US2697260A - Buckle - Google Patents

Description

A. BLISS Dec. 21, 1954 BUCKLE Filed Jan. 9, 1952 561 24 FIG? JNVEN TOR. Al ben Bl ass BY ATTORMNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,697,260 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 BUCKLE Albert Bliss, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Arthur Thomas Sturdy, Jr., Warwick, R. I.

Application January 9, 1952, Serial No. 265,620 Claims. (Cl. 24176) Another object of the present invention is to provide a belt buckle construct1on having a belt buckle which is simple in construction, having a minimum number of movable parts, and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fully disclosed in the detailed de scription following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a buckle embodying my invention and attached to a belt;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the buckle alone;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 on Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the spring tongue.

In the manufacture of belts, it has become desirable of the buckle to be concealed behind the belt and providing for a novel effect at the front of the belt.

Referring more in detail to the drawings illustrating my invention, particularly Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, the buckle 10 is of a generally rectangular construction. It comprises a rear frame member 11 which may be integrally stamped from sheet stock. The rear frame member 11 comprises end bar portions 12 and 13 integrally connected by spaced parallel horizontal strips 14 and 15. The strips 14 and 15 are integrally joined at the central portions thereof by a supporting strip 16, said strip 16 having a centrally disposed opening 16a formed therein.

At the outer end of each bar portion 12 and 13 is an integral upturned short supporting bar 17 providing spaced supports adjacent the upper and lower edges of the buckle. The upper bars 17 are integrally connected by a strip or flange 18 and the lower bars 17 by a strip 19, as shown in Fig. 5. The strips 18 and 19 are mounted at right angles to the supporting bars 17 to form channel portions with the rear frame member 11 so that the upper and lower edges of the buckle comprise U-shaped channel members. The channel portions, which are defined by the outer ends of the rear frame member 11, the supporting bars 17, and flanges 18 and 19, are open along the length thereof between said supporting bars. It is apparent then, that these longitudinally extending channel portion openings which are formed between said supporting bars 17, provide accessibility to the edges of the belt disposed in the channel portions, and enable the buckle to be simply and quickly adjusted in position. If desired, the strips 18 and 19 may be omitted and the bars 17 bent 2 inwardly to form spaced channel members, as shown in dotted lines at 18a and 19a.

To attach the buckle to one end of a belt, the construction shown in Fig. 5 may be used. The end bar 13 is provided with an integral laterally extending plate 20 having a central opening 21 and an end slot 22, leaving a bar 23 extending transversely across the plate. The upper said lower edges may be turned downwardly to form ears While any suitable mechanism may be used for releasably locking the belt in adjustable position, I prefer 25 is curved to extend rearwardly of the buckle, the free end 28 forming a hook portion and extending upwardly just below the level of the opening 21 in the plate 20.

Now, referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, one end of the porting bars 17 and beneath the ornamental strips 18 and 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The belt is pulled as tight as required and pressure is then applied to the spring tongue 25 pushing the hook portion 28 upwardly through the The belt is now locked in position from slipping out of place. As can readily be seen in Figs. 13 inclusive, substantially all of the operative parts of the buckle are now concealed by the only the narrow ornamental strips 18 and 19 along the in addition, the strips 18 and 19 may be of any desired shape or configuration. Since these are substantially the only exposed portions of the belt when in use, they can be varied to ing 31, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the plate 20, to which the free end of the belt is attached, is illustrated as being made integral with the base similarly to the bar It is quite obvious that both the bar 17 and the plate 20 may be made separately and otherwise attached to the base. i

In the illustrated form, the base is shown as formed of a plurality of integrally connected strips. However, the base may readily be formed of a single sheet of stock since it is hidden by the belt when in use. The construction is simple and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble. The belt is positively held in position and the method of locking it in position is easy to operate and positive in action. The resultant belt hides the wholly functional portions of the mechanism and provides a pleasing and provocative design which can readily be supplied with an infinite variety of ornamentations.

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A belt buckle comprising a rear frame member, means for attaching one end of said frame member to one end of a belt, flanged portions mounted along the upper and lower edges of said frame member and in 3 spaced relation thereto, said flanged portions extending towards each other in spaced relation to form spaced parallel channel portions adjacent the upper and lower edges of said frame member, whereby the free end of the belt is slidable through said channels, and means on said frame member to releasably lock said free end of the belt in adjusted position in said channels, said last named means comprising a spring tongue having one end mounted on said frame and the other end extending away from said frame out of the path of movement of said belt, said free-end of said tongue having a hook portion adapted to engage a belt opening when said spring tongue is pushed into the path of movement of said belt through said channels.

2. A belt buckle comprising a rear frame member, means integral with said frame for attaching one end of said frame member to one end of a belt, flanged portions integrally mounted along the upper and lower edges of said frame member and in spaced relation thereto, said flanged portions extending towards each other in spaced relation to form spaced parallel channel portions adjacent the upper and lower edges of said frame member, whereby the free end of the belt is slidable through said channels, and means on said frame member to releasably lock said free end of the belt in adjusted position in said channels, said lastnamed means comprising a spring tongue having one end mounted on said frame and the other end extending away from said frame out of e path of movement of said belt, said free end of said tongue having a hook portion adapted to engage a belt opening when said spring tongue is pushed into the path of movement of said belt through said channels.

3. A belt buckle comprising a frame, means for attaching one end of said frame to one end of a belt, said frame being open at each end to permit sliding movement of the free end of the belt therethrough, and a spring tongue mounted on said frame and normally extending away from said frame out of the path of movementof the free end of the belt, the free end of said spring tongue terminating in a hook portion adapted to enter and engage the belt openings when said spring tongue is pushed into the path of movement of said belt.

4. A belt buckle comprising a rectangular frame member, means for attaching one end of said frame member to one end of a belt, a pair of spaced supports extending integrally at right angles from the upper'an d the lower edges of said frame, a strip mounted on the upper supports and a strip mounted on the lower supports, said strips forming channels with said frame permitting sliding movement of the free end of the belt therethrough, and means for relasablylocking said free end of the belt to said frame, said last named means compnsing a spring tongue having other end exten one end mounted on said frame and the ding away from said frame out of the path of movement of said belt, said free end of said tongue having a hook portion adapted to engage a belt opening when said spring tongue is pushed into the path of movement of said belt through said channels.

5. A belt buckle comprising a rectangular frame member, means integral with said frame for attaching one end of said frame member to one end of a belt, a pair of spaced supports extending integrally at right angles from the upper and the lower edges of said frame, a strip integrally mou nted on the upper supports and a strip integrally mounted on the lower supports, said strips forming channels with said frame permitting sliding movement of the free end of the belt therethrough, and means for releasably locking said free 'end of the belt to said frame, said last named-means comprising a spring tongue having one end mounted on said frame and the other end extending away from said frame out of the path of movement of said belt, said free end of said tongue having a hook portion adapted to engage a belt opening when said spring tongue is pushed into the path of movement of said belt through said channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland Sept. 16, 1935

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