GB2165880A

GB2165880A - A strap tensioning buckle

Info

Publication number: GB2165880A
Application number: GB08426614A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Charles Beard
Original assignee: HALPHAN ENGINEERING Ltd
Current assignee: HALPHAN ENGINEERING Ltd
Priority date: 1984-10-20
Filing date: 1984-10-20
Publication date: 1986-04-23
Also published as: GB8426614D0; GB2165880B

Abstract

The buckle comprises a base member (1) and a handle member (11) pivotally connected by a pivot (15) to the base member. The base member is provided with at least one recess (9) open in a direction away from the pivotal connection. The handle member incorporates a latching mechanism comprising a latching member (22,23) biased by a spring (25) in a direction to the pivotal connection. The handle member is displaceable to a position in which the latching member is inside the recess (closed position) or to a position in which the latching member is remote from the recess (opened position). The latching member is provided with a slotted portion (24) to which is attached a strap handle (not shown) for the displacement of the latching member against the force exerted thereon by the spring and for the displacement of the handle member between the open and closed positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A strap tensioning buckle The invention relates to a strap tensioning buckle, particularly a buckle suitable for restraining load on lorries or the curtain on curtain-sided lorries.

The buckle represents an improvement over the buckle according to our pending patent application No. 8208853 (2 119 004 A), and other known buckles, in that the hand or fingers of the user need not touch the buckle in order to latch or open it. In addition, the web path through the buckle is simplified and other provisions are made to reduce friction of the strap in the buckle. Finally, the buckle is provided with the so-called TIR holes which are positioned to cooperate with a specially adapted portion of the buckle handle which is remote from the end of the handle to ensure absolutely reliable sealing of the buckle by customs officers.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 7 is a perspective view of an open buckle without a web, Figure 2 is a plan view of a closed buckle, partly in section, without a web, and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the web path.

The buckle according to the invention has a base member 1 formed by two substantially identical, spaced apart and parallel side walls 2 interconnected by a base 3 extending substantially perpendicularly thereto.

Each side wall 2 has a first end portion of medium height, a low second end portion and a high intermediate portion. In the first end portion are provided a first circular hole 2A and a second circular hole 2B, and in the high portion is provided a TIR hole 2C.

In the base 3 are made two spaced apart, substantially rectangular windows 4 and 5, defining three transverse members 3A, 3B and 3C. The member 3A has a strengthening rib 6 pressed therein and is provided with two circular holes 7.

As will be apparent from the following description, the windows 4 and 5 are not necessary, so that the base 3 may be solid. The transition from the high portion to the low second end portion is by an oblique edge 8 ending at an outwardly open and inwardly closed recess 9.

The buckle further comprises a handle member 11 which is formed by two substantially identical, spaced apart and parallel side walls 12, which are free at a first end but interconnected at a second end by a first planar member 13, and by a second planar member 14, spaced from the latter so as to provide a gap 14A. The members 13 and 14 extend substantially perpendicularly to the side walls 12 and have straight transverse edges. The edge of the member 14 delimiting the gap 14A is curled as is shown in Figure 1.

At the first end each side wall 12 is provided with a circular hole 12A, and at the gap 14A, and merging into it, with a substantially V-shaped re cess 12B. The side walls 12 extend at the first end between the side walls 2 and are to the latter piv otally connected by a pivot 15 formed by a pin which passes through the holes 12A, is received in the holes 2A and carries a freeiy rotatable roller.

The side walls 12 at the member 13 are provided with an elongate closed recess 16 parallel to the member 13.

The buckle has a latching mechanism including a substantially planar locking plate 22 situated below and extending parallel to, the member 13. The plate 22 has a body provided with two lateral projections 23, extending through and projecting beyond the recess 9, and a slotted end portion 24 extending beyond the member 13. A loop of webbing (not shown) is attached to the portion 24. In the body of the plate 22 are two stamped-out retaining portions.

The latching mechanism includes a wire spring 25 in the form of a loop with two outwardly diverging legs. The legs extend each into one of the recesses 9 and the loop is held by the stamped out retaining portions. The spring 25 biases the late 22 inwardly of the handle member 11 into its normal position in which the projections 23 bear on the inner end of the recess 9. When the handle member 11 is in its latched position the projections 23 are received in the recess 9, and the recesses 12B are aligned with the TIR holes 2C so that a TIR cable can be threaded through the TIR holes 2C to prevent the buckle from being opened.

If the buckle is used for restraining a curtain on a lorry, its first end is firmly fixed to the curtain either directly, e.g. by rivetsor bolts passing through the holes 7, or indirectly, e.g. by a piece of webbing looped around the transverse member 3A or a pin (not shown) received in the holes 2A, and attached to the curtain. In the latter case the window 5 is not needed. The buckle is then used with a strap one end of which is, in use, attached e.g. to the chassis of the lorry and the other end of which is threaded through the buckle so that its end portion either loosely extends outside the buckle or is attached to the slotted end portion 24. If the buckle is used for restraining a load on the lorry its first end, instead of being connected to the chassis, is connected to the first end of the buckle in the manner explained above in connection with a loop of webbing.

For the threading of the strap in the buckle, the buckle is fully opened i.e. the handle member 11 is pivoted through 180 anticlockwise (in Figure 1) and the free end of the strap is inserted from the second end of the buckle either above the transverse members 3C, 3B and 3A (in which case the window 4 is not needed) or below the member 3C, through the window 4 and above the members 3B and 3A, below the pivot 15, is then guided around the curled edge of the member 14 and again below the pivot member 15 and out of the second end of the buckle.

In use the handle member 11 is lifted to the fully open position, and the operator then manually tightens the strap by pulling at its free end until a satisfactory tightening is achieved, whereupon he pivots the handle member 11 from the position shown in Figure 1 clockwise until the projections 23 slide on the oblique edges 8, thus compressing the spring 25 until, in the fully closed position of the handle member 11 when the recesses 16 and 9 are in alignment, the spring 25 forces the projections 23 into the recess 9 whereby the buckle is latched. During the clockwise movement the strap is further tightened by the member 14.

In order to release the strap from the buckle, the buckle is first unlatched by the operator who pulls the end portion 24, via the webbing or strap attached thereto, outwardly and thereby compresses the spring 25 and thereby withdraws the projections 23 from the recess 9 and so unlatches the handle element 11 which can then be pivoted to the fully open position, which enables the free end of the strap to be pulled out of the buckle.

The buckle is very easy to operate because it provides means for easy unlatching.

It will be understood that the drawings show only one preferred embodiment which can be modified in various respects within the scope of

Claims

the claims. CLAIMS

1. A strap tensioning buckle comprising a base member and a handle member pivotally connected by a pivot to the base member, the base member being provided with at least one recess open in a direction away from the pivotal connection, the handle member incorporating a latching mechanism comprising a latching member biased by spring means in a direction to the pivotal connection, the handle member being displaceable to a position in which the latching member is inside said at least one recess (closed position of the buckle) or to a position in which the latching member is remote from said at least one recess (opened position of the buckle), wherein the latching member is provided with a slotted portion to which is attached a handle for the displacement of the latching member against the force exerted thereon by the spring means and for the displacement of the handle member between said open and closed positions.

2. A buckle according to Claim 1, wherein the handle is formed by a strap of webbing.

3. A buckle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivot pin carries a roller freely rotatable thereon.

4. A buckle according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base member has side walls each provided with a TIR hole and the handle member has side walls each provided with a substantially V-shaped recess, the latter being situated and shaped to be substantially aligned with the TIR holes when the buckle is in its closed position.

5. A strap tensioning buckle constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.