US2941272A

US2941272A - Parachute and safety seat belt buckle

Info

Publication number: US2941272A
Application number: US766093A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil J Bourguignon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-08
Filing date: 1958-10-08
Publication date: 1960-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1977-06-21

Description

June 21, 1960 E. J. BOURGUIGNON 2,941,272

PARACHUTE AND SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE Filed Oct. a, 1958 IMI INVENTOR 42 Emil Joseph Bourguignon ATTORNEY United States Patent PARACHUTE AND SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE Emil J. Bourguignon, 54 Clinton Ave., Farmingdale, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 8, 1958, Ser. No; 766,093

10 Claims. (Cl. 24-230) My invention relates to improvements in safety buckles for use on parachute harnesses and on safety belts for automobiles, aircraft and other vehicles.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a safety buckle for attachment to the respective ends of a belt or parachute harness and which is easy to operate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a twopart safety buckle, the parts of which may be latched to each other when the parts are reversed with respect to each other.

A further object of my invention is to provide a twopart safety buckle construction in which the parts are automatically latched to each other when they are brought together.

Another object of my invention is to provide a safety buckle of rugged construction adapted to safely support the weight of any wearer, even under acceleration or impact.

In general, my improved safety buckle is a two-part device, each including elongated loops or slots for attachment to the free ends of a safety belt or parachute harness. One of these parts comprises a main latch frame or body section, including a pair of similar spring-biased latches, while the other part comprises a catch frame including a pair of elongated prongs provided with catch shoulders, the prongs being oppositely oriented and adapted to actuate the latches when inserted into the latch frame.

The two latches in the main frame are of like construction, but are arranged upside down with respect to each other in the frame, so that each may be actuated by either of the prongs. The wearer, therefore, may effect engagement of the parts of the buckle without regard to the orientation of one part with respect to the other. The wearer is, therefore, able to quickly latch the buckle in case of emergency.

The preferred form of construction of my improved safety buckle is described more in detail hereinafter in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings forming a part of this application.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved safety buckle with the two parts coupled together;

Fig. 2 is an expanded view of the buckle shown in Fig. 1 with the cover plate removed from the latch frame and showing the arrangement of the latches;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the buckle shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the body of the latch frame of the buckle with the cover plate and latches removed;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the main frame as shown in Fig. 4, looking from the right;

Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of one of the latches shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an inside elevational view of the latch shown in Fig. 6;

2,941,272 Patented June 21, 1960 Fig. 8 is a view, partly in section, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the prong-carrying catch frame of the buckle shown at the right in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the improvedsafety buckle comprises a latch frame 10 and a catch frame 12, each provided with an elongated slot 14 for receiving the respective free ends of a safetyvbelt or parachute harness belt, which are secured to the parts of the buckle in a known manner. The latch frame 10 includes a pair of similar latches 16 mounted in the body of the frame under a cover plate .18 secured to the body of the frame by rivets 20. The latches 16 are sl-idably mounted in the latch frame upside down with respect to each other, as shown in Fig. 2, the latches 16 being biased away from each other and into latching position by means of a pair of springs 22, the ends of which are mounted in seating bores 24 on the inside face of each latch and shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The latch frame 10, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, includes a flat web 25 and is provided with front posts 26 and rear posts 2 8, on which the cover plate 18 rests. Each latch includes an outer portion operating between

posts

26 and 28 and stop projections 30, which engage the posts at the respective sides of the buckle when the latches are in latching position. The latch frame 10 also includes a front wall section 32 extending from the web 25 to the level of the

posts

26 and 28, and spaced from the posts 26 to provide intermediate openings 34 through; which the prongs of the catch frame are inserted intothe latch frame. The latch frame toward the back also includes vertical recesses 36, opposite the openings 34, in which the stops 30 operate and which also receive the respective end portions of the prongs of the catch frame. The recesses 36 are in line with the openings 34.

The web 25 of the latch frame 10 is provided with arcuate indentations 38 respectively at its opposite sides at the position of the latches 16, Fig. 4, and the cover plate 18 is provided with matching arcuate indentations 40, Fig. 1. The body of the frame 10, as shown in Fig. 4, is a single piece of metal.

