snubs the wire tie into a firmer grip on the neck of the bag.

comma!) WIRE also TIE HANDLE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION A wire tie closure, for potato bags is well known. One who has sought to carry a potato bag from market to car, or car to house, by gripping the elusive an slippery material of the bunched neck, will be aware that is is not an efficient handle.

It has heretofore been'proposedto provided a potato bag with a built in wire tie, asin U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,314 to Adams of Apr. 18, 1961, and it has been proposed to use a tape as a bag tie and form a loop in the tape as a handle in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,171 to O'Brien of Aug. 26, 1958-. Forming the tie into a handle loop is. also taught in U.S.f Pat. No. 3,066,846 to Domigan ofDec. 4, I962.

It will be understood that using a wire, or tape, narrow enough to be successfully tied, or twisted, as a carrying handle, by joining the terminal ends into a loop, will create an uncomfortable, small cross section loop'which'will cut into the hands when the bag is a heavy potato bag.

SUMMARY or THE rNvENr oN In this invention, therefore, the bag closing tying means is of bendable wire, and the handle means is of some material other than wire, such as sheet, or molded plastic, and the metal tie is received in an opening in the handle means. The handle means is substantially flat and relatively wide in the upper portion to include a finger aperture and offer a comfortable grip to the user. The lower portion is flexible and tough,-and tapers to a reduced width substantially conforming to the dimensions of the bunched neck of the bag. The lower portion is turned back upon itself to form an opening, or loop, which receives the central portion of the wire tie. Thehand grip thus can normally lie down against the bag, but, when grasped and lifted, it tilts the wire .tie loop to cause a snubbing action, or may even cause the wire to embed itself in the folds of paper, thereby assuring that the loop will not slip off the neck;

v BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWING FIG. -1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a device of the invention with; the hand grip not in use;'

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the'hand grip in use and the loop tilted; I j

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation, of a device-of the invention prior touse; a

FIG. 5 is a, fragmentary'view, similar to.FIG.. 3. of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. '6 is a view similar toFIG. 4 of another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIFTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in drawing, the combined bag closer and carrying handle of the invention is intended for use on a container such as the potato bag 21, such bags usually being made of heavy paper 22. AT present it is the custom to close and seal subltantially'flat hand grip 36, molded or otherwise formed from material other than wire, such as synthetic plastic or equivalent disposable, low cost sheet, or moldable, material 37. The upper portion 38 of the hand grip 36 is relatively wide to conform comfortably to the dimensions of an adult hand, and includes a iingeraperture 39 defined by the transverse bar 41 may be integral but more flexible, limp and tough to avoid breakage, or tearing. The terminal tip. 42 of lower portion 41 is turned back upon itself, and adhered by staples, adhesive or heat sealing of the plastic to create an opening, or loop, 43, which receives the central portion 44 of the wire tie 27 The tip 42 is about the same width as the diameter of the neck 24 so as to conform with its dimensions.

In FIG. 5 an embodiment is shown in which the tying means 26 is a relatively short, stiff wire 47, received in openings 48 and 49 in the tip 42. Instead of manual bending and twisting of the tie, the wire 47 is adapted to be bent into clamping engagement around neck 24 by a tool, such as. pliers, staplers, or clamping devices.

In operation, the members 20 of the invention are attached to the potato bags, after filling thereof, and fonn collapsed handles ready for use by the consumer. When the handle is lifted and the heavy bag raised, the bag pulls in one direction and thehand grip in the opposite direction, so that the wire loop cannot slip, but is tilted into a snubbed position. Upon release, however, the handle grip may assist in removing the wire loop,although it is preferred that the loops be applied tightly and require untwisting for removal.

In FIG. 6 another embodiment is shown, in which the tip 42 is of increased thickness to form a head 50, about one-fourth inch in thickness. The handle means 35 is attached to the tying means 26, when the wire loops 28 and29 are bent together, by slipping the bead 50 under the loop 30. The tightness of the parts prevents the bead from slipping out.

It will be seen that in the embodiments of FIGS. 1--5 annular means such as the openings and 49, or the opening formed by closed loop 43 serves to prevent disengagement of the handle from the tie during use as a handle on the bag, or thereafter. When the tie is separated from the bag, by unfastening or sliding, it remains attached to the handle except in the embodiment of FIG. 6.

I claim:

1. In a combined bag closer and carrying handle for use with I relatively heavy potato bags, the combination of:

40 and the lower portion 41, which tapers to a reduced width as at 42. The upper portion 38 may be somewhat rigid and of increased thickness for comfort in use, while the lower portion a substantially flat handle having a relatively wide upper portion with a finger aperture adapted to serve as a hand grip, and a relatively narrow, integral, lower portion dimensioned to conform with the dimensions of the neck of said bag when closed;

tying means comprising a bendable, wirelike element connected to said narrow lower portion of said handle for tying around said neck to closesaid bag and to permit said closed bag to be carried by said handle; and

annular means associated with the .lower portion of said handle preventing disengagement of said tying means I therefrom while mounted on said bag.

2. A combined bag closer and carrying handle as specified in claim 1, wherein:

said narrow integral lower portion of said handle is turned back upon itself to form a transverse closed loop therein;

said tying means is an elongated bendable wire received in said loop and adapted to be twisted around said neck; and

said closed loop constitutes said annular means preventing disengagement of said wire from said handle.

3. A combined bag closer and carrying handle, as specified .in claim 1, wherein:

said narrow integral lower portion of said handle includes at least one opening;

said tying means is an elongated, bendable metal wire received in said opening; and

said opening constitutes said annular means preventing dis} engagement of said wire from said handle.

4. A combined bag closer and carrying handle as specified in claim 3, wherein: t

said elongated, bendable metal wire is relatively stiff and adapted to be bent around said neck only with the mechanical advantage of a clamping tool; and said narrow lower portion of said handle is relatively limp and conformable to the bent loop of said stiff wire. 5. A combined bag closer and carrying handle comprising:

an elongated bendable wirelike element adapted tohave-its.

ends bent around theneckof a bag andtwisted together;

into a closed loopy,

a handle. grip, of substantially flat configuration, said grip having a wideiupperportion with anaperture for receiv ing the fingers-of a hand, and having an integral lower portion of reduced width includingat least one aperture receiving and retaining" the central portion of said wire against,disengagement-from said handle grip;-and

whereby when said handle is lifted, it lifts said twisted wire r loop-intoztilted position on'said neck to firmly gripsaid neck. 6. In combination;

a potato bagrof paper, having its upper'portion bunched,-

together to form an upwardly projecting neck; a wire tie looped tightly around said neck and having its ends twisted together;

a handgrip, of material other than. said bag or wire tie, havingta lower-tportionrin' secured engagement with said-wire tie loopforforming a handle on said bag; and

said lowe rrportion having at' least one aperture receiving and retaining said .wire tie thereon. 7.'Ai combination as specified in claim 6, wherein'said hand grip is of. synthetic plastic-material of predetermined stiffness,

portion ofisaid-handgrip-is of enlargedthickness forminga terminal beach:

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