US2493447A

US2493447A - Belt structure

Info

Publication number: US2493447A
Application number: US703129A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Delano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-10-14
Filing date: 1946-10-14
Publication date: 1950-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1967-01-03

Description

Jan 3, 1 950 w, DELANO 2,493,447

BELT STRUCTURE I Filed Oct. 14, 1946 ELIE-=1- INVENTOR. GEORGE M DfZAA/O A 270/? A/EYS Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates generally to belts and refers more particularly to belts of the type used in connection with wearing apparel wherein the free ends of the belt are removably attached by a buckle.

In the present day manufacture of belts, it is common practice to loop one end of a flexible strap around one side of a buckle and to sew or otherwise secure the free end of the loop to the adjacent portion of the strap. type of buckle employed requires piercing the strap at longitudinally spaced points for selectively receiving the prong on the buckle.

Belts of the above general type are expensive to manufacture and are none too satisfactory in operation. They are costly to produce because of the complicated nature of the buckle because of the necessity of punching the strap. Also in cases where the strap is formed of fabrics or materials having relatively low tear strength, it is also necessary to provide eyelets for the punched holes and this requirement also addsto the cost of manufacture.

The foregoing type of belt is none too satisfactory in performance, because. the extent of adjustment is determined by thaspacing between the prong receiving holes because of the difii culty in altering the length of the strap. Due to the fact that the free end portion of the belt. is equipped with the prong receiving holes, it is necessary to detach the opposite end of the strap from the buckle and remove the required amount from this end of the strap. Moreover, the stresses are more or less localized at the. hole or eyelet in the strap engaged by the prong and this not only resuns in excessive wear of the strap but, in addition, increases the tendency for the strap to twist or cock when in use.

It is one of the principal objects of this invention to overcome the above objections by providing a belt having a buckle fixed to one end portion of the strap and constructed to removably hold the free end in place by frictionally engaging the strap with the fixed end portion thereof. Thus the free end portion of the strap is effectively held by the buckle without the nec-- essity of providing the buckle with a prongand without the necessity of punching or otherwiseforming holes in the strap. As a result the cost of manufacture of the belt is not only appreciably reduced, but the overall length of the strap may be reduced by merely cuttin the required. amount off the free end of the strap. Moreover, adjustment of the belt to an infinite number of sizes may be accomplished by merely In addition the sliding the free end portion of the belt over the fixed portion thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a belt structure wherein the buckle is equipped with a center bar dividing the opening in the buckle into two adjacent slots and wherein one end of the strap is threaded through the slots over the bar with the portion adjacent the bar fixed to the latter. The above end of the strap projects beyond the adjacent side of the buckle a distance sufficient to act as a pilot to facilitate threading the free end of the strap through the slots. The arrangement is such that the portion of the strap threaded through the slots overlies the fixed end portion and frictional contact is effected between the two layers throughout at least the length of the buckle. As a result the free end portion of the strap is firmly held against slipping and. twisting or cocking of the strap is avoided.

A further object of this invention is to provide a belt structure wherein the strap is either formed of a resinous thermoplastic material or is formed of a material coated or impregnated with a therneoplastic resin, and wherein the bar on the buckle is heat welded or otherwise permanently fixed to the strap.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a belt structure wherein the buckle is formed of a material having different characteristics than the resinous material from which the strap is formed and wherein the bar on the buckle is provided with a sleeve formed of a resinous material compatible with the material from which the strap is formed to enable heat weldin the strap to the bar.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view of a belt structure embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view showing the ends of the belt strap attached together by a buckle;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1; and I Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line ll of Figure 2.

The belt shown in the several figures of the drawing comprises a strap Hi and a buckle H. The strap ill may be formed of various different materials having; the required strength, but in the present instance, is preferably formed of a thermoplastic resin capable of being extruded or otherwise inexpensively produced in ribbon-l-ike strips. Although various different types of plastics or resins are capable of being used to form the strap Ill, particularly satisfactory results have been obtained by employing thermoplastic materials such, for example, as vinyl resins. Vinyl resins may be economically extruded into relatively thin strips having considerable strength and dimensional stability. Also, vinyl resins may be produced in a variety of colors and have virtually no water absorption. Thus the strap may be laundered r cleaned by merely sponging the same with hot soapy water.

