Bulk coin bag, top fill

Abstract

 This invention is concerned with a bag (1) to contain bank notes or coins in bulk comprising a sheet of thermo plastics material folded over to provide two overlapping parts and which is marginally heat sealed near its edges with security printing between the marginal side edges and transversely heat sealed adjacent one of the folded over edges and having a cut out part (16) to form a carrying handle portion between the fold of the sheet and the heat seal and wherein part of the folded over part (6) outside the tranverse heat seal constitutes a flap (18) to engage the other of the folded over parts to close the bag when the flap part is folded into contact with the other of the folded over parts to seal the bag.

Description

[0001] This invention has reference to bags and more particularly, but not exclusively, to bags capable of receiving bank note bags and coin bags in bulk and for use in transporting the coin bags in bulk from one location to another, usually from one bank to another bank.

[0002] In our British Patent Specifications Nos. 1072696 and 1334831 there are described certain bags suitable to contain coins. Bags in accordance with British Patent No 1334831 are made to contain for example £5 worth of 10p pieces; or £5 worth of 5p pieces; or 50p worth of 2p pieces or 50p worth of 1p pieces. Such bags have been widely used but when transporting coin from one bank branch to another bank branch it is required to transport coins of a far larger value than is contained in one bag. Accordingly many of such bags have been loaded into a bulk bag usually of hard wearing fabric material or strong plastics material.

[0003] In our British Patent Specification Nos 1132419, 1449783, 1523933 and 2132585 and European Patent No 0105581 there are described various bags suitable for containing bank notes. Such bags have included certain kinds of security printing and adhesive to prevent misuse of such bags.

[0004] Also British Specification No 2193484 describes a bag for transporting articles for example for transporting coins in bulk comprising a front panel and a back panel sealed together by side welds and with a slit opening across the front panel with a membrane underlying the opening and carrying an adhesive for sealing the bag.

[0005] Also British Specification No 2212476 decribes a bag with a front wall and a longer rear wall with lateral side seams with an intermediate transverse seam to define a closed cell the closed cell containing an additional layer of strengthening material.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bag. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved bags suitable for transporting coins and bank notes in bulk in a suitable and convenient manner.

[0007] According to the present invention a bag to contain bank notes or coin in bulk comprises. a sheet of thermo plastics material folded over to provide two overlapping parts and which is marginally heat sealed near its edges with security printing between the marginal side edges and transversely heat sealed adjacent one of the folded over edges and having a cut out part to form a carrying handle portion between the fold of the sheet and the transverse heat seal and wherein part of the folded over overlapping part extending beyond the tranverse heat seal constitutes a flap to engage the other of the folded over overlapping parts to close the bag when the flap part is folded into contact with the other of the folded over parts to seal the bag.

[0008] A bag in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig 1 is a plan view of a bag partly folded back and partly cut away and

Fig 2 is a sectional view of the bag.

[0009] Referring to the drawings a bulk bag 1 is formed from a length of thermoplastics material such polyethylene or polypropylene or of nylon. The length of material is folded about a foldline 2 to form the top of the bag 3 and about a foldline 4 to form the bottom 5 of the bag . The folded over front face parts 6 and 7 of the bag overlap and form a bag mouth. The length of material is divided into bag widths by a cutting operation preferably using a hot wire or hot knife or the like.

[0010] The length of sheet before cutting is printed with areas 8 of security printing which are located at the opposite longitudinal side margins of the bag when divided up to the line of transverse heat seal to be hereinafter described and an area 8a of security printing is located near the end edge of the inner front face folded over part 6 of the bag adjacent the other folded over part 7. A logo 10 is applied to the bag to specify the name of the bank handling or issuing the coins in the bag 1 and an indication 12 of the value of the bank notes or coins in the bag is also applied. Also blocks 13 of colourare printed on the bag, a label 14 is applied to the bag to which a tellers stamp and confirming signature may be applied to confirm the amount of coin in the bulk bag 1 is correct.

