US3561066A

US3561066A - Belt buckle guard

Info

Publication number: US3561066A
Application number: US726966A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allen R Osteen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-05-06
Filing date: 1968-05-06
Publication date: 1971-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-09

Abstract

THIS IS A BELT BUCKLE GUARD ATTACHMENT THAT IS TO BE SECURED OVER THE BELT BUCKLE OF THE WORKER, PARTICULARLY A GAS STATION ATTENDANT OR MECHANIC, SO THAT THE WORKER''S BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT DAMAGE THE SURFACE OF THE WORK PIECE OR AUTOMOBILE ON WHICH HE IS WORKING. THIS GUARD INCLUDES A PAIR OF SPACED APART CLIPS TO BE ATTACHED OVER THE BELT JUST BEYOND EACH END OF THE BELT BUCKLE, AND IT HAS A CUSHION SURFACE THAT MAY CONTACT THE SURFACE OF THE AUTOMOBILE WITHOUT DAMAGING IT AS THE ATTENDANT MAY LEAN OR RUB THERAGAINST. THE CUSHION SURFACE MAY ALSO SERVE AS AN INFORMATION DISPLAY SURFACE SUCH AS AN ADVERTISEMENT OF THE PRODUCTS SOLD, ETC.

Description

Feb.y y y A R. osTvEEN 3,561,066

. V BELT BUCKLE GUARD l vFiled May 6, 1968 l INVENTOR `Al/sw l?. Usfeen ATTORNEY United States Patent Office U.S. Cl. 24-3 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This is a belt buckle guard attachment that is to be secured over the belt buckle of a worker, particularly a gas station attendant or mechanic, so that -the workers belt buckle will not damage the surface of the work piece or automobile on which he is working. This guard includes a pair of spaced apart clips to be attached over the belt just beyond each end of the belt buckle, and it has a cushion surface that may contact the surface of the automobile without damaging it as the attendant may lean or rub thereagainst. The cushion surface may also serve as an information display surface such as an advertisement ofthe products sold, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION At most gasoline service stations, the station attendant usually provides additional service such as washing the front and back Windows of the automobile. In doing so, he has to lean over the side of the car to reach the middle of the front and back windows, and in doing so, his belt buckle may come into contact with the fender or side of the car, and scratch or damage the finish, as well as cause damage to the buckle itself. Such damage may also occur while he is servicing the motor, checking the oil and the battery, etc. Most mechanics, Iwhen Working on the motor of a car, spread a protective blanket over the fender while doing so, but this procedure is too time consuming to do while the gasoline station attendant is performing his usual services. It is to prevent car paint and finish damage that this invention is provided. In addition, it provides a rather prominent, even if small, advertising display surface that can be so valuable to the advertiser that he may willingly provide the expense of this guard in exchange for the advertising.

OBJECTS OF THE` INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a belt buckle guard to be attached over the belt buckle of the belt worn as an article of clothing by the attendant at gasoline service stations so as to prevent the belt buckle from causing damage to the paint or finish of a car While the attendant is serving the car, by inadvertently, but almost necessarily leaning against the sides or fenders of the car while washing the front and back windows of the car, or while checking the oil, radiator or battery of the car.

A further object of this invention is to provide a protective guard that is quickly and easily attachable to and detachable from the belt of a worker to both protect the belt buckle from damage and to prevent the belt buckle from causing damage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a belt guard attachment that is usable by a worker in any location in which his pants belt buckle may cause damage to an object or car being worked on, or may be damaged by an object being worked on or serviced by the worker.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a belt buckle guard that serves both as a guard and as an advertising display surface and is so inexpensive that an Patented Feb. 9, 1971 advertiser may be glad to pay the cost thereof in exchange for the advertising provided thereby.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention is a belt buckle guard attachment, and consists of an elongate member, somewhat longer than an average pants belt buckle, having a pair of spaced clips extending from its back side, the clips being attachable over the pants belt somewhat beyond the ends of the belt buckle thereon. The front side is of a soft, nonscratching material, such as ground cork, sponge rubber, soft yieldable plastic, etc., which is attached to a somewhat rigid plate member, of any suitable material, from which the spaced clips extend. An advertising message or other type of information may be visible on the front surface of the buckle guard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and cornbination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is an elevational View of the pants belt buckle guard invention as Worn by a gasoline service station attendant or worker.

