GB2254105A

GB2254105A - Buckle for strap

Info

Publication number: GB2254105A
Application number: GB9205730A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Graham Bramwell; Jeffrey Alexander Coward; Michael Anthony Charles Bower
Original assignee: DOWSON AND DOBSON Ltd
Current assignee: DOWSON AND DOBSON Ltd
Priority date: 1991-03-14
Filing date: 1992-03-16
Publication date: 1992-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-16
Also published as: GB9205730D0; GB2254105B

Abstract

A buckle which is fabricated from a metal plate which is punched to provide a main part (14) and an arch (20) having a crosspiece (22) and two legs (24). The crosspiece (22) is raised above the level of the rest of the plate and the legs (24) join the plate along the crests of two ridges (26). Between the main part (14) and the arch (20) there is a strap receiving opening (40) and the main part (16) has strip-like edge zones (30) outwardly of the ridges (26). Tabs (34) protrude upwardly along the edges of a subsidiary part which protrudes rearwardly from the main part (14). The front edge (38) of the arch (20) is serrated. A strap passed through the opening (40) and turned back on itself over the edge (38) is gripped by folding over the tabs (34). <IMAGE>

Description

Buckle and Method of Manufacturing a Buckle According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a buckle for attachment to a strap, the buckle comprising a plate having a pair of spaced, parallel ridges pressed into the plate and extending parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, longitudinally extending side edges of the plate, pressing of the plate to form the ridges creating two corresponding grooves in the underside of the plate, a transverse arch having a cross piece and two legs, the cross piece being above the plate and the lower ends of the legs being joined to said plate, the plate and the arch defining a strap receiving opening.

Said plate is preferably arcuate so that said side edges are curved edges. In the preferred form said arch is integral with the plate, the arch being formed by punching the plate so that the cross piece is displaced with respect to the plane of the plate and lies above the plane of the plate thereby to leave an aperture in the plate below the cross piece.

In the preferred form, in all transverse sections, the part of the plate between the ridges is above the strip-like zones of the plate which lie outwardly of the ridges.

The legs of the arch preferably join the plate along the crests of the ridges.

To enable a strap to be crimped in place, the buckle can be provided with two upwardly extending tabs which can be folded over towards one another to grip between themselves and said plate a strap which passes through said opening and lies between said ridges.

The plate preferably includes a relatively wide main part and a relatively narrow subsidiary part forming an extension of said main part, said tabs protruding upwardly along side edges of said subsidiary part. At least the front transverse edge of said cross piece can be serrated.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a buckle for attachment to a strap, the buckle comprising a plate, an arch having a cross piece and two legs, the cross piece being above the plate and the lower ends of the legs being joined to the plate, the arch and the plate defining a strap receiving opening, upstanding tabs for clamping a strap which has been passed through said opening, the cross piece of the arch being angled with respect to the plate so that the height of said opening between a front transverse edge of the cross piece and the plate is greater than the height of said opening between a rear transverse edge of the cross piece and the plate, said rear transverse edge of the cross piece being that edge of the cross piece which is closest to said tabs.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a buckle from plate material which buckle comprises a plate, the plate having a relatively wide main part and a relatively narrow subsidiary part forming an extension of the main part, the main part being bounded by a transverse front edge, two parallel, spaced side edges extending rearwardly from said front edge, and two short rear edges which extend inwardly from said side edges of the main part to side edges of said subsidiary part, the subsidiary part being bounded by said side edges and by a rear edge, there being tabs integral with said plate and bent so as to protrude upwardly along said side edges of said subsidiary part, the tabs being formed by cutting away pieces of the plate material on each side of said subsidiary part whereby there are gaps between said rear edges of said main part and the edges of the parts of the plate material which are to form said tabs, and then bending said portions of the plate material upwardly to farm said tabs.

Said pieces of plate material that are removed are preferably U-shaped.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a buckle in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the buckle of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of the buckle of Figures 1 and 2.

The buckle illustrated is generally designated 10 and comprises a plate designated 12. The plate 12 includes a main part 14 and a subsidiary part 16 which forms an extension of the part 14. Both the parts 14 and 16 are generally rectangular in shape and the transverse dotted line in Figure 1 designates the join between the parts 14 and 16. As best seen in Figure 3, the plate 12 is arcuate in form so that the side edges 18 of the main part 14 are curved. The subsidiary part 16 also has curved side edges.

The buckle further includes an arch generally designated 20. The arch 20 includes a cross piece 22 and two legs designated 24. As best seen in Figure 2, the legs 24 are inclined.

The main part 14 of the plate 12 is pressed so that two ridges designated 26 are formed, it being understood that pressing the plate to form the ridges 26 creates grooves 28 in the underside of the part 14.

Outwardly of the ridges 26 the main part 14 includes two striplike zones 30 which are bounded by the ridges 26 and the edges 18. Between the ridges there are two transverse bridging portions designated 32 which also form part of the main part 14. It will be understood that when the arch 20 is punched out a corresponding aperture is formed in the main part 14, this aperture lying directly below the arch 20 and between the two bridging portions 32.

