Abstract:
A dog collar has non-adjustable buckle which permits one to remove the collar from a dog, and provides an attractive appearance. Adjustment of the length of the collar is accomplished by means of a separate adjuster.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a dog collar having a belt-type buckle.  
         [0002]     Modern dog collars have snap-type connectors at their ends, which allow one quickly to install or remove the collar. These connectors are not particularly attractive, and may have, or appear to have, inadequate strength and security in some situations.  
         [0003]     It would be desirable to provide dog owners with the alternative choice of a collar having an attractive metal buckle, without making the buckle also function as a length adjuster. This way, there would be no dangling free end of material at the buckle, when the collar was adjusted to shorter lengths; the buckle would in every case present a tidy appearance.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An object of the invention is to provide a dog collar with a secure metal buckle which can be unfastened to remove the collar from the dog.  
         [0005]     Another object is to improve the appearance of a dog collar.  
         [0006]     These and other objects are attained by a dog collar having a non-adjustable belt-type buckle, as described below. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     In the accompanying drawings,  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dog collar having buckle embodying the invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a similar view of the collar, with a portion removed, showing the buckle of the collar unfastened.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0010]     A dog collar embodying the invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a strip  10  of a flexible material, which may be of any strong, durable, flexible material, most preferably a strong nylon fabric. Other materials such as leather may be appropriate alternatives.  
         [0011]     The strip  10  has a first end  12  which is preferably doubled over a short distance; the overlap is maintained by stitching  14 . A single hole  16  is punched through the doubled-over first end  12 , to received the pawl  18  of a metal buckle  20 , which includes a frame  22  with a first crossbar  24  extending between the top and bottom sides  26 ,  28  of the frame. Lateral sides  30 ,  32  interconnect the top and bottom sides. The first crossbar loosely supports the pawl, which has sufficient length to engage one of the lateral sides. A trademark or logo, such as that shown at  34  in the drawings, may be applied to or formed on the buckle.  
         [0012]     Adjacent the buckle, the straight segment of a D-ring  36  (for attaching a leash, tags, etc.) is retained between the overlapped layers of the first end by stitching  38  on either side of the straight segment.  
         [0013]     The second end of the strip  10  is passed through a length adjuster  40  having two apertures  42  separated by a center post  44 , then around a second crossbar  46  on the buckle, and back around the center post of the adjuster. The end of the strip is then secured by stitching  48  to the portion of the strip it overlaps, securing the center post. The length of the collar can be adjusted, as is commonly known, by relieving tension in the strip, and then moving the adjuster along the strip. A fabric band  50  may be applied to the collar before or after assembly to keep the unattached overlapped portions  52 ,  54  of the strip aligned.  
         [0014]     The second crossbar is preferably offset rearward from the first crossbar, and the top and bottom sides of the buckle have increased depth, at least near their centers, to accommodate the offset and to strengthen the buckle.  
         [0015]     It should be noted that the buckle is not adjustable, as it has only one hole. Any adjustment is achieved by moving the adjuster. The functions of the buckle are to enable one to remove the collar from the dog, and to provide an attractive appearance.  
         [0016]     Since the invention is subject to modifications and variations, it is intended that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as only illustrative of the invention defined by the following claims.