US4001898A — Fixed dog ladder strap

Claim 1

Independent Claim 196 words

A self-locking cable tie for forming a plurality of elongate objects such as wires into a bundle and comprising: an elongate flexible strap positionable about the objects to be bundled and including a plurality of spaced transversely extending abutments, said strap being of the ladder type having a pair of spaced, generally longitudinally extending side rails, said abutments constitute rungs joining said rails; a head extending from adjacent one end of said strap, having a strap entrance face and a strap exit face, and having a transverse aperture extending between said faces for receiving the distal end of said strap; non-pivotal locking means carried by said head and extending into said aperture for securely engaging a preselected one of said abutments; and pusher means carried by said head and extending into said aperture and responsive to retrograde movement of the strap to push the abutment to be held into engagement with said locking means, said pusher means having a position wherein its spacing from said locking means is sufficient to permit strap passage therebetween whereby said strap can be threaded with relatively low force as said pusher means is not required to resist strap withdrawal forces.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 196 words

A self-locking cable tie for forming a plurality of elongate objects such as wires into a bundle and comprising: an elongate flexible strap positionable about the objects to be bundled and including a plurality of spaced transversely extending abutments, said strap being of the ladder type having a pair of spaced, generally longitudinally extending side rails, said abutments constitute rungs joining said rails; a head extending from adjacent one end of said strap, having a strap entrance face and a strap exit face, and having a transverse aperture extending between said faces for receiving the distal end of said strap; non-pivotal locking means carried by said head and extending into said aperture for securely engaging a preselected one of said abutments; and pusher means carried by said head and extending into said aperture and responsive to retrograde movement of the strap to push the abutment to be held into engagement with said locking means, said pusher means having a position wherein its spacing from said locking means is sufficient to permit strap passage therebetween whereby said strap can be threaded with relatively low force as said pusher means is not required to resist strap withdrawal forces.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

A tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strap is made of a plastic material comprising stretch-oriented molecules.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

A tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking means and said pusher means are integral with said head.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

A tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking means and said pusher means extend oppositely into said aperture.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

A tie as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pusher means comprises a finger pivotally connected to said head and wherein said head includes a slot adjoining said aperture and extending from said finger towards said strap exit face thereby permitting deflection of said finger upon threading of the strap into the head.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 67 words

A tie as set forth in claim 2 wherein said finger extends from adjacent the strap and wherein a portion of the surface of the finger closest the strap exit face extends away from said strap and toward said strap entry face to push said strap toward said locking means upon attempted strap withdrawal, said portion being closer to said strap exit face than said locking means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

A tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking means is a fixed dog shaped to extend between adjacent rungs of said strap.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

A tie as set forth in claim 2 wherein the surface of said dog closest said strap exit face is a concavity and defines a saddle for seating the rung to be engaged.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

A tie as set forth in claim 9 wherein said dog and said pusher means extend from opposite directions into the aperture with the pusher means extending from adjacent the strap and wherein the surface of the dog closest the strap entry face extends toward the strap and toward the strap exit face to guide the strap against the pusher means upon insertion of the strap into the aperture.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

A tie as set forth in claim 8 wherein said pusher means comprises a finger pivotally connected to said head, said finger having a reduced thickness neck joining said head.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

A tie as set forth in claim 10 wherein said neck is closer to said strap exit face than most of the surface of the locking means engagable with the rung to be held.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

A tie as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strap and said head are joined by a transitional portion which has a cross section greater than the cross section of said rails.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 46 words

A tie as set forth in claim 12 wherein said strap is made of a plastic material of stretch-oriented molecules and said transitional portion is made of a plastic material having relatively non-oriented molecules and wherein said transitional portion includes a joint of reduced cross section.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 157 words

A self-locking harness for forming a plurality of elongate objects such as wires into a bundle comprising: an elongate flexible ladder strap positionable about the objects to be bundled and including at least one longitudinally extending rail and spaced transverse rungs extending from said rail; a head extending from one end of said strap, having respective strap entry and strap exit faces, and having a transverse aperture extending between the faces for receiving the free end of the strap; an abutment fixed to said head and extending into the aperture and engagable with a preselected one of said rungs; and pusher means pivotally carried by the head, extending into said aperture, and responsive to retrograde movement of said strap to push the strap into engagement with said abutments, said pusher means having a position wherein its spacing from said abutment is sufficient to permit strap passage therebetween whereby the strap can be threaded with relatively low force.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 157 words

A self-locking harness for forming a plurality of elongate objects such as wires into a bundle comprising: an elongate flexible ladder strap positionable about the objects to be bundled and including at least one longitudinally extending rail and spaced transverse rungs extending from said rail; a head extending from one end of said strap, having respective strap entry and strap exit faces, and having a transverse aperture extending between the faces for receiving the free end of the strap; an abutment fixed to said head and extending into the aperture and engagable with a preselected one of said rungs; and pusher means pivotally carried by the head, extending into said aperture, and responsive to retrograde movement of said strap to push the strap into engagement with said abutments, said pusher means having a position wherein its spacing from said abutment is sufficient to permit strap passage therebetween whereby the strap can be threaded with relatively low force.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-01-11	1980-07-12	1981-01-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-01-11	1984-07-12	1985-01-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-01-11	1988-07-12	1989-01-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fixed dog ladder strap

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