Two tabs 34 protrude upwardly from the side edges of the subsidiary part 16. The tabs 34 initially occupy the positions shown in chain dotted lines in Figure l and it will be noted that they are separated from the main part 14 by U-shaped gaps 36. The gaps 36 separate the tabs 34 from the part 14. During manufacture of the buckle from the initial piece of sheet material, U-shaped pieces of the sheet material are cut away. Thereafter the tabs 34 are folded upwardly. In the condition illustrated in the drawings, the tabs lean outwardly somewhat so that they are further apart at their upper ends than they are where they join the subsidiary part 16.

The front edge of the arch 20 is serrated as designated by the reference numeral 38. It is also possible to serrate the rear edge of the arch.

It will be noted particularly from Figure 3 that the arch cross piece 22 is inclined with respect to the part 14. Thus the front-to-rear extending opening which is bounded by the part 14 and the arch 20, and which is designated 40 (Figure 2), is wider at the front end, designated 40.1 (Figure 3), than it is at the rear end, designated 40.2 (Figure 3).

The buckle can be used to strap bales or the like or can be employed to secure a strap around a post. This particular use of the buckle will be described hereinafter. In Figure 3 the chain dotted line 42 designates a post.

One end of a strap is passed through opening 40 from the larger end 40.1 to the smaller end 40.2 between the ridges 26, folded back on itself to form a hairpin bend around the edge of the part 16 which is designated 44 and inserted between the post 42 and the underside of the subsidiary part 16. The other end of the strap is passed around the post and then passed between the tabs 34 and through the opening 40 from the end 40.2 to the end 40.1. It thus overlies the part of the strap which is already within the opening 40. This end of the strap is then folded back on itself around the serrated edge 38 and a tail is carried rearwardly until it lies between the tabs 34. At this stage only the zones 30 are against the post 42. The strap is then pulled tight, the tabs 34 turned over to grip it, and the excess length of the strap cut off.

The force exerted on the bridging portions 32 by the tightened strap pulls the bridging portions 32 downwardly towards the post 42. Thus while, initially, the curved plane in which the faces of the portions 32 lie is further from the post than is the curved plane in which the lower faces of the zones 30 lie, the downward force flexes the ridges 26 and pulls the underfaces of the bridging portions 32 against the post 42 so that the underfaces of the bridging portions 32 and the underfaces of the zones 30 are all against the post.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A buckle for attachment to a strap, the buckle comprising a plate having a pair of spaced, parallel ridges pressed into the plate and extending parallel to, and spaced inwardly from, longitudinally extending side edges of the plate, pressing of the plate to form the ridges creating two corresponding grooves in the underside of the plate, a transverse arch having a cross piece and two legs, the cross piece being above the plate and the lower ends of the legs being joined to said plate, the plate and the arch defining a strap receiving opening.

2. A buckle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said plate is arcuate so that said side edges are curved edges.

3. A buckle as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein said arch is integral with the plate, the arch being formed by punching the plate so that the cross piece is displaced with respect to the plane of the plate and lies above the plane of the plate thereby to leave an aperture in the plate below the cross piece.

4. A buckle according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein, in all transverse sections, the part of the plate between the ridges is above the strip-like zones of the plate which lie outwardly of the ridges.

5. A buckle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the legs of the arch join the plate along the crests of the ridges.

6. A buckle as claimed in any preceding claim and which includes two upwardly extending tabs which can be folded over towards one another to grip between themselves and said plate a strap which passes through said opening and lies between said ridges.

7. A buckle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said plate includes a relatively wide main part and a relatively narrow subsidiary part forming an extension of said main part, said tabs protruding upwardly along side edges of said subsidiary part.

8. A buckle according to any preceding claim, wherein at least the front transverse edge of said cross piece is serrated.

9. A buckle for attachment to a strap, the buckle comprising a plate, an arch having a cross piece and two legs, the cross piece being above the plate and the lower ends of the legs being joined to the plate, the arch and the plate defining a strap receiving opening, upstanding tabs for clamping a strap which has been passed through said opening, the cross piece of the arch being angled with respect to the plate so that the height of said opening between a front transverse edge of the cross piece and the plate is greater than the height of said opening between a rear transverse edge of the cross piece and the plate, said rear transverse edge of the cross piece being that edge of the cross piece which is closest to said tabs.

10. A method of manufacturing a buckle from plate material which buckle comprises a plate, the plate having a relatively wide main part and a relatively narrow subsidiary part forming an extension of the main part, the main part being bounded by a transverse front edge, two parallel, spaced side edges extending rearwardly from said front edge, and two short rear edges which extend inwardly from said side edges of the main part to side edges of said subsidiary part, the subsidiary part being bounded by said side edges and by a rear edge, there being tabs integral with said plate and bent so as to protrude upwardly along said side edges of said subsidiary part, the tabs being formed by cutting away pieces of the plate material on each side of said subsidiary part whereby there are gaps between said rear edges of said main part and the edges of the parts of the plate material which are to form said tabs, and then bending said portions of the plate material upwardly to form said tabs.

11. A method according to Claim 10, wherein said pieces of plate material that are removed are U-shaped.

12. A buckle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.