[0011] The security printing 8 is preferably printed in a solvent soluble ink comprised of two or more dyestuffs.

[0012] A transverse line of heat seal 15 is applied to the bag in the fold over part 6 between its outer edge and the foldline 2 and a cut out 16 is formed adjacent the foldline 2 and between the foldline 2 and the line of heat seal 15. The cut out 16 is intended to serve to receive the fingers of a person to carry the bag and enable the upper part of the bag to serve as a carrying handle, a reinforcing heat seal 16a is provided outside the periphery of the cut-out 16 to reinforce the carrying handle. Longitudinal lines of heat seal 17 are applied to the margins of the bag just within the areas 8 of security printing at the edges of the bag. The outer end of the fold over part 6 between the line of heat seal 15 and the outer edge of the fold over part 6 constitutes a flap 18 at a position where the flap overlies the folded over part 7 of the bag. The part 7 is coated with an area of adhesive 19 which is covered by a barrier coating 20 preferably comprising a barrier coated tape applied over a layer of adhesive to prevent the flap being secured to a surface before the coating is removed. The rear side of the flap 18 that is the side adjacent to and overlies the area of adhesive 19 is provided with security printing 8a. This security printing 8a is also preferably printed in a solvent soluble ink comprised of two or more dyestuffs. Micro-holes 21 are formed in the bag to allow for any air trapped in the bag to be allowed to escape.

[0013] It is preferred that the transverse lines 15 of heat seal and the longitudinal line 17 of heat seal are applied when the longitudinal sheet is divided into bag lengths. It will be apparent that the transverse line 15 of heat seal prevents any bank note bags or coin bags dropping out of the handle cut out 16 of the bulk bag in use.

[0014] The security printing is preferably made up of the name of the bank or user repeatedly printed in small print across or along the bag as described in British Patent Specification no 1365240.

[0015] A bulk bag as described may have transverse width of about 11ins (28 cms) and a depth between the fold lines 2 and 4 of about 14.75ins (37cms). The flap has a depth of about 1.75 ins (4.3cms). The transverse heat seal line 15 is about 3.25ins (8cms) from the fold line 2 and parallel to the foldline.

[0016] In use a bag as described is used in a bank to transport bags of coin in bulk. The bag 1 is positioned so that the coin bags may be loaded into the bulk bag probably employing a hopper, scoop or by hand. When a required number of bags containing the required value of bank notes or coins is inserted into the bulk bag, the bulk bag is closed by closing the flap of the bag over the folded over part 7 and removing the barrier coating 20 from the flap 18 and folding the flap so that the security printing area on the flap 18 engages the adhesive 19 on the part 7 to ensure that the bag is closed and so that a warning will be given if the bag is tampered with.

[0017] The bag may be opened by cutting transversely across the bag within the line of transverse heat seal 15.

Claims

1 A bag to contain bank notes or coins in bulk comprising a sheet of thermo plastics material folded over to provide two overlapping parts and which is marginally heat sealed near its edges with security printing between the marginal side edges and transversely heat sealed adjacent one of the folded over edges and having a cut out part to form a carrying handle portion between the fold of the sheet and the transverse heat seal and wherein part of the folded over overlapping part extending beyond the tranverse heat seal constitutes a flap to engage the other of the folded over overlapping parts to close the bag when the flap part is folded into contact with the other of the folded over parts to seal the bag.

2 A bag according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the folded over parts is provided with adhesive means to retain the bag sealed when closed and which adhesive means is folded into contact with security printing on the other folded over part.

3 A bag according to claim 2 wherein the adhesive means comprises an area of adhesive covered by a removable barrier coating on the inner of the folded over parts.

4 A bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bag has a label or colour area applied to the front face to enable data (for example to receive a singature or tellers stamp) to be applied to the bag.

5 A bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the longitudinal lines of heat seal are located adjacent the margins of the bag just within the areas of security printing at the edges of the bag.

Drawing