CA1068240A - Load carrying kit and a fastener for use in same - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A fastener for use in load carrying harness or the like is provided with a plate from which protrude stem means adapted to pass through a utility carrier and through a strap, with a securing plate arranged to be attached to the protruding end of the stem means, to thus secure a carrier attachment to a waist belt or the like.
The fastener and the overall assembly is more convenient to use as it prevents the carrier pouches or the like to slip along the belt or strap. Also, the load carriers are prevented from pivoting about the carrier belt, to add to the comfort of the person carrying the harness.
The fastener is of a relatively simple structure and has wide use at different points of the harness both for securing the load carrier attachments to the harness and for securing part of the harness straps to each other.

Description

10~;8240 The present invention relates to a load carrying strap kit or harness of the type including a waist belt or the like, the belt being used in carrying various utility attach-ments such as a pouch, a utility carrier, a revolver carrier, a compass car~ier or the like, both for military and civilian purposes. The present invention is also related to a fastener for use in the above type of load carrying strap kit.
There are several features desirable in the above type of load carrying harness. For instance, it is desirable to provide a single type of harness for different types and numbers of load carrying attachments. It is known that different types and numbers of attachments are required in a fighting order, a battle order or in a marching order.
Another feature that is desirable on the above kind of harness is that the different load carrying attachments be select-ively attachable to a belt or a strap such as to achieve an optimum load distribution for best comfort of the user. Still ; another requirement is that the harness, the fastener and the -20 attachments be of low weight and of simple structure to !:
increase durability of the device while maintaining as a universal use of same as possible. Further feature often y~ desirable in the device of this type is that the load supporting attachments be secured to the respective portions of harness, ; ;
whether a belt or a shoulder strap, such as to prevent the sliding of the load carrying attachments along the belt or strap to thus avoid the possibility of distortion of the original load distribution, particularly in case of extended use of fighting order equipment or the like. It is also often desirable that a load carrying attachment be removably secured to a belt or the like such that the porti~n of the load carrying attachment facing the belt `1 " ~

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` iO68Z40 or the like behaves as if it were integral with the belt.
In other words, the attachment should be prevented both from sliding along the belt and from pivoting within the surface of the coincident belt face.
Different types of the above harness or system are known from prior art. For instance, ~anadian patent 104,915, issued in April, 1907 to The Honourable Arthur Jex Davey, discloses a military equipment of the above kind wherein the securing of different load carrying attachments to a waist belt or to shoulder straps is effected by a variety of different means such as C-shaped members whose fingers are adapted to engage the edges of the belt.
Another known arrangement is provided with a series of -passages extending generally transversely of a belt and adapted to receive one end of an enclosed clamp member, -the other end of the clamp member being secured to the utility attachment.
In general, the known devices of this type do not meet at least some of the above requirements. For ' 20 instance, some of them fail to secure the attachment to a belt or the like such that the attachment cannot slide along the belt, while other known arrangements are relatively expensive to produce. Still further arrangements call for a relatively complex structure of the belt or of the harness in general thus not only increasing the cost of manufacture of such parts but also making them more susceptible to damage or wear during the use. The integers of the known devices of this kind are also relatively difficult to maintain clean.
It is an object of the present invention to ~i produce an improved device of the above type which would avoid many of the drawbacks of the known devices ' , _ 3 _ ~0f~8240 According to the present invention, a load carrying support or strap kit is provided which comprises, in combination, load carrying strap means including a plurality of first passage means, said passage means being openings in said strap means extending from one surface thereof to the other and having a predetermined pattern. A load support means is adapted to be secured to the load carrying strap means the load support means including a generally flat section which is provided with second passage means, complementary with selected passage means of said strap means. The kit further comprises a fastener which includes a plate member having a first generally flat face; and a second generally flat face; stem means protruding from said second face, said stem means being complementary with said first passage means and with at least a portion of said second passage `;
means. The end of the stem means remote from the second face includes retainer means. A catch member is adapted to engage the retainer means to releasably secure said catch member to said end of the stem means against a dis-placement of said catch member relative to said stem means.
Locking means prevent pivotal movement of said stem means relative to the load carrying means. The stem means is complementary with the first passage means and with at least a portion of said second passage means. Accordingly, ;~ the load support means can be secured to the load carrying ' ~;
strap by matching a selected one of said passage means with at least a portion of said second passage means, then inserting into the matching first and second passage means .~ -~ at least a portion of the stem means and, finally, by .`~
- 30 securing the catch member to said stem means.
~ he present invention also provides a fastener for use in securing an object to a strap of the type having ~` `

