AU600598B2 - Tensioning buckle - Google Patents

Description

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ruML l. anLI~*Y PATENTS ACT 1952 PATENTS ACT 1952 6 0 05 9& 1 Fom COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: t II t Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Publiched: Priority: Related Art: I II I 1 Related Art: ;r i:' i i i i

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i TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: P-Fr~ M kOW UAW-060i.

Qr 1 1QY 4- Gk?95 MIC1r4A ao80 OPOPO Actual Inventor: uGi4 JAAW6P_- Address for Service: 6R4<v M1&Htz--,PoXo KoPM0LJ. -4.o W+ tASCiOl -ac-WCc-oy C-F rN a Cz a Complete Specification for the invention entitled: T090ItE W Gu VCKL6 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- SNote: The description is t be, typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not ixceeding 250 mm in depth and 1 6 nim in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be insertid inside this form.

14699/78-L Printed byCJ1 TnoMPso, Commonwealth Government Printer, tCanberra

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tat, 1111~1~- BACKGROUND _OF. IE INVENTION: This invention relates to buckle type fittings capable of locking belt in load bearing situations.

In many situations there is a need to be able to achieve a high degree of tension in a belt, maintain the tension securely and quickly release it when desired.

While existing buckle fittings may be capable of some or all of these functions, they usually involve complicated construction and fallible ratchet and spool mechanisms. The need is recognised to produce a tensioning buckle of lightweight, slim design with a simple construction and operation as well as being capable of the mentioned functions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION S, An object of the present invention is to provide a simple buckle fitting that can apply, maintain and instantly release tension in lengths of belt.

S, :Another object is to provica a buckle that is in principle Sapplicable to all sizes of belt.

Another object is to provide a buckle fitting that can effectively lock at any point along the length of an unperforated belt without distorting or winding the excess belt onto a spool mechanism.

Another object is to provide a buckle fitting as described, of simple construction and operation, light weight, thin dimension and having few parts.

In general summary the buckle includes two u-sectioned bodies S,4. pivotably connected at one end. The lower body houses a spring S loaded cam which allows belt to advance through the buckle but prevents the belt slipping back. A roller also located in the lower body facilitates the belt movement and reduces friction. The longer upper body contains a tongue and slot which, when levered about the pivot attachment to the lower body will grip and pull belt further through the cam. Repeating this lever action advances and maintains tension in the belt until released via the cam mechanism.

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-2- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF. 1THE DRAWINGS

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is a sectioned elevation of' one embodiment of the invention.

Fg2is a plan view of the. invention.

Fifr.3 is a perspective illustration of the invention.

in-- DlESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMDB.DIMENI may thus close over lower body 1 and pivot freely, up to 180 degresabot lwerbod I t hngepivots 3,4.

Protudig egesof am loatelaterally in iower body I by seating in holes 6,7. Holes 6,7 are suitably shaped to allow a limited trigaction of cam 5 about a iine through holes 6,7.

The turning action of cam 5 effectively raises and lowers the belt contact edge 5b relative to the surface of lower body 1 V while the opposite relative movement occurs at finger contact end Men oapypressure tending cani belt contact edge towads owe boy Iis achieved by torsion spring 8. A medial portion of torsion spring 8 contacts cam 5 while the ends locate in tabs 9,10 in lower body I.

A cylindrical roller 11 locates laterally in lower body 1 between cam 5 and hinge pivots 3,4. Round holes 12,13 locite roller I in lower body I so as to allow turning and enable belt 16 to pass between.

The surface of lower body I1, between the roller 11 and and hinge p ivot s 3,4 p rot rudes upwa rds to f o rm a tongue 14 wh ich correlates to a siila tongue 15 projecting down f romi upper body 2. When upper body 2 is positioned to overlap lower body 1 tongues 14 and 15 converge to provide means to direct belt 16 through a slot 17 in upper body 2.

Means to attach one end of belt 16 to lower body I is provided by studs 18 passing through holes in plate 19 belt 16 and lower body 1.

The end of upper body 2 extending furthest f'rom hinge pivots 3,41 is upturned at grip 2a to facilitate manual lifting and levering of pe body 2 about lower body I.

