Tamper indicator

A seal for providing an indication of tampering with a connection nut enclosed thereby comprising:

• first and second separate unconnected, interlockable collar portions for forming a collar for surrounding a connection nut,
• each of said first and second collar portions including an outer wall having an inner and an outer surface,
• first and second walls formed integrally with said outer wall and extending in substantially parallel spaced relationship therefrom, said first and second walls extending substantially normal to said outer wall and each terminating at an inner edge, the inner edges of the first and second walls of said first collar portion cooperating with the inner edges of the first and second walls respectively of said second collar portion to define enclosed openings in said collar when said first and second collar portions are interlocked, said outer wall and first and second walls terminating at first and second spaced end edges, said first end edge being in a plane which is spaced outwardly beyond the plane of said second end edge, the first end edge of each of said first and second collar portions abutting the second end edge of the other collar portion when the first and second collar portions are interlocked,
• a cuff located adjacent the second end edge and being formed integrally with said outer and first and second walls to extend completely around and outwardly of said second end edge, said cuff extending from said outer and first and second walls beyond said second end edge for a distance which is at least equal to the distance between the planes of said first and second end edges so that the cuff will extend over the abutting first and second end edges of said first and second collar portions when the first and second collar portions are interlocked,
• and first and second spaced fastening means on each of said first and second collar portions with the first fastening means of each collar portion being adapted to engage and interlock with the second fastening means of the remaining collar portion at a location spaced inwardly from the first and second walls and the inner surface of the outer walls of said first and second collar portions to form said collar, said first fastening means including a first elongate member affixed at a base end thereof to the inner surface of said outer wall at a location spaced from but adjacent to said first end edge, said first elongate member having a free end opposite to said base end thereof which is spaced inwardly from the inner surface of said outer wall and which extends to and terminates at a terminal edge spaced outwardly beyond the plane of said first end edge, the free end of said first elongate member being provided with a first catch means on the portion thereof which extends outwardly beyond the plane of said first end edge, and said second fastening means including a second elongate member affixed at a base end thereof to the inner surface of said outer wall at a location spaced from but adjacent to said second end edge, said second elongate member having a free end opposite to said base end thereof which is spaced inwardly from the inner surface of said outer wall and which extends to and terminates at a terminal edge spaced outwardly beyond the plane of said second end edge but positioned within the confines of said cuff, the free end of said second elongate member being provided with a second catch means for engaging and interlocking with the first catch means of an adjoining collar portion when said first and second collar portions are interlocked, the free end of one of said first and second elongate members being spaced from the inner surface of said outer wall a greater distance than the free end of the remaining elongate member, said first and second elongate members and said first and second catch means being located and formed so that said first catch means of a first of said collar portions will engage the second catch means of a second said collar portions during but prior to the interlocking thereof to cause relative flexure between the free ends of said first and second elongate members, said first fastening means including a single reinforcing rib extending between the inner surface of said outer wall and said first elongate member, said single reinforcing rib being secured to said first elongate member substantially centrally thereof and being spaced substantially below said first end edge, said second fastening means including at least two spaced reinforcing ribs extending between the inner surface of said outer wall and said second elongate member.