~068Z40 passage means provided therein, the fastener comprising, in combination:
a plate member having a first generally flat face and a second, generally flat face; stem means protruding from said second face, said stem means being adapted to pass through said passage means. The end of the stem means remote from said second face includes retainer means. A
catch member is adapted to engage a retainer means to releasably secure said catch member to said end of the ~`~
stem means against a displacement of said catch member relative to said stem means. The fastener according to the present invention further includes locking means for pre-venting pivotal movement of said stem means relative to said -v strap once the stem means is inserted through said passage means.
The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the fastener according to the present invention;
y Figure 2 is a perspective view, similar to figure 1, but showing, i~ an exploded fashion, another embodiment of the fastener according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the plate shown on top ~,~ of figure 2;
Figure 4 is a side view of the bottom member of the ~ exploded view of figure 2;
i~ Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the way of securing to a strap a utility att~achment of the type of a pouch;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an individual load carEying equipment for military use, showing different ~` kinds of load carrying attachments secured to a load carrying harness in accordance with the present invention.
5~-Turning now to the embodiment of the fastener as shown in figure 1, it will be seen that the fastener comprises a generally flat plate member 1 having a flat, bottom face, also referred to as "a first generally flat face". The plate 1 also has a top face

3, from which protrudes stem means of the type of a pair of `
studs 4, 5. The entire system of studs 4,;5 and plate 1 is an integral product molded from a relatively rigid t~ermoplastic material, in the case of this embodiment, from "Nylon 66" (trademark of Dupont). Near the free end of stud 4 is provided a circular passage 6. A similar passage 7, coaxial with the passage 6 is provided in the stud 5. ~-The passages 6 and 7 form one embodiment of what is generally referred to "retainer means". It will be readily appreciated from figure 1 that the pair of coaxial openings 6, 7 extends generally parallel with the top face 3.
1 . .
The embodiment of figure 1 further comprises a catch member of the type of a resilient clip 8 which is of a generally U-shaped configuration and includes a straight ' 20 shank portion 9 that can pass through passages 6, 7. The ~ . . ~ ., . . .. . . _ . .. .. . .
i other leg portion of the springy clip member 8 is deformed in a wavy fas~ion to provide a generally V-shaped notch section 10. It will be appreciated from figure 1 that the notch section ao is capable of engaging with its arms a "
portion of the stud 5 to thus prevent the shank portion 9 from withdrawal from the respective passages 6, 7. In ,~ general terms,the notch section 10 forms resilient arresting means for maintaining the clamp in operative position as shown in full lines of figure 1. The broken lines of figure 1 show the position of the clamp 8 removed from the respective passages 6, 7.

