Abstract:
A securing arrangement for a diving cylinder, and more particularly for use in securing a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device, includes: a securing strap for securing the cylinder to the harness; a strap-retaining device allowing the strap to pass therethrough in one direction, and selectively preventing the strap from passing therethrough in an opposite direction; and a pivotable tensioning lever for increasing the tension of the securing strap.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a securing arrangement for a diving cylinder, and more particularly to a securing arrangement for use in securing a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device. 
       BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A buoyancy control device (BCD), also known as a buoyancy compensator (BC), is a piece of diving equipment worn by a diver that assists the diver to regulate and control his or her overall buoyancy relative to the water. A buoyancy control device typically includes a harness component that is worn by the diver, and to which a diving cylinder(s) are secured. 
         [0003]    In known prior art configurations the cylinder is generally secured to a back plate of the harness by means of a webbing strap and buckle configuration. Since substantial tension is required to prevent the cylinder from becoming detached during a dive, manufacturers generally use nylon webbing and buckles incorporating cams to obtain the required tightening force. A cam-type buckle typically includes a cam that pushes down onto the webbing that is passed through the buckle, and prevents the webbing from slipping back through the buckle. Tensioning is achieved by exerting a direct pulling force on the webbing. 
         [0004]    However, it has been found in practice that it is often difficult and time consuming to thread the webbing through most of the available cam buckles. Cam buckles that are of simpler configuration, where threading of the webbing may be somewhat easier, in turn requires substantially more effort to be adjusted for different cylinder diameters. In both cases, i.e. the simple or more complicated cam buckles, significant effort is required to achieve sufficient tension in the webbing strap to ensure proper engagement of the cylinder. Also, changing between cylinders of different diameters is difficult and time-consuming. 
         [0005]    An additional shortcoming inherent to nylon webbing is that the webbing tends to stretch to some extent when it becomes permeated with water, which can easily result in the cylinder loosening during a dive if not pre-soaked in water. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a securing arrangement for use in securing a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device, which will at least partially alleviate the above disadvantages. 
         [0007]    It is also an object of the invention to provide a securing arrangement for use in securing a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device that will be a useful alternative to existing securing arrangements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to the invention there is provided a securing arrangement for use in securing a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device, the arrangement including:
       a securing strap for securing the cylinder to the harness;   a strap-retaining device allowing the strap to pass therethrough in one direction, and selectively preventing the strap from passing therethrough in an opposite direction; and   a pivotable tensioning lever for increasing the tension of the securing strap.       
 
         [0012]    Preferably the securing strap comprises a plurality of separate strap sections. 
         [0013]    The strap may comprise a plurality of apertures in a surface thereof. Preferably, at least one of the strap sections may include a plurality of apertures provided in a surface thereof. 
         [0014]    Preferably the strap-retaining device is adapted releasably to engage the apertures provided in the securing strap. The strap-retaining device may be in the form of a strap-retaining lever having an end that engages the apertures provided in the securing strap. 
         [0015]    The strap-retaining lever may be displaceable between a retaining position wherein an end of the lever engages an aperture provided in the securing strap, and a release position wherein the end is spaced apart form the aperture so as to allow the securing strap to be freely displaceable. 
         [0016]    There is also provided for the tensioning lever to engage the apertures provided in the securing strap in order to exert a force on the securing strap when actuated. Preferably the force is exerted on the securing strap by inducing movement when the lever is pivoted. 
         [0017]    Alternatively, the tensioning lever may be in the form of an over centred buckle mechanism located between two adjacent strap sections, the tensioning lever exerting a tensile force on the securing strap when displaced from an open to a closed position. 
         [0018]    The securing strap may have an at least partially serrated zone. Troughs formed between adjacent serrations may define the apertures in the securing strap. 
         [0019]    In a preferred embodiment the strap-retaining device may be in the form of a mechanical ratchet buckle. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment the securing arrangement may include an over centre buckle. 
         [0021]    According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided the use of a mechanical ratchet buckle to secure a diving cylinder to a buoyancy control device. 
         [0022]    According to a still further aspect of the invention there is provided the use of an over centred buckle to secure a diving cylinder to a buoyancy control device. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    Preferred embodiments of the invention are described by way of non-limiting examples, and with a reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the securing arrangement in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, the securing arrangement being attached to a harness of a buoyancy control device; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the securing arrangement of  FIG. 1 , with the strap-retaining device in a retaining position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  shows the securing arrangement of  FIG. 2  with the tensioning lever being actuated; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  shows the securing arrangement of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , with the retaining lever displaced to a released position; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a further securing arrangement in accordance with the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a still further securing arrangement in accordance with the invention; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the securing arrangement of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like features, a securing arrangement in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . As is best seen in  FIG. 1 , a securing arrangement  10  is typically connected to a harness  16  of a buoyancy control device  14 . More particularly, the securing arrangement  10  is connected to a back plate of the harness  16 . The securing arrangement  10  is provided in order to secure a diving cylinder  12  to the buoyancy control device  14 . This invention is directed to the particular configuration of the securing arrangement  10  for use in securing a diving cylinder  12  to the buoyancy control device  14 . 