The catch frame 12 is a single piece of metal and includes two similar spaced parallel elongated prongs 42 spaced to enter the openings 34 in the latch frame. Each of these prongs in plan has rounded ends, as shown in Fig. 2 and is cut away in the manner shown in Fig. 9 to provide a long transverse recess 44 leaving a catch block 45 having a shoulder 46. The two prongs 42 are upside down with respect to each other, so that the recesses 44 and catch shoulders 46 face in opposite directions with respect to a plane extending through the two prongs. The catch blocks 45 at the outer ends of the prongs beyond the catch shoulder 46 are cut away, so that the prong is not as deep at the free end as it is at the base, as shown in Fig. 9. The prongs are oblong in cross-section.

The latches 16 are constructed in such a manner as to cooperate with the particular shape of the catch prongs. In general, each latch 16 is a channel-shaped structure with the channel extending end to end, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The channel'comprises a web 48, from which the stop projections 30 extend. The channel in-,

cludes the inside wall 50, which receives the ends of the springs 22-, and the relatively thicker outside wall,

52, which normally extends to the side of the buckle,

s 3 a Sh ul er. 58-..-T l v t po on. o atch b ock 54 is located toward the inside of the latch. Both of the latches 16 are one piece and constructed alike, but as shown in Fig. 2, one is placed upside down with respect to the other. I V

In the operation of the safety buckle, the latch frame and catch frame 12in the relative positions shown in Fig. are moved toward each other, so that. prongs 42 enter through the openings 34. As the rounded end of each prong engages the sloping surface 56, it retracts the latch 16 and keeps it retracted until the end of the prong enters the recess 36 and the catch block 45 with its shoulder 46, is back of the shoulder 58 of the latch block 54, whereupon the latch snaps back to the closed position shown in Fig. 2 with the shoulder 46 caught in back of the shoulder 58 of the latch block 54. As the latch 16 snaps to its latching position, the elevated portion or latch block 54- moves into the recess 44 in the prong 4-2. This recess or cut-out portion 44 in the prong 42 is longer than the latch block 54.

The catch frame 12 is released from the latch frame 10 by pressing in on both of the latches 16 with the thumb and forefinger at the position of the

arcuate indentations

38 and 40. This operation removes the latch blocks 54 entirely out of the recesses 44 in the prongs 42. Since the latches 16 are upside down with respect to each other, the catch frame 12 may be engaged either side up beacuse the prongs 42 are also upside down with respect to each other. The depth of the free ends of the prongs is such that they slidably fit between the surfaces of the web 48 and the web 25, or cover plate 18-. The depth of each prong at its base is such that it slidably fits between the surfaces of the cover plate 18 and the bottom of the openings 34 plane with the web 25.

The latches 16 are block type units arranged so that the bottom of the web 48 is slidable along either under the cover plate 18 or on the surface of web 25 of the latch frame 10. The back and

front walls

50 and 52 have surfaces parallel to the outer surface of the Web 43, so that they are slidable along either under the cover plate 18 or along the plane surface of the bottom web 25 of the latch frame 10. The mechanism of the buckle, therefore, functions precisely, the prongs 42 being firmly held in latched position against any strain by the latch blocks 54, with the latches supported by the corner posts 26 and the center member 32. The arrangement is such that the forward portions of each latch are always in engagement with a post 26 and the center member 32. A rugged structure is, therefore, provided which is adapted to withstand the shocks and stresses normally received by parachute harnesses and safety seat belts. At the same time, the buckle is easy to latch and unlatch quickly.

What I claim is:

l. A safety buckle for safety seat belts and parachute harnesses comprising a latch frame and a catch frame, a pairof similar latches slidable bodily in the latch frame upside down with respect to each other and spring biased outwardly in the latch frame to latching position, the catch frame including a pair of spaced catch prongs each having a recess forming a catch shoulder adjacent the free end of the prong, said prongs being upside down with respect to each other so thatthe catch shoulders face in opposite directions with respect to a common plane extending longitudinally through the two prongs, the latch frame having openings for receiving the prongs, each latch including means actuated by a prong for effecting retraction of the latch bodily in the latch frame, and a shoulder on the latch for engaging the catch shoulder on the prong when the prongs of the catch frame are fully insertedin the latch frame and the latches are in latching position.

