Bundle binding strap

Abstract

A bundle binding strap having a pair of congruent superimposed bands of flexible sheet material, preferably of polyethylene film, having opposite side edges, the bands being bonded to each other along transverse strips extended between the side edges in spaced relation longitudinally of the bands to define bundle receiving openings therebetween, said strips individually having opposite side edges spaced longitudinally of the bands and weakened tear lines intermediate their side edges extended between the side edges of the bands.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to binding straps and more particularly to such straps used in the binding of bundles of paper and the like.

The invention resulted from efforts to solve long recognized problems in the binding of bundles of paper currency and is conveniently illustrated in connection with such use.

Banks and other business establishments involved in the counting and bundling of paper currency, normally bundle the currency in packages each containing one hundred bills of a common denomination. The usual procedure is to segregate currency of random denominations into separate denominations, count the currency into its one hundred bill bundles, and bind the bundles with paper straps. The paper straps are provided with either pressure sensitive adhesives or adhesives which must be moistened before use, as by licking. Bank policy requires that the straps must be discarded after a single use. Thus, each strap is intended to bundle only a single package of currency. Although such paper straps have not proved satisfactory, no better binding straps have been available prior to the present invention and the banks of the United States have used approximately 75 million such straps a year.

Unfortunately, the adhesive securing of such straps about bundles of currency has not been dependable either because of its inherent limitations or careless or improper use. Thus, such straps are many times released from their bundles because of adhesive failure either upon initial installation or subsequently.

Further, even if such adhesive performs its intended function, the paper straps are not as durable as desired. As the paper straps are manually applied, their tension varies greatly. Those that are excessively tensioned frequently fail and those that are insufficiently tensioned do not dependably hold the currency they are intended to bundle.

Still further, bundles of currency are frequently extensively handled. Such handling results in the wearing, weakening and occasional failure of such paper straps and many times the edges of the currency actually slice the straps where the latter are tensioned about the edges of the currency.

When such straps fail, the sudden release of the bound bundles of currency frequently results in the widespread dispersal of the currency, the hazard of loss of portions of the currency and the necessity of regathering, restacking, recounting, and rebinding the currency.

The foregoing difficulties are neither fanciful nor infrequent, they are difficulties with which banks and other business establishments having need to bundle currency have long been confronted and to which there has been no satisfactory solution known prior to the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to overcome the long experienced difficulties encountered by the failure of previously known paper bundle binding straps.

Another object is to provide an improved binding strap for bundles of currency and the like.

Another object is to provide such binding straps which are automatically of substantially the same tension and which obviate the difficulties incident to manual tensioning of binding straps about bundles of paper.

Another object is to provide such a binding strap which is more conveniently, easily, and speedily employed than those previously known for the purpose.

Another object is to provide such a binding strap which is durable and dependable.

Another object is to provide a binding strap for bundles of paper which is more sanitary than those previously employed utilizing adhesive requiring moistening before use.

Another object is to provide improved binding straps for currency and the like which is adapted to receive ink for marking purposes.

Another object is to provide a binding strap for currency which resists wear, slicing by edges of the currency, and tearing.

A further object is to provide such binding straps serially connected in a roll from which the individual straps can conveniently and easily be severed for utilization.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent in the subsequent description in the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side view of a roll of bundle binding straps embodying the principles of the present invention disposed in a suitable dispensing device shown in vertical section.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the roll of binding straps of FIG. 1 shown removed from the dispensing device for illustrative convenience.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a single binding strap of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the binding strap of FIG. 3 illustrating the manual insertion of a bundle of currency into the strap.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bundle of currency bound by a strap of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, a roll of bundle binding straps of the present invention is shown at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2. An individual strap 11 is best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. In FIG. 1 the roll 10 is shown mounted in any suitable dispenser 12 for rotation about a hub 13 as a leading end 14 of the roll is drawn over a tear plate or knife 15 provided by the dispenser.