         [0032]    A first embodiment of the securing arrangement in accordance with the invention is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , and includes a securing strap  20  being secured to the back plate  16 . 1  of the harness  16 , with two opposing ends of the securing strap being located adjacent one another. One end of the securing strap is connected to a mechanical ratchet buckle  23 , the working of which is described in more detail herein below. The second end of the securing strap  20  can subsequently be fed into the mechanical ratchet buckle  23  in order to secure and tension the strap so as to securely hold the diving cylinder  12 . The mechanical ratchet buckle  23  includes a strap retaining device  30  as well as a tensioning lever  40 . The securing strap  20  includes serrations or teeth in an upper surface thereof and apertures  22  are defined by the troughs between adjacent teeth. In this embodiment the strap retaining device  30  includes a retaining lever  31 , an end  32  of which engages the apertures  22  so as to prevent movement in the direction of arrow A of the securing strap  20  relative to the mechanical ratchet buckle  23 . The lever  31  can selectively be displaced to a disengaged position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , in which position the securing strap  20  is allowed to be displaced in the direction of arrow A, so as to enable removal of the diving cylinder  12 . 
         [0033]    The mechanical ratchet buckle  23  also includes a tensioning lever  40  which can be actuated in a pivotable manner so as to tension the securing strap  20  that extends through the mechanical ratchet bucket  23 . In this particular embodiment, the tensioning lever of this embodiment terminates in a tooth formation  40 . 1  that is dimensioned and configured to engage the complementary shaped troughs or apertures  22  formed between adjacent teeth or serrations of the securing strap  20 . When the tensioning lever is pivoted to and fro as is indicated by arrow C, the securing strap is displaced in direction of arrow B. The strap retaining device  30  and in particular the end  32  that engages the apertures  32 , prevents the securing strap  20  from being displaced in the direction indicated by arrow A when the end  40 . 1  of the tension lever  40  disengages the apertures  22 , thus allowing the securing strap  20  to be sequentially tensioned. In the particular embodiment, the strap retaining device  30  and the tension lever  40  form part of a unitary mechanical ratchet buckle  23 , but it is appreciated that the functionality may also be achieved by utilizing two separate elements as described in more detail below. 
         [0034]    A further embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . In this embodiment the securing strap  20  comprises three securing strap sections,  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  and  20 . 3 . The ends of the securing strap section  20 . 1  and  20 . 3  are secured to the back plate  16 . 1  of the harness  16 . In this embodiment the strap-retaining device  30  is similar to that utilized in the embodiment described above, but in this case the strap retaining device  30  does not include an integral tensioning lever. The strap retaining device  30  is used for preliminary tensioning of the securing strap  20  and more particularly the strap sections  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  and  20 . 3 , but final tensioning is achieved by utilizing an independent tensioning device in the form of an over centre buckle  25 . The over centre buckle includes a tensioning lever  40  to which there is pivotally secured an end of first strap section  20 . 1  and also an end of the second strap section  20 . 2 . When the lever  40  is actuated, so as to be displaced in the direction of arrow D, the securing strap  20  is tensioned due to the movement of securing strap section  20 . 1  in direction F and securing strap section  20 . 2  in direction E, thus resulting in the two strap sections being pulled towards one another so as to increase the tension in the strap  20  in totality. 
         [0035]    An additional compensating device may be provided to allow for efficient tensioning of the securing arrangement, which may be, inter alia, in the form of a compensation pad located inside an inner face of securing strap section  20 . 1 , a pneumatic pad located inside an inner surface of the securing strap  20 . 1 , an elastic section provided in the securing strap  20 , or alternatively, one or more of the securing strap sections  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 ,  20 . 3  being elastic. There is also provided for the over centre buckle  25  to include a slot formation allowing the end of securing strap section  20 . 2  to slide therein. 
         [0036]    A still further embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 6 , and is similar to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , save for the strap retaining device  30  being located adjacent the tensioning lever  40  in the form of the over centre buckle  25 . This arrangement will function in the same way, but in this embodiment only two strap sections  20 . 1  and  20 . 2  are required. 
         [0037]    It is a common denominator of all the embodiments of this invention that the securing arrangement  10  includes a strap retaining device  30  that allows displacement of the securing strap  20  in a first direction, but not in a second opposite direction, and some tensioning lever arrangement that can be actuated in order to increase the tension in the securing strap. The inventor foresees that it will be easier to secure a diving cylinder to a harness of a buoyancy control device, and the cylinder will also be more secure than cylinders secured with traditional securing means. Also, by using the serrated or toothed securing strap, one can do away with the use of traditional nylon webbing, and the problems associated with pre-soaking of the webbing can also be circumvented. 
         [0038]    It will be appreciated that the above are only some embodiments of the invention, and that there may be many variations in detail without departing from the spirit and/or the scope of the invention.