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A modified embodiment of the fastener according to the present invention will now be described with reference to figure 2. It comprises a plate 14 and two integral studs 15, 16 extending each generally perpendicularly to the top face of plate 14 as viewed in figure 2 and, as in the embodiment of figure 1, being each of a generally circular cross-section. As in figure 1, the studs 15, 16 are radially spaced from each other.
The embodiment of figure 2 has retainer means of a type different from the passages 6, 7 of the arrangement in figure 1. The retainer means of figure 2 comprises a peripheral groove 17, 18, provided in each of the respective studs 15, 16 near the ends thereof remote from the top face of plate 14.
The catch member of the embodiment of figure 2 is formed by a generally flat plate 19, whose thickness A
generally corresponds to the width B of the respective grOOVeS 17, 18.
The plate 19 is provided with t~lO slots 20, 21 spaced from each other and passing through the plate 19 from one face thereof to the other. Each of the slots 20, 21 has a narrow section 22, 23 at one end, the narrow section being defined by an arcuate edge of the respective slot 20, 21, the arc of such section being in excess of 180, the ; diameter of each of the narro~ sections 22, 23 generally ~ corresponding to the diameter C of the respective stud 15, i 16. The centre spacing between the narrow sections 22, 23 i corresponds to the centre spacing o~ the studs 15, 16 or, more precisely, of the grooves 17, 18. The opposite end of each of the slots 20, 21, is formed by a respective broad section 24/ 25. As best seen from figure 3, the broad sections 24, 25 are each of an arcuate configuration in plan, circumscribing - an ar~ of over 180, the diameter of each of the broad sections 24, 25 being in excess of the outside diameter D of the tip of _ 7 _ -` 10682~0 studs 15, 16 (see stud 16 of figure 4). Accordingly, each of the ~, broad sections 24, 25 allows for axial passage of the respective end of the studs in a direction axially relative to the broad ,~ .
section 24, 25.
The shape in plan of each of the slots 20, 21 can thus be also described as a contour of two circles partly ; overlapping each other and having different diameters (the diameter of narrow section 22 is smaller than that of broad section 24), whereby the contour of each of the slots 20, 21 . 10 generally resembles the contour of numeral "8".
Referring back to figure 2 an arrow E indicates :, a direction generally parallel with the surface of plate 19 and coincident with the elongation of plate 19 and also with ~ the elongation of slot 20. The direction E may also be ,~ referred to as "a first direction". Comparing the elongation , -" of slot 20 with that of slot 21, it will be observed that the s,lot 21 is elongated in a second direction which is also generally parallel with the surface of plate 19, but is ~', perpendicular to the first direction E.
~,20 . Referring now to the representations in figures , 3 and 4, the securing of plate 19 to the grooves 17, 18 of '~r studs 15, 16 is as follows. The plate 19 is first positioned , with the broad section 24 above the tip of stud 15, with the slot 21 now being located out of alignment with the opposite stud 16. Subseguently, the plate 19 is pushed to the right of figure 3 whereby the groove 17 snugly engages the narrow section 22 of slot 20. The plate 19 is now turned such as to bring the broad section 25 of slot 21 over the tip of stud 16 whereupon the plate is moved downwardly to radially ~30 align the entrance of narrow section 23 with the groove ,~ 18. With the narrow section 22 in engagement with groove 17.
:~j . ~

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~068240 the plate is now turned clockwise (as viewed in figure 3) to snugly engage narrow section 23 of slot 21 with the groove 18.
The plate is now secured to the plate 14 in a snap-on fashion and is prevented from axial displacement relative to studs 15, 16. The disassembling of the fastener is carried out in opposite way by first turning the plate anti-clockwise (as viewed in figure 3), then lifting the right-hand end of plate 19 to release the broad section 25 from engagement with stud 16 and, finally, pushing the plate in direction E to disengage peripheral groove 17 from the narrow section 22 of slot 20.
With hindsight of the description contained in the preceding paragraph, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the arrangement of slots 20, 21 as shown in figures 2 and 3 is hereby to be viewed as a preferred embodiment of what one could generally refer to as an arrangement wherein one of said slots (slot 21) is elongated in a direction generally tangential ~ith respect to the axis of the narrow section 22 of the other ~-~ slot ~0. Referring to figure 2, the "axis of the narrow section"
. is generally coincident with the upright axis of the stud 15.

`20 In general terms, it will be appreciated that ; both the plate 19 and the clamp 8 can each be referred to as a catch member adapted to engage the retainer means (either ;i; passages 6, 7 or grooves 17, 18) to releasably secure the catch member (either clamp 8 or plate l9)to the end of the . stem means,(represented by studs 4, 5 or 15, 16) against a ~, .. s~ displacement of the respective catch member 8, 19 relative ,5.
to the stem means.

!,~ Turning now back to figure 2, the figure shows, . apart from the aforementioned portions of the fastener itself, a section of a flexible strap 26 which forms a part of load carrYing strap means. In the embodiment of figure 2, the shown strap section is that of one of the straps included in a _ g _ .

