US2146003A - Lever-fastening for bands - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 7 19.39. G. T. WALKER LEVER FASTENING FOR BANDS Filed Dec. 3, 1936 Patented Feb. 7, 1939 LEVER-FASTENING FOR BANDS Gilbert Thomas Walker, Birmingham, England Application December 3, 1936, Serial No. 113,947 In GreatBritain January 18, 1936 3 Claims.

. This invention relates to lever-buckles or leverfastenings for bands, straps andxthe like, such, for example, as are used in connection with stocking suspender bands, truss bands, brace webbing .and the like, to enable the effective length of the band or webbing to be adjusted according to requirements, the band or webbing being adapted tobe held in the position desired by means of the lever.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lever-buckle or lever-fastening of an improved and simplified construction having means whereby the adjustment of the band or webbing is considerably facilitated.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing representsa front view of a lever-buckle or lever fastening constructed in accordance with this in- ..vention, showing it applied to the band or webhing.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the lever-buckle or fastening with the return-end of the band or webbing in section.

Figure 3 is .a side view of the fitting with the lever in its turned-down or clamping position.

Figure 4 represents a front view of the leverfastening without the band or webbing, the lever being in its raised position; showing the lower hinged gripping barwhich is provided, the said gripping bar being turned forwardly.

Figure 5 illustrates a cross-section on the line "5-5, Figure ishowing the fitting applied to the band.

Figure 6 represents a similar cross-section but with the lower gripping bar turned back, and the lever in its turned-down position.

Figure '7 is a cross-section on the .line Figure 4, with the fitting applied to the band.

Figure 8 is a cross-section similar to that shown in Figure 7, but showing how the lower gripping bar is turned back by the pull on the band.

Figure 9 is a front view of a modified form of lever-fastening.

Figure 10 shows a further modified arrangement.

Figure llrepresents a vertical section on the line li -l E, Figure 10.

' Figure 12 is a front view showing a third modi- "fication of the invention.

Figure 13 is a front view showing a fourth modification of the invention.

' Referring to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawing, the improved lever-buckle or lever-fastening comprises a rectangular metal'frame support I formed from a single length of circular-sectioned wire, the upper portion of the frame being bent forwardly, as shown. The opposite ends of thefframe are inwardly offset near the middle at- Z, and connecting together-the said inwardlycranked portions of the frame is a fixed cross- ,4a to surround the said fixed cross-bar.

band, suspenderband or the like.

with this bent up part. .thetop edge .of the angularly-movable gripping bar 3 to which is connected a gripping bar or narrow gripping plate 4 for co-operating with the lever member 6 of the'fitting by gripping the band thereagainst. The said lever member is hing-edly mounted upon the top bar lm of the frame l and is formed from a single sheet metal blank shaped or bent up to provide two front gripping parts 8 with toothed lower edges l1 and set upon opposite sides of a forwardly-bent middle part constituting a finger-piece 9 for turning the lever angularly about the top bar of the frame. The lever B is pivoted to the said top bar by curled-over rear edges disposed immediately behind the front gripping parts 8, and constituting hinge sleeves l0, whilst disposed between these hinge sleeves is a broad integral tongue portion I2 which is directed first rearwardly and substantially horizontally (assuming the lever to be in its operative or turned-down position) and then downwards and forwardly,

the tongue, which is thus given a rounded hook shape, lying at the rear of the front gripping parts 8 of the lever and partly behind the toothed edge portions of the gripping bar or plate 4 .to; the fixed cross-bar 3, the lower edge of the gripping bar or plate 4 being curled into a sleeve The opposite ends of the hinged gripping bar 4 are provided with lateral projecting lugs, stops or extensions I 3 which project beyond the ends of the frame I and constitute stops, as well as -means for enabling the gripping bar 4 to be moved angularly by hand when desired. These lugs or stops l3 by engaging the frame I limit .the angularmovement of the gripping bar 4, the

latter when in its normal position lying in a substantially vertical plane, as shown in Figures 6 and '8, the arrangement being such that it may be moved forwardly about its lower edge intothe position shown in Figure 7, leaving a wide gap or clearance between its upper edge 8 and the lever for the passage of the main part of the band or webbing M, which may be a truss The returnend of the band i4 is attached to the lower bar ila of the frame, the gripping bar 4 being spaced from the said'lower' bar of the frame by a slot or clearance 5. The gripping bar 4 is limited Iinits forward movement by the bent-up middle part or stop 30. of thebar 3 upon which it is mounted. This limiting is effected by engagement of the bar 4, as it rotates on the bar 3, The middle portion of bar 4 is formed with a forwardly-bent toothed part It disposed opposite or below the rolledover middle part I2 of the lever, whilst disposed at the top edge of the gripping bar 4, at each end of the forwardly-directed toothed middle part it, is a pair of large projecting prongs or sprags l7 and I8 set in different planes, as shown in Figures '7 and 8, the prongs or sprags lying close to the hinge-sleeves It at the ends of the lever 6 when the gripping bar is turned back into the plane of the frame.

