GB2266337A - Buckle locks - Google Patents

Abstract

A fastener assembly 10 has releasably co-operable male and female buckle parts 16, 11 each having apertures for receiving a strap 37, 25 to connect, for example, a rucksack and a flap 39 of a pocket of the rucksack. A lock element includes walls 42, 44 for extending through the apertures. Wall 42 has a tongue 43 engaging behind cross-member 22 and wall 44 can releasably receive the hasp 50 of a padlock. A tongue 49 can grip adjustable strap 37, 38 against a cross- member 33. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO FASTENERS AND FASTENER DEVICES THIS INVENTION relates to fasteners and fastener devices.

According to this invention a fastener or lock device, for a buckle having two parts which can releasably engage, each part defining an aperture comprises a body, a first portion for extending through the aperture in one buckle part and a second portion for extending through the aperture in the other buckle part, and a tongue extending from the first portion for resisting separation of the device and the respective buckle part, the second portion being arranged for co-operation with means resisting removal of the second portion from the respective aperture.

The second portion may have an aperture for releasable receipt of a padlock hasp.

The first and second portions may be walls extending from the same face of a flat body.

The second wall may be at one end of the body.

The first wall may be at the other end of the body, the tongue extending from the first wall away from the second wall.

The invention includes a combination of fastener or lock device and such a buckle.

Elongate elements may extend through the apertures and may be straps, e.g. webbing, extending in use through the respective aperture, one strap being movable to tighten the straps, the lock device gripping the movable strap to resist movement thereof.

The invention may be performed in various ways and two specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lock element; Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified lock element; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a buckle and associated lock element; Figs. 5, 6 are sections showing the lock element in different operating positions; Figs. 7,8 are perspective and side views of a different lock element; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a buckle with the lock element of Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a section through a slightly modified arrangement.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, a releasable buckle or fastener 10 is moulded of plastics and has a female part 11 with narrower side walls 12, 13 and wider side walls 14,15 defining a mouth for receipt of a male part 16. The side walls 12,13 are cut away at 17 and in the engaged position movable side parts 18, 19 at one end of the part 16 engage in the cut outs 17 to resist separation of the buckle parts 11,16. The parts 18, 19 can be manually pressed inwards towards each other to positions clear of the side walls 12,13 so that the parts 11, 16 can be separated. The parts 11,16 can be re-engaged by a reverse procedure.

The female part 11 at the end remote from the mouth has side extensions 20,21 between which extends a bar 22 defining a slit like aperture 23 between the bar 22 and an end wall 24. In use for example one end of a webbing strap 25 is inserted through the aperture 23 and secured to the strap 25 to form a loop 26.

The opposite end of the part 16 has side extensions 30,31 between which extend cross- members 32, 33 defining slit-like apertures 34, between members 32,33, and 35, between member 32 and end wall 36.

In use a free end 38 of a webbing strap 37 is fed in one direction through slit 35 and in the opposite direction through slit 34, Fig. 5.. The free end 38 can be pulled to tighten the strap 37. The strap 25 may for example be connected to a part 39 of a pocket or main flap of a rucksack or back pack, the strap 37 being connected to the body of the ruck sack or back pack; on release of the buckle, the flap can be moved to provide access to the pocket or to the interior of the rucksack.

In the present case a lock is provided for the buckle.

A lock member or plate 40 is formed for example of aluminium and has a main flat section or wall 41 Figs. 1,2 which at one end has a transverse wall 42 leading to an end tongue 43 parallel to wall 41. Near the other end is a transverse wall 44, of greater height than wall 42 and extending from the same face 45 of wall 41, and an aperture 46 extends through wall 44 near the outer edge 47 thereof.

To lock the buckle 10, the tongue 43 is inserted into the aperture 23 and the plate 40 pivoted so as to enter wall 44 into and through aperture 35 until the portion 48 of wall 41 between walls 42, 44 lies substantially against wall 15. The hasp 50 of a key operated padlock 51 can then be inserted through the aperture 46, Figs. 5,6, to hold the plate 40 in place. The part 49 of wall 41 beyond wall 44 presses the over lapped portions 60,61 of strap 31,'38 against bar 33 and the wall 44 firmly frictionally holds the strap 37 against the cross-member 32 so that the strap 38 cannot be manipulated so as to detach the strap 37 from the buckle part 16. The walls 44,42 resist separation of the buckle parts 11,16. The tongue 43 engages the strap 25 against the bar 22 and, in cooperation with the padlock, prevents movement of wall 41 away from wall 15.

To release the lock the padlock is opened and removed. The wall 44 can then be pushed away from the buckle to pivot the plate 40 which can be removed or left in the chain-dotted position, Fig. 5.

Fig. 3 shows a slightly modified lock plate 40a of bent metal strip.

Figs. 7 to 9 show another embodiment in which the wall 44 forms an end of the lock element 70 and is inserted through aperture 23. The other end of element 70 includes wall 42, tongue 43 and inclined tongue extension 71, extension and tongue being inserted into aperture 35 and pivoted, as above, to the locking position with wall 42 extending through aperture 35 and the strap 37 being frictionally trapped by the parts 42, 43, 71 and cross-member 32.

The buckle parts 80,81 are similar to but slightly different from parts 11,16. To unlock, the padlock is unlocked and removed and wall 44 pushed from aperture 25 to allow element 70 to be pivoted to a strap releasing position, or removed.

Fig. 10 shows a slightly modified arrangement.

In a modification parts 42/43, 44,49 can be other shapes, for example part circular.

Claims (11)

1. A fastener or lock device, for a buckle having two parts which can releasably engage, each part defining an aperture, the element comprising a body, a first portion for extending through the aperture in one buckle part and a second portion for extending through the aperture in the other buckle part, and a tongue extending from the first portion for resisting separation of the device and the one buckle part, the second portion being arranged for co-operation with means resisting removal of the second portion from the respective aperture.

2. A device as claimed in Claim l, in which the second portion has an aperture for releasable receipt of a padlock hasp.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the first and second portions are walls extending from the same face of a flat body.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, in which the second wall is at one end of the body.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the first wall is at the other end of the body, the tongue extending from the first wall away from the second wall.

6. A fastener or lock device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, or Figs. 7 to 9, or Fig. 10, of the accompanying drawings.

7. An assembly of a device as claimed in any preceding claim, in association with such a buckle.

8. An assembly as claimed in Claim 3, in which a crossmember forms the side of the aperture in the one buckle part, and the tongue is co-operable with the cross-member.

9. An assembly as claimed in Claim 8, including a further tongue adjacent the second portion co-operable with a cross-member forming one side of an aperture in the other buckle part.

10. An assembly as claimed in Claim 9, including elongate elements extending respectively through the apertures, the elongate element extending through the aperture in the other buckle part being gripped between the further tongue and the cross-member.

11. An assembly as claimed in Claim 7, in which the other buckle part has first and second cross-members forming sides of first and second apertures, an elongate element extending in one direction through the first aperture and in the opposite direction through the second aperture, and a further tongue adjacent the second portion gripping overlapped portions of the elongate element against a crossmember to resist movement of the elongate element through the apertures.