US1064262A - Harness-buckle. - Google Patents

Description

- W. UTEGH.

HARNESS BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 22, 1911.

1,064,262. Patented June 10, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH (IO-.WASHINOTQN, D. c.

' TED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

WILLIAM UTECH, OF SANFORD, FLORIDA.

HARNESS-BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM UTEGI-I, citizen of the United States, residing at Sanford, in the county of Orange and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-IarnessBuckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness buckles or connectors and has for its object to provide improved means for locking the coacting clamping members thereof in engagement with a trace.

A further object of the invention is to provide a harness connector, the construction of which is such that it may be used for connecting traces to the hames of harness, for splicing traces, or as an ordinary harness buckle.

A furtherobject is to provide a combined harness connector and buckle, the parts of which are so arranged that the trace will lie perfectly straight and fiat when in use, thus permitting a direct pull on the trace without liability of twisting or buckling the latter, or tearing or otherwise cutting said trace.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency, as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined harness connector and buckle constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the same attached to a hame; F ig. 2 is a side elevation of the buckle or connector; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the movable clamping member supported on the pins and ready to be forced downwardly to locked position; Fig. a is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a perspective view, show ing the clamping members comprising the buckle or connector detached; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 22, 1911.

Patented J une 10, 1913.

Serial No. 667,307.

vention, showingthe device used in connection with a spring snap; Fig. 8 is a similar view, partly in section, illustrating a further modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

The improved buckle or connector is principally designed for connecting traces to the hames of harness, and by way of illustration is shown applied to a. portion of a harness in which 5 designates the hames and 6 the trace.

The device comprises co-acting clamping members 7 and 8, preferably in the form of metallic plates having fiat inner faces for contact with the trace 6, one of said members being provided with a longitudinal reinforcing rib 9 and a terminal hook 10 for engagement with the usual staple or loop 11 on the hame, as shown.

Secured to or formed integral with the clamping member or plate 7, are spaced laterally extending pins 12 adapted to pass through the tongue receiving openings in the trace 6, the walls of said pins being provided with oppositely disposed notches 13 defining terminal heads lt preferably curved or rounded at 15 to present smooth bearing surfaces, as shown. The movable clamping member 8 is provided with spaced transverse key-hole slots 16, the contracted portions 17 of which are adapted to receive the reduced necks 21 of the pins, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4: of the drawing.

Pivotally mounted at 18 on the movable clamping member 8, is a locking member 19, preferably in the form of a flat spring, the ends of which are tapered and adapted to bear against the heads 14 and retain the reduced necks 21 within the contracted portions 17 of the key-hole slots, thereby to firmly clamp the members 7 and 8 in engagement with the trace. The inner face of the locking member 19, at the tapered ends thereof, is preferably inclined or beveled at 20 so as to permit the insertion of the finger or a suitable tool beneath the locking member when it is desired to release said member from engagement with the pins to effect the adjustment of the connector or buckle on the trace or the removal of said connector from the trace.

It will here be noted that the construction and arrangement of the connector is such pins 12 extending through the tongue receiving openings in said trace, after which the plate 8 is placed on the other side of the trace with the heads let of the pins seated in the enlarged ends of the key-hole slots 16, the plate 8 being subsequently pressed downwardly so as to cause the re duced necks 21 of the pins to enter the contracted portions 17 of the key-hole slots. The resilient locking member or bar 19 is then swung laterally on its pivot 18 until one end thereof bears against the head let of one of the pins, when by elevating the other end of the locking member and passing the end of said locking member over the head of the mating pin, the reduced necks of both pins will be retained within the con tracted portions of the slots and thus ef fectually clamp the members in engagement with the trace, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The pivotal connection 18 is preferably'tight enough to prevent accidental swinging movement of the locking member, the inherent spring properties of the locking member permitting either end thereof to be elevated so as to clear the heads of the pins when applying the connector to or removing the connector from a trace or adjusting said connector longitudinally of the trace.

It will be observed that the length of the locking member 19 is greater than the distance between the pins so that when the locking member is moved to operative position, the ends of said locking member will simultaneously engage or bear against the heads of both pins. In order to remove the connector, it is merely necessary to insert the finger or a suitable tool beneath one end of the locking member and elevate said locking member until the end thereof clears the head of the adjacent pin, when the locking member may be swung laterally on its pivotal aXis to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and in which position, the plate 8 may be readily detached from the trace by pressing upwardly on said plate until the heads register with the enlarged portions of the key-hole slots, as will be readily understood. The opposite ends of the plate 8, as well as the inner face of the plate 7, are preferably curved or rounded to present smooth bearing surfaces and thus assist in preventing said plates from cutting or otherwise injuring the trace. The walls of the enlarged ends of the keyhole slots are also preferably counter-sunk to facilitate introducing and removing the pins and also to assist in guiding the heads of the pins within the contracted portions of the slots.

In Fig. 7 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, in which the pins are shown applied to a plate provided with a spring tongue or snap 21, while in Fig. 8, the pins are shown applied to a plate having a terminal strap receiving eye 22.

l/Vhile the buckle is principally designed for connecting the traces of harness to the hames thereof, it is obvious that the device may be used with equally good results for splicing or connecting traces, straps and the like, or as an ordinary harness buckle. It will of course be understood that the clamping members of the buckle or con-v nector may be made in different sizes and shapes and nickeled, japanned or otherwise coated to give the same a neat, attractive appearance and prevent corrosion of the metal when subjected to the action of the elements.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described including coacting clamping members, one of which is provided with spaced slots extending in a straight line transversely of said member for the entire length of the slots and having contracted portions, pins proj ecting laterally from the other member and provided with means for engagement with the walls of the contracted portions of the overlying slots, and a longitudinally dis: posed spring locking device of greater length than the distance between the outer walls of the contracted portions of the slots, said locking device being mounted on the slotted member and having one longitudinal edge thereof adapted to abut against the same side of both pins for clamping said. members in engagement with a strap.

2. A device of the class described including coacting clamping members, one of which is provided with spaced transversely disposed key-hole slots, pins extending laterally from the inner face of the mating member and having their free ends provided with reduced necks for engagement with the contracted portions of the overlying key-hole slots, and a spring locking bar extending longitudinally of the slotted member and having its intermediate portion pivoted on said slotted member at a point between the slots therein, and one longitudinal edge thereof at the opposite ends of the locking bar arranged to bear against the adjacent projecting ends of the pins for clamping said members in engagement with a strap.

3. A device of the class described including coaoting clamping members, one of which is provided with a reinforcing rib and the other with spaced transversely disposed key-hole slots, pins extending laterally from the inner face of the ribbed member and having their free ends provided with oppositely disposed notches defining reduced necks adapted to engage the contracted portions of the overlying key-hole slots, and a resilient locking member mounted for turning movement on the slotted member and having one longitudinal edge 5 thereof arranged to simultaneously engage the same side of the projecting ends of both pins for clamping said members in engagement with a strap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature as in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM UTECI-I.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

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