I 2; A safety buckle as claimed in claim -1, in which the latches comprise block type structures slidable bodily in the latch frametowardand away from each other.

., 3. A-sa'fety buckle acclaimed in claim 1, in which vet ic t h lu s a l t h I I block forming the shoulder on the latch and adapted to enter the recess in a prong.

4. A safety buckle for safety seat belts and parachute harnesses comprising a latch frame and a catch frame, a pair of similar latches slidable bodily toward and away from each other in the latch frame inverted with respect to each other and spring biased for movement bodily outwardly toward the respective sides of the latch frame to latching position, the catch frame including a pair of spaced catch prongs each having a catch block at its free end presenting a catch shoulder adjacent the free end of the prong, said prongs being inverted with respect to each other so that the catch blocks face in opposite directions with respect to a common plane extending longitudinally through the prongs, the latch frame having a pair of openings at one end for receiving the prongs, each latch including a beveled surface engageable by a prong for effecting bodily retraction of the latch in the latch frame, and a latch block on the latch providing a shoulder for engaging the catch shoulder on the prong when the prongs of the catch frame are fully inserted in the latch frame and the latches are in latching position. I

5. A safety buckle as claimed in claim 4, in which each latch comprises a channel member arranged lengthwise in the latch frame,said latch block being located in the channel of the latch and comprising an elevated portion with respect to the bottom web of the channel-shaped latch.

6. A safety buckle as claimed in claim 5, in which said elevated portion is located toward the inside of the channel member and is beveled on its front end with the beveled surface sloping outwardly toward the back end of the channel member, the latch shoulder being located at the back end of said, elevated portion.

7. A safety buckle as claimed in claim 4, in which each prong is oblong in cross section and the catch block thereof constitutes an elevated block-shaped portion on one of its edges, the widest dimension of the prong extending in a direction at right angles to a common plane extending longitudinally through the prongs of the catch frame.

8. A safety buckle as claimed in claim 4, in which the latches are arranged side by side in the latch frame, spring means located between the latches and biasing them away from each other, and stops on each end of each latch for limiting the movement of the latches in the direction away from each other, said latches being accessible fromoutside the latch frame for movement toward each other for unlatching the buckle.

9. A safety buckle for safety seat belts, parachute harnesses and the like comprising a latch frame and a catch frame, the latch frame comprising a flat bottom web, a back portion extending upwardly therefrom, front corner posts and a front wall spaced with respect to the posts, a pair of similar latches slidable bodily toward and away from each other transversely on the bottom web of the latch frame, said latches being upside down with respect to each other and spring biased for movement bodily outwardly toward the respective sides of the latch frame to latching position, the catch frame including a pair of spaced catch prongs each having a catch block at its free end presenting a catch shoulder adjacent the free, end of the prong, said prongs being inverted with respect to each other so that the catch blocks face in opposite directions with respect to a common plane extending longitudinally through the prongs, a cover plate attached to the top of the posts and to the top of the backportion of the latch frame, the latch frame having a pair of front openings provided by the respective spaces between the front posts and front wall of the latch frame for receiving the prongs, each latch including a beveled surface at the front engageable by a prong for effecting bodily retraction of the latch in the latch frame, and a latch block on, each latch providing a shoulder for engaging the catch shoulder on the prong when the prongs of the catch frame are fully inserted in the latch frame and the latches are in latching position.

10. A safety buckle as claimed in claim 9, in which each latch comprises a block-like channel structure arranged in the latch frame with the channel extending from front to back and embracing one of said front openings in the latch frame for receiving a prong, the latch block of said latch being located in the channel and comprising an elevated portion with respect to the web of the channel, said elevated portion being located on the web toward the inside of the channel and being beveled on its front end with the beveled surface sloping outwardly toward the back end of the latch, said beveled surface being engageable by a prong of the catch frame when the prong References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 530,862 Teed Dec. 11, 1894 2,867,024 Sepe Jan. 6, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,155,303 France Apr. 25, 1956