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` ` 10~8240 load carrying harness for military purposes. The strap is pro-vided with a plurality grom~ets 27, 28 and 29. The grommets 27-29 are disposed longitudinally and centrally of the strap 26, at a spacing between two adjacent grommets corresponding to that of the studs 15, 16. The inside diameter of each of the grommets 27 - 29 is sufficient to allow for slidably receiving the respective studs 15, 16.
Thus, it will be appreciated that on inserting the studs 15, 16 into grommets 27, 28, respectively and on subsequent securing of the top plate 19, the fagtener is secured to the strap 26 in such a way that pivotal movement of the stem means comprising studs 15, and 16 relative to the passage means in the strap is p~revénted. In this context, it may therefore be said that the spacing of studs 15, 16 constitutes means for preventing pivotal movement of the stem means relative to the strap 26, upon insertion of the stem means :;
through passage means, the passage means in this particular case being the grommets 27, 28.
~; Turning now to figure 5, two fasteners of the type shown in figure 2 are shown as components of a load carrying strap kit. The kit comprises a belt 30 provided with two longitudinal rows of grommets, the grommets of one row being referred to with reference numerals 31, the grommets of the other row being grommets 32.
A pouch 33 has its rear wall 34 provided with .~ ,.:. . . . .
a stiffener plate 35. The stiffener plate 35 is stitched to the rear wall 34 of the pouch 33. The stiffener plate is made of nylon. I
Four openings (not visible) are ~1 ~ . .

punched through the plate 35 and through the adjacent portion of the rear wall 34, the diameter of each of the four openings ~.......................................... . .
. ~
''1 ' .

'' ''E~ - 10-~068Z~0 generally corresponding to that of each of the grommets 31, 32, the pattern of such openings corresponding to the pattern of two adjacent pairs of grommets 31,32. Accordingly, it is possible to match the openings of plate 35 with a selected group of four grommets 31, 32. The spacing of the grommets 31, 32 both transversely and longitudinally corresponding to that of the studs 15, 16 of the fastener, the fastener can be inserted through the appropriate pair of grommets 31, 32, through the openings in the rear wall 34 of the pouch and through the stiffener plate-35, to expose the tips of the studs 15, 16, interiorly of the pouch 33 for securing the respective fastener plates 19, into a position as shown in figure 5.
With the height F (figure 4)of the respective studs 15, 16 generally corresponding to the thickness of the combined belt, rear wall 34 and stiffener plate 35, it will be appreciated that on securing the plates l9a and l9b to the respective studs, the pouch 33 becomes secured to the belt 30 in such a way that it cannot be displaced !
along the belt, or pivoted within the plane generally ~i 20 defined by the surface of the belt coincident with the rear wall 34.
Due to the fact that the tips of the studs 15, 16 somewhat protrude over the top face of the respective fi~ pl ate 19, it is normally of advantage to locate the fastener such that its lower plate 14 is generally coincident with the inwardly facing sruface of the strap or belt to minimize the discomfort of the person wearing the ;, harness.
~ In general terms, it will be appreciated from , ~ , ~` figure 5 that the belt 30 may also be referred to as a ioad carrying strap means including a plurality of first !~, passage means (i.e. grommets 31, 32) of the type of openings which extend ~rom one surface of the strap means to the , . .

., ~0ti~3240 .
other. The pouch 33 may also be referred to as an embodiment of - load support means adapted to be secured to the load carrying strap means (i.e. to the belt 30). The rear wall 34 of the pouch 33 may also be generally referred to as a "gen~rally flat section"which is provided with second passage means, (i.e. the openings in the rear wall and in the adjoining stiffener plate 35), complementary with selected passage I ``
means (i.e. grommets 31, 32) of the strap means, i.e. of i the belt.
Turning now to the representation of figure 6, a kit of the above type is disclosed having several strap means as referred to hereinbefore. The kit comprises a waist belt 36 provided with a plurality of grommets 37 disposed in three rows extending along the belt 36. The spacing of adjacent grommets, both in longitudinal and transverse direction relative to belt 36Jcorresponds to the aforesaid spacing of the studs 15~ 16. The strap ;~ means further includes a shoulder strap section 38 of a ..:
~ generally known configuration. The shoulder strap section ;', 20 includes a plurality of different straps. The strap 39, -40, located to the side of the assembly are each provided with a single row of grommets 41. On the other hand, rear straps 42, 43 are each provided with two rows of grommets ;~ in a fashion similar to the belt 30 shown in figure 5.
The pattern of the grommets of each of the belt 36, straps 39, 40 and straps 42, 43 corresponds to the spacing o~ studs 15, 16. Figure 6 shows the universal use ~-I of the fastener according to the present invention. Thus, ~` a magazine pouch ~ to the left of figure 6 is shown as being secured to the belt 36 and to the strap 39 with a pair of fasteners according to the present invention. Only the top plates l9c, l9d of such fasteners are visible in the figure.
figure.