The buckle may also be formed of a wide variety of materials including different types of resin or plastics. Acetate, methyl-methacrylate, styrene, and/or phenolic resins are among those that lend themselves readily to fabrication into a buckle of the type about to be described. Methylmethacrylate or styrene resins are preferred, because this resin may be economically fabricated and provides a very attractive transparent, translucent or opaque buckle;

' Referring more in detail to the buckle construction, it will be noted that the latter comprises an elongated frame I2 having an opening and having a transverse bar I3 dividing the opening into two adjacent slots I4 and I5. One end I6 of the strap II! is threaded through the buckle by extending the end I6 through the slot I4 from the inner side of the buckle to the outer side of the latter and then returning the end I6 back to the inner side of the buckle through the slot I5. The end I6 extends along the inner side of the buckle frame to a point slightly beyond the bar I! and acts as a pilot to guide the free end portion I8 of the strap into the slot I of the buckle. It will also be noted that the end portion I5 of the strap is permanently secured to the bar I3 of the buckle. In cases Where the buckle or bar I3 is formed of a plastic compatible with the resin from which the strap I6 is formed, it is possible to bond or heat weld the strap directly to the bar I3. However, if the buckle is formed of a material having different characteristics than the resin from which the strap is formed, the bar I 3 is preferably provided with a compatible resin coating I9 to enable integrally bonding the strap to the bar. For example, if the strap is formed of a Vinyl resin, a coating of the same resin may be applied to the bar I3 of the buckle and the strap may then be readily heat welded to the bar. In some cases, however, it may be expedient to rivet or otherwise fix the strap to the bar I3 on the buckle.

The free end portion I B of the strap is threaded through the buckle in superposed relation to the end portion It by first extending the end I8 through the slot I5 from the inner side of the buckle and then returning the end I8 to the inner side through the slot I4. Thus, the end portion I8 of the strap overlies the end portion I6 at opposite sides of the division bar I3 and the end portion It forms a bearing for the strap throughout the full length of the buckle. In other words, the portion of the belt threaded through the buckle frictionally engages the end portion I6 of the strap throughout the length of the buckle and, as a result, the end portion I8 of the strap is effectively held against shifting movement in a direction to release the same from the buckle. Actually, this extended bearing engagement of the end portion I8 with the end portion I6 tends to equalize the stresses at opposite sides of the buckle bar I3 and acts to prevent twisting, cooking or deformation of the strap by the buckle. The appearance of the belt in use is thereby not only greatly improved, but in addition, wear of the strap is appreciably reduced.

With a belt structure of the above general type, it is possible to reduce the length of the strap without disturbing the connection between the strap and buckle by merely cutting the required amount of material from the free end portion I8 ofthe strap. Also adjustment of the size of the belt is not restricted to preselected dimensions as any size within the limits of the length of the strap may be readily secured by merely relatively moving the free end portion I8 relative to the buckle II. Moreover, the number of operations required to fashion the belt is reduced to a minmum and as a result, the belt may be inexpensively produced on a production basis.

What I claim as m invention is:

1. A belt comprising a buckle having an opening and having a cross bar dividing the opening into two adjacent slots, 2. flexible strap of resinous material having one end projecting outwardly from the inner side of the buckle through one of the slots to the outer side of the buckle and extending over the cross bar back through the second slot to the inner side of the buckle, and

a covering for the bar of resinous material compatible with the material from which the strap is formed and heat welded to the adjacent portion of the strap.

2. A belt structure comprising a buckle and a strap of the same material, the buckle having an elongated open frame provided with a center cross bar, said frame'and cross bar cooperating with each other to provide slots upon opposite sides of said cross bar, the strap being entirely free of lateral projections and openings and having overlapping end portions in surface to surface frictional engagement with each other throughout the length of the frame, said overlapping end portions extending over the inner side of said frame at opposite ends thereof and extending outwardly through said slots and overlying the outer side of said cross bar, the outer side of said cross bar being rigidly attached in surface to surface relation to the innermost of said end portions at a point spaced from the tip thereof, whereby said tip extends freely over an end of said frame, the outermost of said end portions being unattached and extending between said innermost end portion and opposite ends of the frame, the arrangement of said outermost end portion between said innermost end portion and opposite ends of the frame being such that said innermost end portion cooperates with the end portions of the frame to guide and clamp the outermost end portion therebetween.

