Pocketed spring buckle improvements

• US 3,879,810 A
• Filed: 11/09/1973
• Issued: 04/29/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ancra InternationalLLC (The Heico Cos. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Ernest Prete Jr, Howard Thomas Knox
• Inventors: Prete, Ernest Jr., Knox, Howard Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelak, Bernard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/414,458
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 24/171,194,196,74
• US Class Current: 24/194
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/16 Strap held by spring action
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3409 Resilient cooperating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4079 Sliding part of wedge

Abstract

An improved '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'captured wedge'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' buckle in one preferred embodiment exhibiting the features of a spring-urged wedge held within a housing with a helical coil return spring housed within, being mounted thereby by a prescribed efficient, simple assembly technique, the wedge adapted to slide flat along a base to engage its web against an opposing inner tapered frictional surface of the housing, the housing being formed to exhibit a compact profile.

Claims

1. A buckle for securing strap means comprising a housing having oppositely positioned side wall portions, and oppositely positioned top and bottom wall portions, the opposite ends of said housing being open, the top and bottom wall portions converging towards one of said housing ends, a shaft attached to said housing and extending between the side wall portions thereof, a wedge member slidably retained in said housing on said shaft, said wedge member having an elongated slot formed therein, said shaft being fitted in said slot to permit longitudinal movement of said wedge member relative to said housing, said wedge member haing a tapered forward portion, said forward portion facing towards said one of said housing ends towards which the top and bottom housing wall portions converge, spring means mounted in said housing for resiliently urging the forward portion of said wedge member towards said one of said housing ends, said wedge member having a second elongated slot opening out of a face thereof and extending substantially normally to said first mentioned slot, said spring being fitted in said second slot, one end of said spring abutting against an end wall of said second slot, and means on said housing for securing a first portion of the strap means thereto, a second portion of the strap means being fitted between the wedge member and the housing, said spring means urging the forward portion of said wedge member against the second portion of the strap means to clamp the strap means between the wedge member and the converging top and bottom housing wall portions.

2. The buckle of claim 1 wherein said shaft is attached to said housing near the end of said housing opposite to said one of said ends thereof towards which the top and bottom housing wall portions converge.

3. The buckle of claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises a coil spring, the other end of said spring being connected to said shaft.

4. The buckle of claim 1 wherein the tapered forward portion of said wedge member has a toothed portion which abuts against the strap means.

5. The buckle of claim 1 wherein said means for securing said first portion of the strap means to the housing comprises a bar formed in said housing, said first portion being wrapped around said bar.

6. The buckle of claim 1 wherein said means for securing the first portion of the strap means to the housing comprises an L-shaped locking clamp, a shaft fixedly attached to the housing, the clamp being rotatably supported on said shaft, said clamp having a toothed section which engages the strap means and clamps it to the housing when the clamp is rotated to a locking position.

7. The buckle of claim 1 wherein said wedge member has serrated knob portions formed on opposite sides thereof to facilitate manual movement thereof relative to the housing to effect release of the second portion of the strap means.

8. The buckle of claim 1 and further including a quick release cord secured to the wedge member to facilitate movement of said wedge member relative to the housing.