US1654805A - Belt buckle - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1928. l A 1,654,805

w. L. HAMRIC BELT BUCKLE Filed Nov. 6. 1925 Waldo L.Hamrc Chrom.,

Patented Jan. 3, i 1928.

UNITED STATES 51,654,805 lPA'rlizNT oFF1c'E.

wALno L. HAMRIdioF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

BELT BUCKLE.

l Application led November 6, 1 926. `Serial'lo. 146,799.

that no strain is imposed upon the hinge.

A'further object is to provide in such a. buckle a hinged holding memberV which snaps into holding position and does not automatically release when the belt becomes slack, but requires pressure thereagainstfat an angle to the face of the belt for its release.

Another object is to provide such a buckle in which there is no considerable strain upon its front or side portion-s when the belt is taut, but substantially all of the pull is transferred from the holding meansto the back portion of the buckle.

YAnd a still further object is to provide such a buckle inv which the front and sides,

laccompanying drawings, which depict a the former of which commonly forms or bears a monogram or otherspecial design, and the spacing of the latter'of which determines the width ofbelt with which the buckle can be used, are unitary and detachably secured to the back, so that fronts of dierent design, and belts widths, readily may be used interchangeably with the same buckle.

-The Ameans by which the' foregoing and other objects are accomplished by my invention, and `the manner of their accomplishment, readily will be understood from the following description on reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which r.-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the frontk portion of a belt, having its ends secured together by one of my improved belt-buckles.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the inner Side of the vportion of the belt at .the junction of its two ends, showing the holding member of the buckle as swung back out of l holding position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, showing a section substantially on line III-III kof Fig. 1.

of different Fig. 4 is an enlargedl detail view, showing lflange being extended beyond vthe fourth side to form the chape 9 by which the buckle is secured to vone end ofthe belt 10, and there being an opening 11 in the plane portionof the back-plate. The front-plate 12 of the buckle preferably is formed of resilient metal, and has two of its marginal portions bent at right angles to. the substantially plane body portion thereof to form the two sides 13, each. of which terminates in an inwardly-bent portion In the outer surface ofthe flange' 8, at eachV side of the backplate 7, is a shallow groove 15 adapted toV receivethe bent portion 14 offtheside, and the unitary front and sides are retained in place by engagement' of saidbent portions with said grooves. V The holding member comprises a plate 16,'having hinges 17 which cooperate with a pintle V18 in the vform of a resilient .pin supported between the two side portions of the flange 8, said pin `being supported at its` two lends only. To the inner face of the plate 16 is secured two simil-ar studs or pins 19, which project substantially at right angles from said plate, and the free ends of which are tapered and are curved toward the hinges 17, the spacing of said pins `conforming with that of eyelets 20, which are arranged in pairs at the inner side of the belt, but do not extend therethrough and hence are not visible when the belt is in is in its holding position, the studs or pins 19 project thek desired distance through the opening 11 in the back-plate 7. Thus, when said studs or pins are engaged with any pair of the eyelets, substantially "all of the strain due to tension upon the belt is brought against the end portion of the fiange'8,fand, due to the curved shape ofthe studs or pins 19, there is no considerable lateral strain iinposed .upon vthe face-plate 16. Preferably, 'the standing-end of the belt is secured to the chape 9 of the buckle by snap-buttons 21, so as to be-readily detachable :When desired.

`In use, the running end of vthe belt is passed between the `tace-plate 16 and sides 13 and-the back-plate 7aiid While the beltis being tightened the eyelets 20 pass Jtreely 'over the curve-d ends of the studs orv pins 19, but upon anyreverse `movement o't'rhe belt said eyelets will be engaged'by said Studs or pins, such engagement being insured by asliglit pressure ofthe thumb 'against the holdingmember 16, and being readily discernible by feeling said member to deter mine Whether it is vin its holding position With itstree end against the end portion of the flange 8. To loosen the belt, it is only necessary to give a slight pull or jerlz'to its free end, which Will-spring the hinge-pin 18 backiand release the free-.end o't'the plate 16 'from the-flange, thereby detacliing'the hooks 19 froni'the eyeletsQO..

Various modiiications of minorl detailsof y lmy improved belt-buckle doubtless readily will suggest themselves to those skilledin the artftovvhich it appertai'ns, but such modifi cations fall Within the scope ofy my inventive rights,and the invention isn-otto becon strued as'bein'g'limited to any details not specifically seto'ut inthe claims.

Having" thus .fully disclosed theinvention, What-fl claim as new, and seek to secure by Letters Patent, is v h1. A buckle comprising rva back, a front and two sides, enclosingfa space adapted to receive a belt,said back having an opening therein Vand having a flan-ge at one end'of its: outer face, and -a holding inember pivotally mounted upon a stationary resilient su pport carried by said back at the end opposite saidiiange, the free end oiE said member being abutt'ed against said iiaiige When said member is in 'holding' position, and said member carrying a pin in position to pro3ect throughsaid opening in the back and en-V gage belt iii-saidbeltreceiviiig space.

'2. buckle con'torining to A'claim 1, in

-wliieh Ythe holding nieniberfis yieldingly retained in engagement withtheicliange by the resilient support upon which -said member is mounted.

3. il. buckle yconiorming to claim :1, in

which the belteengaging pin hasits freeend curved -toivard gthe support for the holding member. f

1. Abuelle conforming Ato -claim l, in which the'b'elt is provided With apertures arranged Ain series longitudinally thereof, and the pin kon the holding member is adapted to enterone of said apertures upon movement ofthelioldinginember to Vholding po'-,

sition, and tofbe detached'therefrom .upon reverse move-nient ofsaid'member.

5. A buckle :comprising va` backya `iront,

and tivosidesfenclosing a spaceadfapted to receive a belt, said sides being connected-.together bythe front :and the back being separate iroin'the 'trent and sides, andftheY sides Y -A and hack ltermi ng complementary interlocking members, :one vof which Y:is A.yieldable Wherebyf-diiiferent ifro'nts and-sides may be used interchangeal'ily :with the same back,

andmeanscarried-by the baelrztoi retaining afbelt insaidbeltfreceiyingspace,V y

6. -i/fi.. bucklev conforming to claim .5, fin

which4 the "front -aiidsides are 'iini tary,- said VWALDo L. iiAMRic.

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