The object of hingedly mounting the gripping bar 4 and providing it with the prongs or sprags H and I8 at opposite ends in the above manner is to enable the band or webbing l4 to be temporarily held after adjustment, prior to the turning down of the lever 6. To adjust the band or webbing, the gripping bar 4 is turned forwardly by the projecting lugs l3 at opposite ends, which may be held between the finger and thumb, leaving a wide clearance or aperture between the bar 4 and the lever 6, said lever having been first moved into its inoperative position. The band or webbing l4 may now be pulled down through the aperture. The said band, however, engages against the prongs H and I8 of the gripping bar 4 and any pull on the band in a direction which tends to loosen the latter, that is in an upward direction, causes the gripping bar 4 to be moved angularly rearwards (unless the same is positively held in its forward position) and the band is then engaged successively by the prongs l1 and I8 and is gripped between the said prongs and the hinge sleeves ID of the lever, the band being consequently held in its adjusted position, although the lever B is not turned down. When the lever is finally turned down the band 14 is also held between the front gripping parts 8 of the lever and the forwardlyset toothed middle part l6 of the gripping bar, the curled-over tongue 9 of the lever 6 pressing the band rearwar-dly over the said middle part of the gripping bar. The band or webbing I4 is thus securely held or clamped in an efficient manner. Although the prongs or sprags l1 and I8 on the gripping bar 4 effectively prevent the band or webbing from slipping out of its adjusted position prior to the turning down of the lever B, the said band or Webbing may be easily slackened and moved between the lever and the gripping bar, when desired, if the latter is held by hand in its forward position by means of the projecting lugs I3 at its opposite ends.

The arrangement illustrated in Figure 9 of the drawing is substantially the same as the above described, the frame being shown at la but the top edge of the hinged gripping bar 4a, is provided with a forwardly-bent middle part [6a, with a straight edge 6m, for co-operating with the lever 6a to hold the band or webbing in its fastened position, whilst at each end of the gripping bar 4a is a pair of forwardly-directed teeth [8a, with an upstanding tooth Ila, shaped as shown, at each side of the straight-edged middle portion Mia. The teeth Na and l8a engage with the band, so that a pull on the latter turns the bar into line with the frame la and thus temporarily holds the band against the hinge-sleeves Illa of the lever prior to the latter being turned down into its clamping position.

In the construction shown in Figures 10 and 11 the frame is indicated at lb and, the end extensions, or stops [3b of the hinged gripping bar 4b are curved, as shown, the bar having a set of forwardly-directed teeth I612 at the middle and upstanding teeth or sprags Nb and [8b adjacent each end, the teeth [81) being carried by the curved end extensions or stops l 31) of the gripping lever more closely into its gripping position. Or

the curled-over or hook-shaped rear part I20 of the lever 60 may be corrugated or roughened in any suitable manner, so as to provide a good gripping surface. It may, for example, be formed, as

shown in Figure 13, with a series of small projections 20c extending over a portion of its area, or over its entire outer surface. The curled-over part may be bent to any suitable cross-sectional shape. V

Having fully described by invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. The lever-fastening for bands comprising a frame, a band-engaging lever on the frame, hinge-sleeves at opposite sides of the lever, a hinged bar on the frame below the lever and constructed and arranged to cooperate with the hinge-sleeves to hold the band when the lever is in an unfastened position, band-engaging sprags at eachend of the hinged bar disposed below the hinge-sleevesin different planes, and a.

forwardly-directed gripping edge on the hinged bar separating the sprags at opposite ends of the latter. 7

2. A lever-fastening for bands comprising a frame having top and bottom bars, an intermediate bar carried by the ends of the frame, a lever on the top bar of the frame, a curled-over rearwardly extending part on the lever, a front finger-piece onthe lever, a toothed band-engag ing part on the lever on either side of the front finger-piece, a gripping member hinged on the intermediate bar of the frame, stops on the frame and hinged gripping member for limiting the angular movement of the latter in directions towards and away from the frame, sprags disposed in different planes at each end of the hinged gripping member for co-operating with the lever of the frame, a curled-lever rearwardly-extending part on the lever, a hinge-sleeve on each side of the rearwardly-extending part of the lever, a finger-piece at the front of the lever, a front toothed part on either side of the-finger-piece, a

gripping member hinged on the intermediate bar of the frame, stops on the frame and hinged gripping member for limiting the angular movement of the latter in opposite directions in relation to the frame, sprags disposed in different planes at each end of the hinged gripping member adapted to co-operate with the hinge-sleeves of the lever to hold the band when the lever is in its unfastened position, and a forwardly-directed part separating the sprags for engaging and holding the band when the lever is in its fastened position.

' GILBERT THOMAS WALKER.

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