As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the strap 11 employs a pair of superimposed elongated bands 20 of flexible sheet material having opposite side edges 21. The bands are preferably of polyethylene, (C.sub.2 H.sub.4).sub.n, film or any other now known or subsequently discovered wear and tear resistant sheet material such as cellulose acetate, acetate-butyrate, polyester resins, or the like. The bands are congruent, superimposed, and bonded to each other along transverse strips 22 extended between the side edges 21. The bonding of the bands along the strips 22 is conveniently accomplished by the application of heat and the strips are disposed in uniform spaced relation longitudinally of the bands to form currency receiving openings 23 therebetween. The strips individually have opposite side edges 24 spaced longitudinally of the bands and between which weakened tear lines 25 are provided, as by perforating. The successive straps are conveniently severed from each other along the tear lines 25 by tensioning the same over the tear plate 15 or by any other suitable means. When the tear lines are severed, each band is left with oppositely endwardly extended tabs 26. Thus, it will be seen that the roll 10 consists of a succession of serially connected bundled receiving loops of flexible sheet material having web portions formed by the strips 22 provided with the weakened tear lines 25 whereby the loops can be separated for independent use.

The straps 11 have inwardly disposed surfaces 30 which are calendered to a high gloss and outwardly disposed surfaces 31 which are slightly abraided, scuffed, roughened or otherwise adapted to receive ink. Indicia 32 is printed on the outwardly disposed surfaces to designate the denomination of currency which the strap is intended to convey. Obviously, any other desired indicia instructions, advertising or the like can be provided. Also the outwardly disposed surface is adapted for marking by a teller's stamp.

OPERATION

The operation of the binding straps of the present invention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. Successive straps 11 are severed from the roll 10, as needed. This is accomplished by tearing along the tear lines 25 as by tensioning the tear lines across the tear plate 15 or by any other suitable means.

As each strap is employed, its opening 23 is distended by moving opposite ends of the strap toward each other. In FIGS. 4 and 5, a bundle of currency is shown at 40. The person binding the bundle, whose hand is fragmentarily represented at 41, then grasps the bundle and transversely arches an end thereof so that it can conveniently be slid into the distended strap. Since the inwardly disposed surface 30 is calendered to a high gloss, it has a very low coefficient of friction as the currency 40 is inserted into the strap and such insertion is thereby facilitated. When so positioned, the bundle of currency is released from the user's hand and readily flattens itself into the condition shown in FIG. 5. The strap is preferably provided centrally of the bundle of currency and as the currency flattens, it tensions the strap for dependable holding action. Since successive straps are identical, and the currency is identical, the straps are uniformly tensioned and the wide variation in such tensioning of conventionally known straps is obviated.

So bound, the denomination of the bundle of currency 40 is indicated by the indicia 32. The person binding the bundles can also stamp or otherwise impress upon the strap information desired with respect to the bundles. As the bundles are stacked, the tabs 26 are laterally extended therefrom for convenient and easy bundle identification and grasping convenience.

The straps 11 are easily and economically formed. The bonding of the strips 22 achieves an interconnection of the bands which is as dependable as the bands themselves. The straps are sanitary in that they require no moistening to bind the bundles of currency. Except where weakened along the tear lines 25, the bands 20 are wear resistant, tear resistant, and cannot be cut by the edges of the currency. The straps can be more expeditiously employed than conventional straps intended for the purpose and once positioned in binding relation to a bundle of currency or the like dependably bind the bundle indefinitely, completely eliminating the inconvenience, hazards of loss, and wasted time resulting from the failure of conventional straps.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative details disclosed.

Claims

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A currency bundle binding strap comprising a pair of elongated band segments of flexible sheet material having opposite ends, corresponding ends of the segments being bonded flatly against each other to define a currency receiving opening therebetween and between the segments and said bonded ends of the segments forming tabs endwardly extended from the segments.

2. The strap of claim 1 in which the segments are separable between the bonded ends to distend the opening to receive a bundle of currency and when such a bundle is received the tabs are laterally extended from such bundle.

3. The strap of claim 1 in which the segments are of polyethylene film and said ends are heat bonded.

4. The strap of claim 1 in which the segments have facing surfaces calendered to a high gloss slidably to receive the currency and the outer surface is slightly roughened to receive markings thereon.

5. A currency bundle binding strap comprising a pair of superimposed elongated bands of flexible sheet material having opposite side edges, said bands being bonded to each other along transverse strips extended between the side edges in spaced relation longitudinally of the bands to form currency receiving openings therebetween bounded on opposite sides by the opposite bands, said strips individually having opposite side edges spaced longitudinally of the bands and weakened tear lines intermediate their opposite side edges extended between the side edges of the bands.

6. The strap of claim 5 in which the bands are of polyethylene film and the strips are heat bonded together.

7. The strap of claim 5 in which the portions of the strips on opposite sides of the tear line form tabs which when the tear lines are severed are endwardly extended from respective segments of the straps thus formed.