US2253749A - Buckle - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 26, 1941- u I H. BEAzLEY 2,253,749

BUCKLE Filed Dec. 2,v 1940 WARD. BEAZLEY Si? ATToRNE`Y Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE BUCKLE Howard Beazley, Marshall, Mo. Application December 2, 1940, serial No. 368,166 6 Claims. '501. :a4- 173) Myjinvention relates to a `buckle and more particularly to a buckle for use with a safety belt such as worn by airplane pilots or parachutists. Such belts are subject to great strain when in use and to be effective must be provided with fastening means which will withstand strains without being released thereby but which may be quickly released when necessary with the minimum of exertion.

The object of my invention is to provide a buckle of simple and rugged construction which will meet the requirements of such service. To this end I provide a buckle comprising a frame attached at one end to the xed end of a belt and provided at the other end with a keeper for the free end of the belt, the free end of the belt being engaged by a tongue, or preferably a gang of tongues, the action of which is controlled by an independently movable finger piece.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one form of buckle made in accordance with my invention together with la belt to which it is applied, Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the buckle in locked position; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the buckle in released position;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View; Figure 4 is av section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig-ure 1; Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, the belt being omitted; and Figure 6- is a side elevation of the buckle alone.

'Ihe frame I of my buckle, which is preferably formed of a casting, is provided at one end with a plate 2 to which the fixed end 3 of the belt is secured by any suitable means, such as rivets 4. At the opposite end the frame is provided with a keeper 5 for the free end 3 of the belt. Formed in the lower face of the frame are pockets 6, preferably three in number. Positioned in each pocket is an arm B' mounted on a cross shaft 1. Each arm carries a tongue 8 which projects upwardly through a slot 9 in the upper face of the frame. The lower edge of each arm is provided with a cam face II) for cooperation with the tongue controlling means hereinafter described.

Extending through the frame parallel with the shaft 1 is the actuating bar II which is formed with three transverse slots to provide cam faces I2. Formed on the ends of the bar II are short non-circular sections I3 which engage with correspondingly shaped openings in arms I4. The ends of arms I4 are connected by a finger piece I5 in the form of a plate having an edge whichv is turned upwardly when the buckle is in locked position, as best shown in Figure 4. .The arms and finger piece may be formed integral but for convenience in assembling the deViceI prefer tok make one or both detachable by means ofscrews I6 passing through lugs Il on the arm into the plate I5. The free end 3' of the belt is Iprovided with a row of grommets I8 spaced to register with tongues 3. While only one row of grommets is essential, I prefer to use two or more rows, as shown in Figure 1, to provide adjustability for the belt.

In using my buckle when it is desired to secure the belt, the finger piece is swung into the position shown in Figure 5. 'I'his rotates the bar I I into such position that the tongues fall down against the cam faces I2. The free end of the belt is passed under the keeper 5 and over the body of the frame until the desired row 'of grommets registers with the tongues. The linger piece is now swung into the position shown in Figure 4. This rotates the bar I I causing the cam faces I2 to raise the tongues into vertical position. The cam face III of the arm now bears against the curved surface of the bar. In this position the pull of the belt on the tongues has no tendency to rotate the bar and hence the buckle cannot be released by excessive strain on the belt. To release the buckle the linger piece is grasped and swung upwardly. As soon as the cylindrical portion of the bar moves out of engagement with cam faces I0 of the arms of 6', the pull of the belt on the tongues completes the releasing movement automatically by the pressure of faces I0 against the edges of faces I2. The cam faces I2 should be so positioned that the releasing movement will begin when the arms I4 are at substantially right angles to the frame.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame attached at one end to the fixed end of a belt, said frame being provided at the other end with a keeper for the free end of the belt, a tongue movably carried by the frame and projecting through a face thereof to engage the free end of the belt, and a pivotal finger piece movable independently of the tongue but controlling the action of the latter.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame attached at one end to the fixed end of a belt, said frame being provided at the other end With a keeper for the free end of the belt, a pivotal tongue movably carried by the frame and projecting through a face thereof to engage the free end of the belt, a pivotal finger piece, and a cam carried by the frame and moved by the nnger piece for actuating the tongue.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame attached at one end to the xed end of a belt, said frame being provided at the other end with a keeper for the free end of the belt, a cross shaft mounted in the frame, an arm mounted on the shaft and carrying the tongue, an actuating bar having a cam controlling the movement of the tongue, and a linger piece for rotating the actuating bar.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame attached at one end to the iixed end of a belt, said frame being provided at the other end With a keeper for the free end of the belt, a pocket in the lower face of said frame and communieating through a slot with the upper face thereof, an arm pivotally mounted in said slot and provided with a tongue extending through the s1ot, an actuating bar for controlling the movement of the tongue, and a pivotal finger piece for rotating the bar.

CFI

5. In a device of the class described, a frame attached at one end to the fixed end of a belt, said frame being provided at the other end with a keeper for the free end of the belt, said frame including an intermediate perforate portion forming a support for the free end of the belt, a tongue carried by the frame and projecting through said intermediate perforate portion to engage the free end of the belt, and a linger piece carried by the frame and pivoted thereto at a xed point, said finger piece controlling the engagement of the tongue with the strap, said finger piece forming when in closed position a. releasable belt guard at the end of the frame to which the belt is attached.

6. In a device oi the class described, a frame attached at one end to the xed end of a belt, a tongue carried by said frame and movable relatively thereto to engage and disengage the free end of the belt, and a member movable relatively to the frame, said member operating to release the tongue from the belt While the former is under the load strain of the latter.

HOWARD BEAZLEY.

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