Latch mechanism
OwnerRay Eberhartinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerRay Eberhartinventor
Estimating the term…
A latch mechanism for use in safety belt buckles, connectors and couplings, in which a female portion is provided with a slot having two opposed edges and inner and outer wall surfaces on opposite sides of the slot edges, and a male portion having a member with a forward end and a shoulder thereon for extending through the slot and seating on the inner surface of the female portion. A member movable toward and away from the forward end of the first member is adapted to seat in the slot when the first member is disposed therein, for holding the first member in the slot and the shoulder in engagement with the inner surface of the part defining the slot. The second member is urged toward the forward end of the first member by a spring or other suitable resilient means, and an operating means, preferably consisting of a push button, handle or stem, is provided for retracting the second member.
A latch mechanism comprising a female portion having two sides and an end joined integrally to form a one-piece structure, a means in said end defining a slot with two opposed edges and with an inner and outer wall surface on opposite sides of said slot edges, and a male portion having a first generally flat, plate-like member with a forward end and shoulder on a face thereof facing oppositely of said forward end for seating on the inner wall surface of said female portion and a second generally flat, plate-like member slidable on said first plate-like member toward and away from the forward end of said first member and into and from said slot when said first member is disposed therein and said shoulder is disposed adjacent said inner wall surface, the combined thickness of said first and second members in said slot and said shoulder being greater than the distance between said slot edges, such that said shoulder cannot be disengaged from said inner surface while both of said members are disposed in said slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.