3. A belt structure comprising a buckle anda strap, the buckle having an elongated open frame provided with a center cross bar, said frame and cross bar cooperating with each other to provide slots upon opposite sides of said cross bar, the strap being entirely fee of lateral projections and openings and having overlapping end portions in surface to surface frictional engagement with each other throughout the length of the frame, said overlapping end portions extending over the inner side of said frame at opposite ends thereof and extending outwardly through said slots and overlying the outer side of said cross bar, the outer side of said cross bar being rigidly attached to the innermost of said end portions at a point spaced from the tip thereof, whereby said tip extends freely over an end of said frame, the

outermost of said end portions being unattached and extending between said innermost end portion and opposite ends of the frame, the arrangement of said outermost end portion between said innermost end portion and opposite ends of the frame being such that said innermost end portion cooperates with the end portions of the frame to guide and clamp the outermost end portion therebetween.

4. A belt comprising a buckle having an opening and having a cross bar dividing the opening into two adjacent slots, a flexible strap having an end portion projecting outwardly from the inner side of the buckle through one slOt to the outer side of the buckle and extending over the cross bar back through the second slot to the inner side of the buckle, the portion of the strap engaging the cross bar being permanently secured to the latter, the adjacent tip of the strap projecting freely over the adjacent end of the buckle for guiding the opposite free end portion of the strap therebetween.

5. A belt comprising a buckle having an opening and having a cross bar dividing the opening into two adjacent slots, a flexible strap having an end portion projecting outwardly from the inner side of the buckle through one slot to the outer side of the buckle and extending over the cross bar back through the second slot to the inner side of the buckle, the portion of the strap engaging the cross bar being permanently secured to the latter, the opposite free end portion of the strap extending through the second slot from the inner side of the buckle to the outer side of the latter and back to the inner side of the buckle through the first slot whereby said free end portion overlies and frictionally engages the first end portion of the strap throughout the length of said buckle.

6. A belt comprising a buckle having an opening and having a cross bar dividing the opening into two adjacent slots, a flexible strap of resinous material having an end portion projecting outwardly from the inner side of the buckle through one of the slots to the outer side of the buckle and extending over the cross bar back through the second slot to the inner side of the buckle, a covering for the bar of resinous material compatible with the material from which the strap is formed and heat welded to the overlying portion of the strap, the end portion aforesaid of the strap projecting freely over the adjacent end of the buckle for guiding the opposite free end portion of the strap therebetween. said free end portion being in frictional engagement with the first mentioned end portion and clamped thereby against opposite ends of said buckle.

7. A belt comprising a buckle having an open frame and having a cross bar dividing the opening into two slots, a flexible strap having one end portion projecting outwardly from the inner side of the frame through one of the slots to the outer side of the frame and extending over the cross bar back through the other slot to the inner side of the frame and having the portion registering with the cross bar secured thereto, the end aforesaid of the strap overlying the inner side of the adjacent end of the frame and being free from connection with the frame to provide a guide for directing the other end of the strap through the frame in overlapping relation to the first named end portion of the strap.

8. A belt comprising a strap of resinous material and a buckle in the form of an open frame divided into laterally spaced slots by a cross bar having an outer surface of resinous material compatible with the material from which the strap is formed, said strap having one end portion projecting outwardly from the inner side of the frame through one slot to the outer side of the frame and extending over the cross bar back through the other slot to the inner side of the frame and having the portion registering with the cross bar heat welded to the adjacent resinous surface of the cross bar, the end aforesaid of the strap overlying the inner side of the adjacent end of the frame and being free from connection with the frame to provide a guide for directing the other end of the strap through the frame in overlapping relation to the first named end portion of the strap.

GEORGE W. DELANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,202,644 Blossom May 28, 1940 2,392,761 Pease Jan. 8, 1946