Buckle assembly for tie down strap

A cam buckle assembly comprising:

• a frame having an elongated bottom surface, a pair of side surfaces along opposed edges of the elongated bottom surface;
• a locking cam that is pivotally mounted to the frame, said locking cam has a cantilevered operating lever section and a friction section, the lever section defining an end portion;
• a primary pulley mounted for rotation in said frame proximate the end portion of said cantilevered operating lever section;
• and
• a web cable strap with a first portion spanning from a free end of the strap to the friction section of the locking cam, a second portion of the strap defined by an area under the friction section of the locking cam, a third portion of the strap spans from the friction area of the locking cam to the primary pulley, the locking cam is positioned to allow the end portion of the lever section of the locking cam to ride on and depress and deflect the third portion of the strap, an opposing force from the deflected span of the third portion will serve to pivotably articulate the locking cam to initiate locking action, a fourth portion of the strap routes around the primary pulley, a fifth portion of the strap proceeding from a bottom of the primary pulley along the bottom surface of the frame directly under the third and the second portion of the strap to a point below the pivot axis of the locking cam, a sixth portion of the strap extends from the fifth portion of the strap along the bottom surface of the frame to an attachment point;
• wherein as the free end of the strap is drawn out under tension, the second portion of the strap passing under the friction section of the locking cam will result in a rotational moment that will pivot the locking cam resulting in the end portion of the lever section deflecting the span of the third portion of the strap, the opposing force from the deflected span will apply a lifting force on the end portion of the cantilevered operating lever section of the locking cam, so when the strap tensioning movement stops, the rotational moment on the locking cam stops, and the strap tension in the third portion lifts the lever section of the locking cam resulting in the friction section of the locking cam engaging the second portion of the strap and the tension in the third portion of the strap pivots the locking cam to a fully locked position.