US3805334A

US3805334A - Strap holder consisting of two elements

Info

Publication number: US3805334A
Application number: US00200389A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Graup
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-03-03
Filing date: 1971-11-19
Publication date: 1974-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-23

Abstract

Ski-boot buckle-type fasteners comprise a strap with spacedapart holes, a closure lever that is thrown to move the strap into tightening position and a strap clasp. The clasp comprises a plate and a cage with parallel edges that embrace the plate when the clasp is closed, a hole through the plate, a plug on the underside of the cage to extend through the plate hole and a bent metal wire bail. The plate and cage are hinged together at one end for closing about a portion of the strap. The bail is moveable about a swivel axis at one end of the plate for engagement with and to be pulled by the closure lever to tighten the ski boot.

Description

United States Patent [191 Graup STRAP HOLDER CONSISTING OF TWO ELEMENTS [76] Inventor: Josef Graup, 8260 Stein am Rhein,

Klingenweg, Switzerland Filed= l9!-.!2L 2. 1.- -W

[2]] Appl. No.: 200,389

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 14,117, Feb. 25, 1970, Pat. No.

[451 Apr. 23, 1974 2,114,355 4/1938 Ray 24/173 Primary ExaminerBobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marq uette Attorney, Agent, or Fi r rn Kemon Palmer & Estabrook [57] ABSTRACT Ski-boot buckle-type fasteners comprise a strap with spaced-apart holes, a closure lever that is thrown to move the strap into tightening position and a strap clasp. The clasp comprises a plate and a cage with parallel edges that embrace the plate when the clasp is closed, a hole through the plate, a plug on the underside of the cage to extend through the plate hole and a bent metal wire bail. The plate and cage are hinged together at one end for closing about a portion of the strap. The bail is moveable about a swivel axis at one end of the plate for engagement with and to be pulled by the closure lever to tighten the ski boot.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing [Figures STRAP HOLDER CONSISTING OF TWO ELEMENTS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of Ser. No. 14,] I7, filed Feb. 25, I970, now US. Pat. No. 3,678,540.

This invention relates to a strap holder consisting of two elements for tighteners on ski or mountain boots, comprising a hoop engageable into notches of a holding device.

With usual holders of this kind it is difficult to engage the strap fastened to the shoe shaft into the holder by its loose end, since the thickness and breadth of this strap vary greatly. This is not only inconvenient for the user if he finds it necessary to adjust the strap in length; it is also of disadvantage at the sale of buckle ski boots and mountain boots, since female shop assistants frequently avoid to offer shoes of this kind on account of the hand injuries and the breakingof nails which are often connected with the adjustment of the straps. The difficulty of engaging straps into holders is also found in the final fabrication of boots provided with buckles, since fabrication is slowed down and costs are increased.

To eliminate these disadvantages it has been proposed to form the holder of two elements, one of which is resilient; the two elements are to be fastened to each other at least on two opposite sides and are to engage into each other releasably on at least one of these sides. With the described embodiment the strap can be inserted intoone element of the open holder and can be held in the first when the other element is hooked in. It is of disadvantage, however, that the two elements are not connected with each other; thus one or both holder elements get readily lost if the strap holder opens involuntarily, which so often happens when going in for sports.

A strap holder avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages is required, in which the strap can be engaged or adjusted readily and rapidly, and the user is ensured against losing one or both elements of the holder.

This is realized according to the invention in that the two elements of the strap holder embracing the strap end in closed condition are in swivel connection and are engageable into each other, the hoop to be engaged into the holding device being in known hinge connection with at least one of the elements.

A common axis or two common pivot pins are preferably used for swivelling the hoop and the elements, said axis or said pivot pins being preferably formed by the ends of the hoop connected to each other. The swivel end of the elements can have the form of a hinge swivelling on the axis if a continuous axis is used.

A further preferable embodiment provides to arrange the pins serving as swivel axis on one of the two elements, said pins resting rotatably in bores of the other element. Here the hoop is arranged on an independent swivel axis.

The elements can also have the form of U-bent clips with adjoint pieces, in which rest the swivel axis or the pivot pins, the adjoint pieces of one U-shaped clip being adjacent tothese of the other clip; in working position, they can be connected with each other by noses on one piece engaging into bores of the other piece.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the elements of the strap holder consist of a plate to which a case is in hinge connection whose angular parallel edges embrace said plate; said case is provided with plugs corresponding to bores in said plate and with notches on its parallel edges to which correspond bores in raised lashings of the plate. An embodiment is preferable in which the elements of the strap holder consist of a plate and a case in hinge connection, said case being engageable into said plate by an arched front side, the angular parallel edges of said case embracing said plate, a hoop to be engaged into said holding device beinghinged to the end of the plate facing away from the swivel axis for the plate and the case, said plate being preferably provided with plugs corresponding to bores in said case on the end adjacent to said swivel axis.

According to the two last mentioned embodiments the element to be engaged intothe support of the tightener consists in that a case-like plate with bores is provided which is to be engaged into the holding device, a plug of the known holding device being engageable into said plate.

