PADLOCK SEAL

A molded thermoplastic body (14) is formed with a rectangular cavity (18). A molded thermoplastic insert (16) is welded to the body (14) in the cavity (1 6) and has a top cross member, a stem (50) member and a bottom member. The stem member (50) has a plurality of molded fingers (56, 58, 78, 80) cantilevered on opposing sides inclined relative to the stem member longitudinal axis in one embodiment. The stem member (50) forms the cavity into two channels. A wire shackle which may be round or square in section, a wire or molded plastic, i s U-shaped with two legs (26, 28). One leg (26) is formed with notches (36, 38 ) to receive the tips of the fingers (56, 58) in one channel and the other leg (28) is formed with a reversibly bent barb (46) which engages the fingers (7 8, 80) in the other channel on the opposite side of the cavity. The bottom memb er limits the insertion depth of the legs. The notches (36, 38) and barb (46) engage the fingers (56, 58, 78, 80) and lock the shackle (12) to the body. When the shackle (12) is severed, and the notched leg (26) rotated to disengage the notches in the leg from the fingers to remove the leg from the body, the other leg (28) with the barb (46) can not be rotated and readily removed to thereby provide evidence of tampering. Other embodiments are disclosedincluding providing the notched leg with squared sides and an entrance opening into the corresponding channel that is square to preclude rotation of the notched leg and shackles of different configurations.