Ii In the use and operation of the invention; belt 16 is passed around objects to be restrained and the f ree end of belt 16 is passed along the upper surface of lower body I between cam 5 and roller I1I. With upper body 2 closed over lower body I1, belt 16 is guided by tongue 14 onto tongue 1S and through slot 17. Upper body 2 is then manually levered about hinge pivots 3,4 on lower body I. As the aspect of slot 17 alters, belt 16 is gripped and pulled further along the surface of lower body 1, between the roller I1I and cam belt contact edge Sb. Af ter the lever arc of upper body 2 is completed it is returned to seat over lower body 1, while crim S prevents belt 16 as belt contact edge 5b loc-ks into belt 16 and against lower boay 1. Repeating the lever action further advances belt 16 through the buckie until the desired tension is achieved. Upper body 2 is then returned to cover lower body 1 thus preventing accidental release of the cam 5. To release belt 16, upper body 2 Is levered about lower body t allowing access to cam finger contact end Sa. Depressing cam 5 at finger contact end 5a raises the belt contact edge 5b from the surface of the belt 16 thus releasing it.

Claims (7)

1. 2. A buckle as claimed in Claim i, wherein said cam moves away from the first member to allow the belt to pass therebetween but moves back towards the first member to prevent the belt from slipping back.
2. 3. A buckle as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, including manual means operative to release said spring loaded cam to free the belt.
3. 4. A buckle as claimed in Claim i, Claim 2 or Claim 3,wherein said spring loaded cam is capable of locking the belt at any point along its length. I r A buckle as claimed in any preceding Claim, including, between the spring loaded cam and the guiding means, a cylindrical roller mounted on the first member so that the belt may be passed therebetween.
4. 6. A buckle for a belt having a free end comprising first and second body members hinDedly connected to one another so that one member may be moved with respect to the other about a hinge axis from a closed position wherein the members are substantially parallel to an open position, a spring loaded cam movably mounted on the first member, a slot in the second member adjacent the hinge axis, guiding means on at least one of said members between the cam and the slot, a cylindrical roller mounted on the first member between the spring loaded cam and the guiding means, the parts being arranged so that when the members are in the closed position the free end of the belt may be passed freely between the cam and the first member, between the cylindrical roller and the first member, along the guiding means and through the slot, said spring loaded cam moving away from the first member to allow the belt to pass therebetween but moving back towards the first member to prevent the belt from slipping back to lock the belt at any point ou. its length, and means operative to release said spring loaded cam to free the belt. a -6-
5. 7. A buckle as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein said guiding means comprises a tongue on the first member co-operating with a tongue on the second member.
6. 8. A buckle as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein movement of the second member abovt its hinge axis towards the open position pulls the belt further through the cam to increase the tension on the belt.
7. 9. A buc;kle for a belt substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 8th. day of September 1988. PETER WALLNER. I 1 F-4~tlrr~*., U ABSTRACT OE THE DfSCLOSURE A buckle fitting that can tension with leverage, lengths of belt or webbing. The buckle will lock the belt at any point along its length until freed by a quick release mechanism. The buckle consists of two u-sections pivotably connected at one end to allow a hinge action of the longer upper section about the lower section. A spring loaded cam with a limited movement, rocks away from the surface of the lower section to allow belt to move forward and moves closer to the surface of the lower section to prevent belt moving backwards. A cylindrical roller locates across the lower section between the cam and the hinged join. A slot in the upper section allows belt to pass through when the upper section is closed over the lower section. When the upper section is levered in an arc about the lower section the relative aspect of the slot alters enabling belt to be caught and pulled further through the cam in the lower section. Repeating this action further advances the belt through the buckle. The locking cam can be overriden manually in order to release the tensioned belt. V 22 35~/88 /6 9*4999 9 9 4 9 A 9 9*9 9 49 49 4 4 9 9* 9 9 99 99 .4 9 4 17 9 94 9 9 9* 9 91 It 9 9 *9 4*94 99 94 9 9 9 9 2 9 9 '9 99~ 444444 4 4 4 44 4 444 4 44 44 4 4 4 4 4 44 4 o 44 4 44 4* 1 4 *4 4 44 4 4 9 4 99 c-o CA~D