Further details of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings withoutthe invention being limited to them. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are oblique perspective views of a first embodiment from the top and from the bottom.

FIGS. 3 to 5 are oblique perspective views of a further embodiment from the top.

FIG. 6 illustrates a strap holder according to the invention with a holding device, a case with bores being used instead of the hoop to be engaged.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment wherein one element of the strap holder can be swivelled like a hinge on the hoop serving as a swivel axis. FIGS. 6 and 7 are also perspective views.

FIG. 8 shows a strap holder according to the invention, arranged on a boot.

In the embodiment according toFIGS. l and 2 the strap holder consists of

elements

1 and 2, said elements commonly restingby their

adjoint pieces

9 and 11 on the end of the hoop 3 having the form ofa swivel axis 4 and being swivelled independently from each other.

The clip-like front end of the bottom element 1 is provided with teeth which are pressed into the inserted strap end 10 and engage into prefabricated bores of the latter, if the strap holder is closed; thus the clipdike element 1 is embraced from outside by the top element 2 so that the noses 21 engage into the bores 19 of the top element 2. The hoop 3 consists, as is known, of a suitably bent steel wire whose ends are welded to each other or firmly and unreleasably connected with each other in some other way.

In an embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2 the common swivel axis 4 formed by the hoop 3 is convenient, since the costs of production are very low.

In FIG. 3, which is similar to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the hoop 3 rests independently and the

elements

1 and 2 canbe swivelled about a special axis which is formed by plugs 15 on the adjoint piece 9 of the element 2, said plugs resting in bores 16 on the adjoint piece of element 1. The rest corresponds to the first embodiment.

FIGS. 4 and show embodiments comprising a plate and a case instead of clip-like elements, said plate corresponding to the element 1 and said case to the element 2. In FIG 4 a common swivel axis for all elements is provided, said swivel axis being formed by the end of the hoop 3 like in the first embodiment. Theend of the plate embraces said axis 4 like a hinge. When the two elements are closed, the noses 5 of the case engage into bores 6 of raised lashings 18 of the plate, plugs 14 on the inside of the case being passed through corresponding bores in the strap end and being engaged into bores 17 of the plate, thus firmly holding the strap ends 10. Thus the parallel edges 13 of the case embrace the plate from outside by their lashings 18.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5 a plate with a case is used too. Here the hoop 3 rests independently on the end of the plate opposite to the swivel axis 4 of the

elements

1, 2. Plugs 7 are provided for holding the strap end 10; however, said plugs are arranged on the plate and can engage into bores 19 on the case; the front side 22 of said case is arched in such manner that it embraces the support of the hoop 3 and engages into it when the two elements are pressed together. All other parts correspond to the aforesaid embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a strap holder with a known holding device 8, the bottom element of said strap holder having the form of a case-like plate with bores 21. A plug 23 of said holding device 8 is engageable into said bores 12. The rest corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 shows both

elements

1 and 2 arranged in hinge connection on the swivel axis 4 of the hoop end. This arrangement can also be used in the aforesaid embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates the strap holder of the invention arranged on a boot. The single parts correspond to the aforesaid embodiments.

Further embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a ski boot having buckle-type fasteners to tighten the boot upon the foot and ankle of a wearer, a strap having a plurality of spaced-apart holes therein, a closure lever that is thrown to move the strap into a tightened position and a clasp for said strap, said clasp comprising a plate and a cage whose angular parallel edges embrace said plate on closing of the clasp, a hole extending through said plate, a plug carried on the underside of said cage to extend through said hole in said plate on closing of the clasp, and a bent metal wire bail, said bail being moveable about a swivel axis upon one end of said plate for engagement with said closure lever in operation of tightening of the boot upon the wearer to put substantial tension upon said strap, said plate and cage being hinged together on the portion of said bail that forms the swivel axis for said bail.

2. In a ski boot having buckle-type fasteners to tighten the boot upon the foot and ankle of the wearer, a strap having a plurality of spaced-apart holes therein, a closure lever that is thrown to move the strap into a tightening position and a clasp for said strap, said clasp comprising a plate and a cage whose angular parallel edges embrace said plate on closing of the clasp, a plug carried upon one of said plate or cage extending toward the other of said plate or cage, a hole in the other of said plate or cage through which said plug will extend on closing of the clasp, and a bent metal wire bail, said bail being moveable about a swivel axis upon one end of said plate for engagement with said closure lever in operation of tightening of the boot upon the wearer to put substantial tension upon said strap, said plate and said cage being hinged together upon the portion of said bail that forms said swivel axis for said bail.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,805,334 Dated April 23, 1974 I Inventorfls X JOSEF GRAUP in the above-identified patent It is certified that error appears corrected as shown below:

and that said Letters Patent are hereby [30] I Foreign Application Priority Data March 3, 1969 Austrian A 2069/69 Signed and sealed this 10th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR.

Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents FORM Po-105o uo-ssy I V I USCOMWDC #1 us. aovnuuun rmmua orricn mo e-au-su.