US 7,350,277 B1Granted

Buckle for safety equipment

AssigneeBuckingham Manufacturing Company, Inc.

InventorsDeForest Canfield, Robert Whitehead, James Rullo

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Abstract

A buckle that is resistant to unintentional or accidental release for joining the distal ends of a web, having a first portion with a rigid, bifurcated tongue. A pair of outward-facing protrusions located on the edges of the tongue at its distal end are adapted for engagement with a locking mechanism disposed within a mating buckle component. The mating buckle component has a rigid block or key centrally located so that as the bifurcated tongue is inserted into the receiving buckle component, the central opening of the bifurcated tongue surrounds and fits snuggly against the rigid central block or key. Side-to-side movement of the tongue (i.e., cocking) is thereby prevented. This lack of side-to-side movement, in cooperation with the latching mechanism, helps prevent accidental unlocking of the buckle.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A buckle for joining two distal ends of a web attached thereto, comprising:

a) a thin, flat insertion portion comprising a rigid, bifurcated tongue having two longitudinal legs with varying width dimension and a predetermined outer contour and projecting longitudinally away from a body region thereof and defining a longitudinal axis, said tongue comprising a central, open slot extending from a distal end thereof inwardly along said longitudinal axis toward said body region, said open slot having a width no greater than the width of any portion of said longitudinal legs;
b) a receiver portion for slidably receiving and retaining said tongue therein, said receiver portion comprising an internal guide block key adapted and configured to interact with said open slot in a manner so as to minimize side-to-side movement of said tongue when retained in said receiver portion;
and
c) a pawl for releasably locking said tongue within said receiver portion, said pawl having an outer contour that is a mirror shape to said outer contour of said longitudinal legs for complete engagement thereof.

1 more element

A buckle for joining two distal ends of a web attached thereto, comprising:

a) a thin, flat insertion portion comprising a bifurcated tongue having two longitudinal legs with varying width dimension and a predetermined outer contour and projecting longitudinally away from a body region thereof and defining a longitudinal axis, said tongue comprising a central, open slot extending from a distal end thereof inwardly along said longitudinal axis toward said body region, and said open slot having a width no greater than the width of any portion of said longitudinal legs, said insertion portion, also comprising a spring-loaded keeper;
b) a receiver portion for slidably receiving and retaining said tongue therein, the outer periphery of said receiver portion and said retained insertion portion defining an outer boundary thereof, said receiver portion comprising an internal guide block key adapted and configured to interact with said open slot in a manner so as to minimize side-to-side movement of said tongue when retained in said receiver portion;
and
c) a pawl for releasable interaction with said long legs, a pawl having an outer contour that is a mirror shape to said outer contour of said longitudinal legs for complete engagement thereof, and having an operating portion disposed external to a housing of said receiver portion, said external portion being disposed inward of said outer boundary of said receiver portion, whereby said operating portion of said pawl is protected from impact by an object external to said buckle.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.