Unitized security seal

A unitized security seal comprising:

• a shackle;
• an engagement housing with a passage for receiving the shackle;
• at least two locking members spaced from each other along the shackle,
• the locking members each having at least one undercut extending from the surface of the locking member to an undercut floor, the undercuts each having an entry and an exit generally along the longitudinal axis of the shackle;
• at least one pin located within the engagement housing passage with a nose portion oriented to engage the undercuts when the shackle is passed through the passage,
• with at least one of the undercuts including a frangible wall member extending between the entry and exit openings at an angle of about 10° to 20° to the longitudinal axis of the shackle to form a narrowed passage at the exit of the undercut, the frangible member being positioned to guide the shackle past the pin as the shackle is advanced into the engagement housing and to resist removal of the shackle from the engagement housing until a sufficient force is applied to shear away the frangible member.

A unitized security seal comprising:

• a shackle;
• an engagement housing with a passage for receiving the shackle;
• proximal, intermediate and distal locking members spaced along the shackle,
• a plug at the distal end of the shackle dimensioned to inhibit access to the engagement housing passage, the plug having an engagement slot with a floor that extends across the spherical plug generally in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the shackle,
• each of the locking members having at least one undercut opening to the locking member outer surface with the corresponding floors in communication with each other and with the engagement slot of the plug,
• the undercuts of adjacent locking members being offset from each other;
• at least one pin located within the engagement housing passage oriented to engage the engagement slot of the plug and the undercuts of the locking members when the shackle is passed through the passage;
• and
• in which the intermediate locking member undercut includes a frangible member for engaging the pin to resist removal of the shackle from the engagement housing until a sufficient force is applied to shear away the frangible member.

A unitized security seal comprising:

• a shackle;
• an engagement housing with a passage for receiving the shackle;
• at least a proximal and a distal locking member spaced along the shackle,
• each of the locking members having at least one undercut opening to the locking member outer surface,
• the undercuts of adjacent locking members being offset from each other;
• and
• at least one pin located within the passage oriented to engage the undercuts when the shackle is passed through the passage;
• and
• an arrow member having wings projecting beyond the outer profile of the distal locking member joined to the distal end of the shackle by a frangible link, the wings having sufficient resiliency to permit them to be compressed inwardly to enter and pass through the engagement housing and to return generally to their original shape when they emerge from the housing passage to engage the top edge of the engagement after they emerge from the housing passage to resist removal of the shackle from the engagement housing,
• whereby forcing the shackle from the housing will shear away the frangible member providing an indication that the security seal has been breached.

A unitized security seal comprising:

• a shackle;
• an engagement housing with a cylindrical passage for receiving the shackle;
• at least two locking members with a cylindrical outer profile spaced from each other along the shackle,
• the locking members each having at least one undercut extending from the cylindrical outer surface of the locking member to an undercut floor, the cylindrical outer profile being dimensioned to achieve a tight slideable fit within the cylindrical passage of the engagement housing and undercuts in the locking members each having an entry and an exit generally along the longitudinal axis of the shackle;
• at least one pin located within the engagement housing passage with a nose portion oriented to engage the undercuts when the shackle is passed through the passage,
• with at least one of the undercuts including a frangible wall member extending between the entry and exit openings at an angle of about 10° to 20° to the longitudinal axis of the shackle to form a narrowed passage at the exit of the undercut, the frangible member being positioned to guide the shackle past the pin as the shackle is advanced into the engagement housing and to resist removal of the shackle from the engagement housing until a sufficient force is applied to shear away the frangible member.

A unitized security seal comprising:

• a shackle;
• an engagement housing with a cylindrical passage for receiving the shackle;
• at least one locking member with a cylindrical outer profile on the shackle,
• the locking member having at least one undercut extending from the cylindrical outer surface of the locking member to an undercut floor, the cylindrical outer profile being dimensional to achieve a tight slideable fit within the cylindrical passage of the engagement housing, and the undercut in the locking member having an entry and an exit generally along the longitudinal axis of the shackle;
• at least one pin located within the engagement housing passage oriented to extend into the undercut when the locking member on the shackle is passed through the passage;
• the undercut including a frangible member in the form of an upstanding wall projecting away from the floor of the undercut, positioned between its entry and its exit for engaging the pin, the upstanding wall having a proximal edge, the pin having a trailing edge, and the proximal edge of the wall engaging the trailing edge of the pin to resist removal of the shackle from the engagement housing until a sufficient force is applied to shear away the frangible member;
• and
• a wall spur located at the proximal edge of the wall and a base spur located at the trailing edge of the pin, the wall spur and the base spur being positioned to interlock to resist rotation and removal of the shackle from the engagement housing.