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the buckle guard itself.

FIG. 3 is a back perspective View of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a top edge view of the guard.

FIG. 5 is a section of the guard on an enlarged scale on line 5 5 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION There is shown at 10 the pants belt buckle -guard of this invention, shown in operative position in FIG. 1 as mounted on or attached t0 the belt 12 over the buckle 14 of a worker or gasoline service station attendant or worker 16. The guard l10 consists of an elongate member 18 having a back portion 20 from which extends a pair of somewhat U-shaped clips 22 spaced apart a distance at least greater than the elongate length of the average belt buckle `14. These clips 22 are of yieldable resilient material such as spring steel or spring plastic of suitable characteristics so that they will securely yet yieldably attach the guard 10 over a pants buckle 14 by extending down over the back of the belt 12 beyond each end of the buckle 14. One leg 26 of each clip 22 may be secured to the guard 10 by extending through the back side portion 20 to between the back side portion 20 and the front side portion 24. The other clip leg 28 extends rearwardly and downwardly and then forwardly, so as to better secure the guard 10 to the Ibelt 12.

The back side portion 20 is an elongate plate member, preferably but not necessarily rectangular in shape, very slightly curved in the elongate direction as seen in FIG. 4, and is of a suitable somewhat rigid material, such as metal or plastic of suitable characteristics, suflicient to provide a suitable support for the front side portion 24, which is of a soft, non-scratching material such as soft, yieldable ground cork, fabric or sponge rubber material, or any other suitable material which will not scratch the nish or paint of a car or automobile. The front surface of the front portion 24 will be of such a color as to accept any appropriate information or advertising matter 30` thereon. The entire guard will obviously be of such comparatively inexpensive materials that it may be given without monetary cost by the prospective advertisers to the worker 16 in exchange for the advertising 30 provided by the attendant in the act of using the same. In addition, use of the guard 10 in turn creates good will on the part of the car owner,

whose car is thus protected against damage, and the workers belt 14 is thus likewise protected against damage.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION In operation, the worker 16 merely places the clips 22 in position with the guard over his pants belt buckle 14 so as to extend behind the belt 12 at each end of the buckle 14 and pushes the guard down to operative position. When through working, the worker 16 merely pulls the guard 10 upwardly to remove the same.

ABSTRACT OF THE DRAWING In the drawings, like numbers refer to like parts, and for the purposes of explication, marshalled below are the numbered parts of the improved Belt Buckle Guard:

10 patents belt buckle guard invention 12 pants belt 14 belt buckle 16 Worker or gasoline service station attendant 18 elongate member 20 back side portion of 18- 22 attaching clips, somewhat U-shaped 24 front side portion 26 leg of clip secured to 18 28 leg of clip 22 extending rearwardly in attaching position 30 information or advertising matter Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A belt buckle guard for attachment over the belt buckle of a worker pants belt to prevent the belt buckle from being damaged or causing damage to the object on which the worker is working, said guard being curved lengthwise, a forwardly extending soft cushion guard surface portion on the convex surface of said guard, belt attaching means extending rearwardly and downwardly from said guard on the concave surface of said guard, said guard including an elongate somewhat rigid member, said cushion guard surface portion being secured to said elongate member, said belt attaching means comprising a pair of somewhat U-shaped clips, one leg of each said U-shaped clips extending through said elongate member and secured between said elongate member and the rear of said cushion surface portion, the other clip leg extending downwardly and rearwardly from said rear portion of said elongate rigid member.

2. The guard of claim 1, the surface of said cushion member providing an information display surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,386,103 6/1968 Robinson 297-385X 980,421 1/1911 Jordan 2-2UX 1,276,748 8/1918 Foster 24-184 2,408,194 9/1946 Bourdius 40-1UX 2,637,849 5/1953 Nelson 2-2 2,891,254 6/1959 Stollman 2-300X 3,050,734 8/1962 Dopyera 2-2 3,229,694 1/1966 Koropp 2-2X 3,257,747 6/1966 Schimmel 40-1.5 3,300,247 1/1967 Marks 297-385 3,348,880 10/1967 Swann 297--460X 3,374,564 3/1968 Balaban 40-460X BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

24-81, 163, 255; 40-l.5, ll; 224-5