Strap buckle

A strap buckle comprising:

• (a) a male element including
• (i) a strap engaging portion on one side thereof;
• and
• (ii) a female-engaging part on the opposite side thereof, said female-engaging part including an elongated edge member having a top section and T-shaped lower section including a stem portion and a web portion, said web portion having an outer surface and two opposite inner surfaces;
• first locking means on each said inner surface;
• (b) a female element including
• (i) a strap engaging portion on one side thereof;
• and
• (ii) a male-engaging part on the opposite side thereof, said male-engaging part including an elongated hollow housing being so shaped as to engagedly receive said edge member of said male element therein;
• said housing having an outer wall slotted to receive said stem portion and an inner wall facing the outer surface of said web portion when said male and female elements are engaged to one another;
• second locking means on the inner face of said slotted wall adapted to interfittingly engage said first locking means of said male element;
• (iii) spring means on said inner wall of said housing adapted to forceably contact said web outer surface when said male and female elements are interengaged;
• said spring means maintaining said first and second locking means in interlocking engagement whereby disengagement of said female and male elements is effected through two movements:
• a first lateral movement pressing said web outer surface against said spring means to free said first and second locking means from one another, and a second movement, normal to said first movement, displacing longitudinally said edge member out of said housing while maintaining said web outer surface against spring means.