GB2223263A

GB2223263A - Luggage security belt

Info

Publication number: GB2223263A
Application number: GB8819182A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Edgar Somers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-08-12
Filing date: 1988-08-12
Publication date: 1990-04-04
Also published as: GB8819182D0

Abstract

A security belt comprising an elongate flexible member 1 provided at one end with a buckle 3 having a movable element 41, the flexible member being provided with at least one hole 55, spaced from the buckle, to receive the movable element to fasten the belt. The buckle includes a locking device 29 for securing the movable element against movement relative to the remainder of the buckle in order to lock the fastened belt. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY BELT The present invention relates to a security belt for luggage, for instance, a suitcase.

It is knom to provide belts for use in securing suitcases and other items of luggage. Such a belt is in the form of a flexible elongate member made of, for instance, plastics material or fabric and of a length sufficient to embrace a range of suitcase sizes. The belt is typically provided with a buckle or similar device at one end so that when the belt is positioned around the suitcase, the other end can be threaded through the buckle to fasten the belt. Such a belt serves to help to secure the suitcase but does not provide any additional security.

For instance, it is easy to unfasten such a belt, gain access to the suitcase and then refasten the belt so that it would not be obvious that the suitcase had been opened.

According to the present invention there is provided a security belt comprising an elongate flexible member provided at one end with a buckle having a movable element, the flexible member being provided with at least one hole, spaced from said buckle, to receive said movable element to fasten the belt, and said buckle further including a locking device for securing said element against movement relative to the remainder of the buckle in order to lock the fastened belt.

Preferably the buckle includes a housing for accommodating the locking device. More preferably the movable element is mounted within the housing for movement between a first position in which at least a portion of the element projects outside the housing and a second position in which the element is relatively retracted within the housing. The locking device can be "locked" to fix the movable element in its first position and can be unlocked to allow the movable element to move or be moved to its second position.

Preferably the housing also provides that part of the buckle for receiving the other end of the flexible member.

More preferably the receiving means include integral inlet and outlet ports provided at one end of the housing adjacent to the path of movement of the movable element.

The flexible member is threaded through the inlet port and the outlet port until the belt is tight around the suitcase and with the movable element in its relatively retracted position. the movable element is then moved to a position where it can be entered into one of the holes in the flexible element. The locking device is then locked to fix the movable element in this position and so lock the belt.

Preferably the movable element is spring biased in a direction towards its second position and includes a portion for extending through the housing which may be hand operated to effect movement of the element against the action of the spring.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a security belt in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows the other end of the security belt of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the buckle of the belt of Figure 1 with its two main sections separated; and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the buckle of the belt of Figure 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a security belt in accordance to the present invention includes an elongate flexible member 1 made of strong synthetic fabric material. One end of the flexible member 1 is fixedly attached to an end of buckle 3. As can be best appreciated from Figure 3, buckle 3 includes two main body members 5 and 7 which are plastic mouldings and which fit together as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3.

Buckle part 7 includes side wall members 9 and 11 spaced apart by means of a substantially rectangular, integral open box 13 having a rear, transverse, flat wall 15 and a curved front wall 17 as well as side walls 19. Member 7 is also provided with a integral base 21 which extends from the bottom of front wall 17 rearwardly beyond rear wall 15 to a position below and slightly forward of the most rearward points of side walls 9 and 11. Member 7 is also provided with integral journals 23 adjacent to the rear end of side walls 9 and 11. Extending between these journals so as to be supported thereby is a spindle 25 (shown in Figure 1).

The other member 5 of buckle 3 includes a top wall 31 which is curved at each end so as to follow the curved ends of side walls 9 and 11. The front of top 31 is provided with two transverse elongate slots 33 and 35. Mounted substantially centrally on top 5 is a housing 37 containing a three-wheel combination lock 39, the wheels of which project through the upper wall 5 as seen in Figure 1.

Located between housing 37 and top 5 of buckle 3 is a movable element which is capable of limited movement longitudinally with respect to buckle 3. At one end movable element 41 is formed with a tongue or tab 43 which extends forwardly out of housing 37 in a direction towards slot 33. At its other end movable element 41 is provided with a knob 45. Also located within housing 37 is a spring (not shown) which is arranged to urge movable element in a forward direction relative to the remainder of the buckle, that is to say, to the position shown in the drawing. In this position, and with the combination lock in a locked position, the movable element 41 is fixed relative to the remainder of the buckle.

With the combination lock in an unlocked position, the movable element 41 may be moved rearwardly relative to the remainder of buckle 3 by finger gripping knob 45 and apply a force in a rear direction. By this means the movable element may be moved to a position such that tab 5 is substantially retracted to a location within the housing 37.

As has been mentioned above, one end of the flexible member or web 1 is attached to the rearward end of buckle 3. The mode of attachment is as illustrated in Figure 1 with the end of web 1 being threaded about spindle 25 and secured by stitching or other means to the body of the web. The free end 51 of web 1 is shown in Figure 2 and is provided with a plurality of holes, in the form of elongate transversely extending slots at spaced apart intervals extending from the very end of the web a substantial distance towards the fixed end.

In use the belt is positioned with the web 1 encircling a suitcase, typically passing through a handle of the suitcase. The tree end 51 of web 1 is threaded into the gap provided between top 31 and base 21 of buckle 3 and, with the combination lock in an unlocked mode and with movable element 41 in its retracted position, also through slot 35. A small portion of the web effectively lies within the forward end of the buckle 3. The web is passed through the buckle until the belt is tight and then positioned so that one of the holes 55 lies adjacent to the end of tab 43 of movable element 41. Finger pressure on knob 45 is then released to allow the movable element to move forwardly, under the influence of the spring in the housing, until the tab 43 passes into the hole 55 in the web. In this way the belt is fastened and then it is merely necessary to rotate the wheels 39 of the combination lock in order to lock the fastened belt.

In order to remove the belt from the suitcase, the combination lock is first adjusted to its unlocked position, the movable element 41 is then retracted by applying finger pressure to knob 45 and the web 1 can then be unthreaded from the buckle 3.

In other embodiments of the present invention the combination lock may have fewer or more wheels. The web may be made of other materials, for instance, plastic materials or flexible metal material. The buckle may be made of metal or other suitable material.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A security belt comprising an elongate flexible member provided at one end with a buckle having a movable element, the flexible member being provided with at least one hole, spaced from said buckle to receive such movable element to fasten the belt, and said buckle further including a locking device for securing said element against movement relative to the remainder of the buckle in order to lock the fastened belt.

2. A security belt according to claim 1 wherein the buckle includes a housing for accommodating the locking device.

3. A security belt according to claim 2 wherein the movable element is mounted within the housing for movement between a first position in which at least a portion of the element projects outside the housing and a second position in which the element is relatively retracted within the housing.

4. A security belt according to claim 3 wherein the housing also provides that part of the buckle for receiving the other end of the flexible member.

5. A security belt substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.