US2890534A

US2890534A - Buckle

Info

Publication number: US2890534A
Application number: US454064A
Authority: US
Inventors: Quayle Robert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-09-03
Filing date: 1954-09-03
Publication date: 1959-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-16

Description

lhice 2,890,534 Patented June 16, 1959 BUCKLE Robert Quayle, Algonquin, lll.

Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 454,064

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-17) This invention relates to a buckle and in particular to a buckle for securing an animal collar strap.

'I'he principal feature of the invention is the provision of a new and improved buckle for use on an animal collar strap.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a buckle having new and improved identification means in assocation with the buckle.

Still another feature is the provision of such a buckle wherein the retaining means includes new and improved means for releasably securing the identification means in association with the buckle.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a buckle embodying the invention securing a collar strap on an animals neck;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a buckle having a modified form of strap retaining means; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section of the front portion of the buckle provided with the modified form of strap retaining means.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, a buckle embodying my invention may be seen. The buckle comprises an outer body member 10, an inner body member 15 secured therewithin, and a D-ring 30 for pivotally connecting one end of a strap 40 to said buckle. Retaining means are further provided within said buckle to hold securely the other end of the strap when inserted therein. D-ring 30 is secured to the buckle and further provides means for attachment of a separate tethering element 41 thereto. Identification means 25 is readily removably attached to said buckle in such a position as to allow ready View.

Referring now more specifically to Figs. 2 to 4, the detailed construction and functioning of my buckle will be described. Outer body member is provided with side portions 11, each having a slot 11a in the front end and a hole 11b near the rear end. The side portions are generally trapezoidal shaped and are spaced apart by bottom portion 12. The top edge of each side portion is bent to form an inturned flange 13.

The inner body member 15 is adapted to be retained within the outer body member and comprises a top portion 16, a tongue 16a formed near its rear end adapted for guiding the collar strap, and depending, generally trapezoidal side portions 17.

Each iside portion 17 is provided with an ear 17a at its front end adapted to engage slot 11a of outer body member 1l) and securely retain said inner body member within said outer body member when said inner body member is telescoped therewithin. A hole 17b is disposed near the rear end of each side portion and is positioned to align with hole 11b of outer body member 10 27 is provided with edges 27b having a when the inner body member is inserted fully into the outer body member. The lower edge of each side portion is provided with a long `slot 17e extending rearwardly from a point near the front end of the side and a short slot 17d near the rear end thereof.

A Wedge member 20 having a roughened gripping surface 20a and ears 20h adapted to engage long slots 17C is slidably retained Within said body members. This wedge member is adapted to grip firmly a strap end in-` serted between its surface 20a and the bottom of top portion 16.

A leaf spring 18 is carried in body 10 on bottom 12 and has a ilat portion 18a with a forward end portion lSb formed at a small angle from the at portion and a rear end portion 18e formed into a U-shaped channel and is provided with ears 18d adapted to be retained in short slots 17d. The wedge member 20 is frictionally held in position contacting the underside of strap 40, by the action of spring end portion 1Sb when the wedge member is in strap engaging position, yas shown in Fig. 2 (full lines). The wedge member may be readily moved to the released position (dotted lines) within U-shaped end portion 18C by moving the strap 40 a short distance toward the rear of the buckle (to the right in Fig. 2). The gripping engagement between wedge member surface 20a and the undersurface of the strap will overcome the frictional retarding force between the spring portion 18b and the bottom of the wedge member, causing the wedge member to move correspondingly to the rear of the buckle. This rearward movement will cause the wedge member to engage spring fiat portion 18a which exerts no frictional positioning force and the wedge member may then slide freely into the end portion 18C. In this position, ears 2Gb are in engagement with the rear portion of long slots 17C and the strap 40 is allowed to slide freely through the buckle.

D-ring 30 is provided with a discontinuous, straight portion 30a adapted to engage holes 11b and 17b in outer body member 10 and inner body member 15 respectively, outer body members in a telescoped position. Straight portion 30a is adapted to have the looped end 40a of strap 40 pivotally attached thereto. Such pivotal attachment minimizes fleXure of the strap, which has been found to cause failure at this point of the strap in buckles having a non-movable connection.

In the conventional collar strap assembly, the means for connection of a separate tethering Aelement to the strap comprises a ring secured to a portion of the strap itself. Generally, a portion of the ring is inserted between the layers of material constituting the strap and retained therein by means such as stitching. Such attachment has proven decidedly disadvantageous in that successive flexures, caused by tensional strains transmitted through the tethering element, tend to rupture the strap at this point. In my invention, the D-ring 30 is provided with an arcuate portion 30h adapted for connection of the tethering element 41 thereto. Such attachment causes such tethering element strains to act directly on the buckle and as the strap is. freely pivotally secured to the buckle, undue exing ofthe strap is pre-` cluded.

Identification means 25 is detachably secured to the top portion 16. vMeans 25 comprises a transparent envelop 27 within whichl is retained an identification card" 26 bearing desirable identification data.y The envelop wedged or tapered shape adapted to be engaged between flanges 13 and top portion 16. One of the edges 27b is provided with a slot 27d communicating with the internal cavity 27e in the envelop 27.

The card 26 is inserted into the envelop by slidingv and provides additional securing of the inner and it through the slot 27d. One end of the envelop is then positioned so thatV edges 2f7bwill engage the flanges 13` and the envelop is then slid longitudinally into overlying relationship with top portion 16, flanges 13 retaining the envelop in attachment to thel buckle. As the slot 27d is now covered by a flange 13, the cavity 27e is sealed against moisture and foreign material.

