Retaining Mechanism for Buckle and Buckle Release System

A retaining assembly for a buckle release system, the buckle release system comprising a manual release lever that is pivotally mounted to a frame, the manual release lever being adapted to selectively unlock the buckle release system, the buckle release system further comprising a locking lever for securing the manual release lever against accidental engagement, the retaining assembly comprising:

• mounting posts secured to the frame of the buckle release system;
• a retaining bar with opposing ends and first and second elongated edges, the retaining bar being pivotally secured to the locking lever, the retaining bar having locked and unlocked orientations;
• recesses formed within said opposing ends of the retaining bar, the recesses adapted to receive the locking posts when the retaining bar is in the locked orientation, whereby the retaining assembly can be moved to the unlocked orientation by pivoting the retaining bar so as to move the locking posts out of the recesses;
• a spring operatively connected to the retaining bar and urging the retaining into the locked orientation.

A buckle release system with an associated failsafe comprising:

• a frame including a first end and a second end, said first end including an area for receiving a cooperating buckling member, the frame further including a pair of locking posts;
• a manual release lever mounted to the frame such that said manual release member is moveable relative to said frame;
• a catch moveably mounted to said frame, said catch being moveable in response to movement of the manual release lever relative to said frame, said catch being spaced from said manual release lever, and said catch defining a latch recess and comprising a latch holding ledge;
• a latch comprising a first end for being received within said latch recess of said catch, said first end of said latch being held within said latch recess by said latch holding ledge when the buckle release system is in a locked position, a pivot end mounted on a latch pivot for rotational movement relative to said frame, and a tooth;
• a slide received in the frame, the slide comprising a first end, a second end, and a slide wall for engaging the tooth of said latch, and wherein when the buckle release system is in a locked position the tooth of the latch engages the slide wall and prevents movement of the slide, and when the buckle release system moves toward an open position the latch is rotated and the tooth moves out of the way of the slide wall allowing movement of the slide;
• and
• at least one member for biasing the slide toward said first end of said frame when the tooth of the latch is moved out of the way of the slide wall;
• a locking lever having forward and rearward ends, the rearward end being pivotally connected to said frame, a pair of mounts extending from the forward end of said locking lever, said locking lever having opened and closed orientations, said locking lever positioned over top of said manual release lever in the closed orientation to thereby prevent inadvertent movement of said manual release lever, a spring biasing said locking lever to said closed orientation, said locking lever permitting access to said manual release lever when in the opened orientation;
• a retaining assembly for securing said locking lever in said closed orientation, said retaining assembly having a locked orientation wherein movement of said locking lever is prevented and an unlocked orientation wherein movement of said locking lever is permitted.