Abstract:
A buckle device comprising a plug member and a receptacle member, each of said members having a means of retaining a loose end of a belt or the like. The receptacle member has one of its ends open for receiving the plug member. Projecting lugs integral with the receptacle member are provided on opposite sides thereof, leaving a gap therebetween for unobstructed movement of the fingers of the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a buckle for fastening loose ends of a belt or strap. 
     2. Prior Art 
     There have been proposed many forms of buckle designed to releasably connect loose ends of a belt, strap and the like. A typical example of such known buckle, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,464, patented Aug. 17, 1965, comprises a male or plug member and a female or receptacle member, the male member having a locking projection to be resiliently inserted into an opening in the female member, whereby the two members can be snapped into and out of engagement with each other. However, when releasing the male member from the female member, it has been necessary to manipulate the buckle with both hands because of the presence of an upper plate portion at the entrance end of the female member which would necessitate pushing the male member underneath the plate portion with one hand while pulling it out past the same portion with the other hand. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, there is provided a buckle for fastening together loose ends of a belt or the like, comprising a male part and a female part, the parts each having a belt-end retainer connected to one of the ends of the belt. The male part comprises a plug member and the female part comprises a receptacle member engageable with the plug member. The plug member has opposite flat side portions and a raised head portion defining therebetween a generally U-shaped groove to permit the raised head portion to flex resiliently, the head portion including a pair of sloped shoulders which are inclined progressively upwardly and a button portion lying in a plane parallel to the flat side portions. THe receptacle member has a transverse closed rear-end flange portion, opposite side flange portions integral therewith and a guide channel formed coextensively with the flange portions, the side flange portions having at their respective free ends a pair of inwardly projecting lugs which confront with each other across a gap at the front end of the receptacle member. The lugs engage the shoulders of the head portion when the male and female parts are coupled. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved buckle which is simple in construction and efficient in performance. 
     A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved buckle which can be manipulated by a single-hand touch with a maximum of ease. 
     These objects and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example a preferred embodiment which the invention may assume in practice. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the construction of a buckle embodying the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II--II of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of a male part of the buckle of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line IV--IV of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line V--V of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VI--VI of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a female part of the buckle; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line VIII--VIII of FIG. 7; and 
     FIG. 9 is a left-hand side elevation of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings and FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown a buckle 10 embodying the invention and which generally comprises a male or plug part 11 and a female or receptacle part 12, the two parts being releasably coupled. 
     The male part 11 of the buckle 10, as better shown in FIGS. 3 through 6 inclusive, comprises a generally rectangular plate-like plug member 13 having a centrally raised head portion 14. The plug member 13 has a front end portion 15 and opposite flat side portions 16,16&#39; which define with the raised portion 14 a generally U-shaped cut-out groove 17 having relatively narrow parallel branches 18,18&#39; merging into a relatively wide bay 19. The provision of this cutout groove 17 permits the raised head portion 14 to flex resiliently in a manner similar to a leaf spring. The head portion 14 includes a pair of sloped shoulders 14a,14a&#39;  which are inclined progressively upwardly toward the bay 19 and a substantially square button portion 14b with its top surface normally lying in a plane parallel to the plug portions 15, and 16,16&#39;. The raised head portion 14 serves to lock the male part 11 with, and release the same from, the female part 12 in a manner hereinafter to be described, for which purpose the shoulders 14a,14a&#39; are provided with substantially L-shaped recesses 14c,14c&#39;  confronting with the bay 19. The button portion 14b projects at its one end 14d beyond the recesses 14c,14c&#39; into the bay 19. 
     The male part 11 is provided with a belt-end retainer 20 integrally formed with the plug member 13 and having transverse openings 29 for receiving one end of a belt-like article not shown. 
     FIGS. 7 through 9 inclusive are provided to illustrate the construction of the female part 12 of the buckle 10. The female part 12 comprises a generally rectangular receptacle member 21 having a transverse closed rear-end flange portion 22 and opposite side flange portions 23,23&#39; integral therewith. A guide channel 24 is formed coextensively with the flange portions 22 and 23,23&#39; and communicates with a substantially square center opening 25. At the free ends 23a,23b of the respective side flange portions 23,23&#39;, there are provided a pair of inwardly projecting lugs 23c and 23d which confront with each other across a gap 26 at the open front end 27 of the receptacle member 21. During use, the projected end 14d of the button portion 14b is inserted in the gap 26 once when the male part 11 and the female part 12 are coupled together in such a manner described hereinbelow. 
     Designated at 28 is a belt-end retainer for retaining thereat the other end of the belt-like article. 
     When coupling the male part 11 with the female part 12 as shown in FIG. 1, the button portion 14b may be conveniently held in the hand of the user and manipulated so as to insert the plug member 13 into the receptacle member 21, in which instance the side plug portions 16,16&#39; are introduced into the guide channel 24 defined by the side flange portions 23,23&#39; respectively until the front end portion 15 of the plug member 12 comes in registry with the closed-end flange portion 22 of the receptacle member 21. During this coupling movement of the plug member 13, the raised head portion 14 is flexed downwardly from its rest position in contact with the lugs 23c,23d of the receptacle member 21. When the plug member 13 has been thus fully inserted into the receptacle member 21, the button 14b, is released and flexes back to its rest position, whereupon the lugs 23c,23d of the receptacle 21 are held in abutting engagement with the recesses 14c,14c&#39; of the plug 13 thereby locking the buckle 10 in place. 
     When removing the plug 13 from the receptacle 21, the button 14b is depressed to its flexed position to disengage the lugs 23c,23d from the recesses 14c,14c&#39; respectively and thereafter the plug 13 is drawn out of the receptacle 21. All of this manipulation can be done simply with one hand, as there is no obstacle at the gap 26 of the receptacle 21 which would have been otherwise occupied in the case of the conventional counterparts by an upper front plate portion corresponding to that of the closed rear-end flange 22. 
     Although various minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.