It can be seen that ythe several components of the buckle are quickly and easily assembled and secured into a unit. Ears 17a of inner body member 15 snap into slots 11a of outer body member 10, thereby maintaining the body members in functional relationship. Straight portions 30a of D-ring 30 engage holes 11band 17b'of theV outer and inner body members, respectively, so as further to secure the assembly.

New and improved means arev provided for retaining the identification means in releasable association with the buckle. For this purpose, flanges 13 of the outer body member are provided with notches 13a. The identification element envelop 27' is provided with a groove 27C extending preferably transversely from the topof one of the edges 27b across said edge, across the bottom portion of the envelop, and across the second of said edges, terminating in the top of said second edge. This groove is positioned'longitudinally of the card holder so as to align with said notches 13a when the holder isfully inserted within the flanges. A flat, generally U-shaped spring member 28 is provided to secure the identification element in this position. Spring 28is adapted to be received within the groove 27e and preferably has a thickness less than the depth of the groove so that it may be Wholly contained therein. The two extremities of the spring 28a extend upwardly and are adapted to be received in the notches 13a, the spring action of member 28 tending to force them outwardly so as tobear against the flanges.

To insert the identification means 25, it is necessary merely to place the spring 28 in the groove 27C with the ends 28a extending upwardly, manually force said ends toward each other so as to prevent interference with flanges 13, and slide the identification card longi tudinally into the buckle with the edges 27k in engagement with flanges 13 until the card is fully inserted. In this position, the spring member 28 will be aligned with the notches 13a and the ends 28a may be allowed to expand into said notches, thereby positively preventing further longitudinal movement. The removal of the card is effected by a reversal of this operation.

A strap engaging member is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 to comprise a cylindrical wedge member 21 arranged to engage the strap 40 andretain it within the buckle. This wedge member is provided with serrations 21a and a hollow bore 2lb. Within said bore is axially positioned a spring 22 with one end engaging the end of said bore. A friction member 23, comprising disc-shaped body member side portion engaging element 23b and a shaft 23C extendingnormally therefrom, is positioned within said wedge member 21 so that said shaft extends axially therethrough and the free end of spring 22 urges the element 23b outwardly. It can be seen that the spring action will press one end of wedge member 21 and the outer surface of friction member 23 against the side portions 11b and thus tend to hold the wedge member in whatever position, it may be placed. This holding force, however, may be overcome by action of the strap 40 against the serrated surface. To secure the strap, such engagement is made and the strap is moved toward the front portion of the buckle or to the left as in Fig. 2, thereby wedging the member 21 between the bottom portion 12 and the strap. Toloosen the strap, it merely need be moved toward. the rear portion, thus member 21 will be moved correspondingly to the right and release` its Wedging hold.

In use, the free strap end 40b is inserted into the front end of the buckle and slidingly pushed through the space 4 between the bottom of top portion 16 and roughened gripping surface 20a of wedge member 20, the top surface of U-shaped end portion 18C of leaf spring 18 and looped end 40a of strap 40. Tongue 16a guides the strap end when leaving the rear end of the buckle.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it can be seen that wedge member 21 will slide toward D-ring portion 30a when the strap motion is from thel iront to the rear of the buckle. When, however, the strap is moved in the opposite direction, serrations 21a will tend to grip the strap, causing wedge member 21 tobe moved in the opposite direction, thereby increasing the pressure between the wedge member and therstrap and holding` the strap in this positionA firmly. To loosen the strap, it is necessary merely to move the strap a short distance toward the rear of the buckle, thereby moving wedge member 21 toward the rear and releasing the pressure against the strap.

The attachmentl of the tetheringelement to theA D-ring further provides a co-operating means forpositioningl theA identification means 25 for viewing. It is necessary merely to exert a slight force on the tethering element to cause the collar strap to slide around the animals neck to a positionl where the identification means may be readily viewed; This precludes anynecessity for bring-A ing the hands near the animals head by one merely wishing to identify the animal.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it' is. capable of many modifications. Changes, therefor, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing Ifrom the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1'. A buckle assembly of the character described forA usewith an animal collar strap, comprising: a buckle adapted to have an animal collar strap secured thereto and having a top surface and a ange defining an edge of said surface, said fiange Ibeing provided with a notch; identi'cation means; groove means on said buckle adapted to receive the identification means to allow movement thereof parallel to the plane of the top surface and to restrain movement of the identification means laterally of said plane, said identification means including an edge portion having an opening therethrough; and means for restraining movement of the identification means in said plane,

when desired including a spring clip extending through said opening and releasably engaging said notch.

2. A buckle for use with a collar strap comprising: a buckle body provided with a top and parallel spaced inturned fianges dening opposite edges of the top, said flanges each having a notch; and an identification card element comprising a flat transparent envelope movable along said buckle top and having edges slidably engaging said iianges, said envelope further having means defining an opening extending transversely tol said edges, a resilient element extending through said opening and releasably engaging said ilange notches to prevent longitudinal movement of said envelope relative to said buckle body, and an identification card retained in said envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 272,036 Fassitt Feb. 13, 1883 770,070 Johnson Sept. 13, 1904 794,563 Stahlknecht July 11, 1905 1,101,426 Fromm June 23, 1914 1,170,151 Hathaway Feb. 1, 1916 1,178,024 Nettleton Apr. 4, 1916 1,539,487 Hornick May 26, 1925 1,606,849 Spear Nov. 16, 19,26 1,794,458 Herschede Mar. 3, 1931 1,896,695 Borovicka Feb. 7, 1933 (therreferences on following page) 6 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1908 Sweden July 29, 1952 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1927 Great Britain July 9, 1931