GB2204089A - Buckle - Google Patents

Abstract

The buckle has two elongated rings 4, 5 extending from a central portion 1 to which a band or strap 6 is to be attached. Triangular teeth 2 project from the portion 1 and these are fusion welded directly to the end of the band or strap, avoiding the need to loop the band/strap back upon itself. <IMAGE>

Description

BUCKLE This invention relates to an improved buckle intended to facilitate joining same to rigid or elastic straps or bands of the type which can be applied to corsetry, lingerie, manufactured goods in general, morocco-leather or fancy-leather goods, sailing, skiing, climbing, mountaineering, etc.

Conventionally buckles of the known type which are intended to be joined to straps or bands in general involved a threading operation in order to fix the band or strap to the buckle. For that purpose it was necessary to make a small loop with the band or strap, which passes around the central region of the buckle over a length of approximately 2 or 3 centimetres, the end of the band or strap, once the loop - has been formed, then being joined to the actual band or strap.

That type of buckle and the threading process involved implies the need to use a given length of some centimetres of band or strap in order to produce the loop for fixing the band or strap to the buckle, while in addition the fixing loop produces a bulge in the region of the buckle which is uncomfortable and unattractive, particularly for use in undergarments as is the case with ladies' girdles and other corsetry articles for example.

Furthermore the manual threading operation involves high labour costs which are an obstacle to productivity in the production process and which increase the price of the resulting product.

Conventionally the buckles used consist of two rings which are joined together by a central portion and they adopt a general flattened configuration, the band or strap passing around the central portion to define the fixinq loop.

This invention basically concerns rns an improved buckle consisting of two rings of smaller thickness than those of the conventional buckles, whose central portion has a plurality of elements of low height which are disposed perpendicularly to the general plane of the buckle -and are intended to weld the buckle to an end of the band or strap directly in the region corresponding to the central portion of the buckle, further permitting it to be produced in automatic form.That construction eliminates the manual operation of threading the band or strap through the buckle, there is likewise a saving on band or strap material and likewise there is an increase in the level of productivity in the operation of fixing buckles to bands or straps. In addition, with the buckle the subject-matter of this utility model, without the loop for fixing the buckle to the band or strap, the size of the connection is reduced as is also the thickness of the whole, giving a markedly improved aesthetic appearance. Finally it should be noted that it is likewise unnecessary to oversew the cut end of the strap or band to protect it frcm subsequent unravelling, as was done with conventional buckles, insofar as that end is precisely that which is welded to the buckle.

In order better to appreciate the general features to be found in the improved buckle the subjectHmatter of this invention, this description is accompanied by descriptive drawings showing a practical embodiment of the buckle, in accordance with the principles of the claims, with the particularity that the drawings are to be considered in a broad and general sense and without any restrictive character whatever in regard to their solely informative nature.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a buckle in accordance with this invention, Figure 2 is a view in section taken along line Il-Il in Figure 1, while Figure 3 is a view in section taken along line III-III in Figure 1, showing the shape of the projecting elements or teeth intended to permit the buckle to be connected to the band or strap by fusion, Figure 4 is a plan view showing the form of fixing of the buckle according to this ' invention to a belt or strap, with same, while Figure 5 is a view in section taken along line V-V in Figure 4, and Figure 6, for comparative purposes, is a plan view of the conventional form of fixing of a buckle to a band or strap by producing a fixing loop while Figure 7 is a view in section taken along line VII VII in Figure 6 showing the profile of the loop and the increase in thickness which is substantially greater than that shown in Figure 5.

In order to make it easier to identify the various components of the improved buckle, the accoMpanying drawings include reference numerals relating to the description set out hereinafter.

The buckle is formed by a central portion 1 of greater thickness than the remainder of the buckle and from which project a plurality of teeth 2 which are advantageously of triangular section as indicated at 3, with two elongated rings 4 and 5 which extend from the central portion 1.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the buckles of conventional type do not have the teeth 3 in the intermediate region 1 so that, in order to join or fix the band or strap 6 and the buckle 7 together, it is necessary to produce a loop 8 which embraces the transverse portion 10 to connect the band or strap to the buckle.As shown in Figures 4 and 5, by means of the buckle in accordance with the present utility model, it is possible to proceed to produce the above-mentioned connection without the need for the loop 8, for which purpose the central portion 1 is welded to the end of the band or strap 9, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, so that the teeth 3 fuse conjointly with the band or strap 9, producing an intimate connection between the two components which provides for adequate retention as between the band or strap and the buckle without the need for the above-indicated loop.

That arrangement achieves substantial advantages insofar as, as can be seen from Figure 5, the thickness in the intermediate region of the buckle is substantially smaller with the resulting advantages of aesthetic nature, there is a saving on the material of the band or strap, and it permits mechanisation of the fixing process, thereby increasing the level of productivity in the production system and thus giving a reduction in the cost per unit of manufacture.

It should also be noted that both the openings in the buckle according to this invention and the general section of the buckle can be in comparative terms smaller than those of the conventional buckles insofar as they do not require the double thickness of the band or strap where it passes through the buckle and the buckle has to withstand a lower level of pulling stress, insofar as the fixing is produced in the welded region and not the buckle.

Claims (5)

1. An improved buckle of the type comprising an element of general flattened configuration having two lateral rings separated by a central region of greater thickness characterised in that in the central region there is a plurality of elements which are disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the buckle and which are provided for intimately connecting the buckle to a band or strap by fusion of said elements with the band or strap.

2. An improved buckle according to claim 1 characterised in that the elements projecting fram the intermediate portion of the buckle comprise a plurality of teeth of triangular section.

3. An improved buckle according to the preceding claims characterised in that the elements projecting from the central region of the buckle penetrate into the band or strap for fusion thereof, forming an intimately bonded connecting assembly between the band or strap and the buckle.

4. A buckle consisting of two rings separated by a central region, the latter being provided with a plurality of elements projecting perpendicularly to the plane of the buckle which can be welded to the end of a band or strap.

5. A buckle as claimed in claim 4 in which the central region is of greater width in the plane of the buckle than the remainder of the buckle.