Importance

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Abstract

A self-locking tie for tying bundles of articles such as cables has an elongated tongue with ratchet teeth on one face and one end of which may be passed through a locking head at the other end of the tongue to form a closed loop about matter being tied with the ratchet teeth on the outside of the loop. The locking head includes a resilient pawl for engaging the tongue and holding it between the pawl and an opposed abutment surface against release. In addition, on the same side of the locking head as the pawl, the locking head includes a plurality of fixed teeth engageable by the tongue ratchet teeth. On insertion of the tongue and first tightening thereof, any tension in the tongue on release of the tightening force is taken by the pawl either alone or together with the fixed teeth. However, on increased tightening of the tie to squeeze the matter being tied and upon release of the increased tightening force, the forces of the matter being tied in reaction to the squeezing of the tie cause the angle of the tongue about the locking head to change whereby the tongue is urged into tight engagement with the fixed teeth so that the retention of the tongue in the locking head is effected mainly by the fixed teeth relieving the loading upon the pawl.

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First Claim