~ 1 ~

The pouch 44 is fixed to the entire harness with the top plates (as in Figure 2) facing the person wearing the harness, to make it possible to release the fasteners without havin~ to open and discharge the contents of the pouch, in order to quickly dispose of the pouch 44 if necessary. Next to the pouch 44 is shown a canteen water carrier 45, secured solely to the belt 36 by way of two fasteners as shown in figure 2, only the respective base plates 14a, 14b being visible in Figure 6.
The centre of f~ re 6 shows that the fasteners of the present invention can also be used in securing the straps 42, 43 to the belt 36, as shown.
Figur~ 6 demonstrates that the present invention has an extremely universal application. It provides for a relati~ely inexpensive fastener which can be produced in many ways considerably different from the embodiments shown, of which figure 1 is a "~uick release" arrangement due to the possibility of fast removal of the clamp 8.
Those skilled in the art will readily conceive many further modifications. For instance, one can conceive the substitution of two separate studs 15, 16 with'a continuous web from wh~ch only the tips with grooves 17, 18 would protrude. Such web would, of course, have to be matched by appropriate elongated slots in the belts and straps, replacing the grommets as shown in the drawings. The elongation of such hypothetical modification could also be referred to as "stem , . .
'fmeans" which would include " locking means" for preventing pivotal movement of the stem means relative to the strap. -~

- Accordingly, the "locking means" can be provided for by way '30 diffe~ent from the spacing of studs 15, 16 as described ` hereinbefore. Similarly, many other integers of the embodiment "~ as referred to before can be modified, without departing from ~. .
`' the scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying '~ claims.

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Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A load carrying strap kit, comprising in combination:
(a) a load carrying strap means including a plurality of first passage means, said passage means being openings in said strap means extending from one surface thereof to the other and having a predetermined pattern;
(b) a load support means adapted to be secured to said load carrying strap means, said load support means including a generally flat section; said generally flat section being provided with second passage means complementary with selected passage means of said strap means; and (c) a fastener, comprising:
i. a plate member having a first generally flat face; and a second generally flat face;
ii. stem means protruding from said second face, said stem means being complementary with said first passage means and with at least a portion of said second passage means;
iii. the end of said stem means remote from said second face including retainer means;
iv. a catch member adapted to engage said retainer means to releasably secure said catch member to said end of the stem means against a displacement of said catch member relative to said stem means;
v. locking means for preventing pivotal movement of said stem means relative to said load carrying means;
vi. said stem means being complementary with said first passage means and with at least a portion of said second passage means;
whereby said load support means can be secured to said load carrying strap means by matching a selected one of said first passage means with at least a portion of said second passage means, then inserting into the matching first and second passage means at least a portion of said stem means, and by securing said catch member to said stem means.

2. A kit as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said strap means includes a waist belt section.

3. A kit as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said strap means further includes a shoulder strap section.

4. A kit as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said stem means is a pair of studs of generally identical configuration and spaced from each other; said first passage means including a pair of openings large enough and spaced from each other to allow for passage of both of said studs therethrough.

5. A kit as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said second passage means includes a pair of openings large enough and spaced from each other to allow for passage of both of said studs therethrough.

6. A kit as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said first passage means includes a plurality of generally equidistantly spaced openings forming a plurality of said pairs of openings.

7. A kit as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said shoulder strap section and said waist belt section are each provided with a plurality of said passage means for selectively securing said shoulder strap section to said waist belt section by said fastener.