Patent GB-1418440-A (GB)
Title: Belt buckle
IPC: A44B11/26
Filed: 1974-05-15
Abstract: 1418440 Belt buckles SIGMATEX AG 15 May 1974 [21 May 1973] 21613/74 Heading E2A A belt buckle which, in use, receives a tongue 4 with a latch receiving opening 27 comprises a buckle housing 1 having an opening 2 at one end for insertion of the tongue 4, means for attaching a length of belt to the housing and an open face exposing a cavity 7 extending to a base wall 8 of the housing 1. Grooves 11 parallel to the base wall 8 and to each other are provided in parallel side walls 9 for slidably guiding and supporting the tongue on its insertion into the housing 1. Opposing guide channels 12 each centrally disposed in the parallel side walls 9 and extending perpendicular to the base wall 8 are also provided for limiting motion of a unitary biassing spring 19, a latching member 14 separate from (as shown) or integral with (Figs. 7, 8) the spring 19, and a latch release member 15 in the cavity to a direction substantially perpendicular to the base wall 8. A rear wall opposite the opening 2 for the tongue limits, in use, forward movement thereof. The unitary biassing spring 19 comprises an elongate flat strip 21 positioned in the cavity separated from the base wall with each end 38 of the strip, which may be bent up with respect to the remainder thereof, extending loosely into a different one of the two opposing channels 12. The strip 21 has an arm 22 (as shown two arms 22) extending therefrom in a direction away from the opening 2 but arcuately upturned to pass through the path for movement of the leading edge of the tongue 4 at a point between 0.1 to 0.6 inches from the terminus of its inward travel. The latching member 14 has an upwardly sloping latch structure 26 for engaging in the latch opening 27 in the tongue and the latching release member 15 has two legs 29 arranged to straddle the tongue path for moving the latching member away from a tongue engaging position upon displacement of the latching release member 15 toward the base wall 8 of the housing 1. A cover plate 32 is attached to the housing 1 for retaining the latching and unlatching components in the cavity and an opening is provided therein into which a portion of the latch release member 15 extends. A metal, preferably stainless steel, guide 37 may be provided in each of the guide channels 12. As shown the rear wall of the housing 1 is provided with a grooved guide block 16 for guiding the forward end of the tongue 4, spaces 18, one at each side of the block 16 receiving the arms 22 of the spring 19. The spring is also formed with a downturned arm 23 which contacts the base wall 8 at its junction with the block 16 or projects into a groove at the junction to act as a fulcrum for the spring 19. When the tongue 4 is inserted into the buckle the forward end of the tongue 4 engages the arms 22 and urges them toward the end wall thus pivoting the spring about its fulcrum and bringing the latching structure 26 into the latch opening 27. On release of the latch structure from the latch opening 27 the energy stored in the arms 22 forces the tongue 4 out of the buckle. In an alternative construction the spring may have one arm 22 and two arms 23 (Figs. 6. 8, not shown). When two arms 23 are provided and the latching member is integral with the spring two spaced latch structures are provided (Fig. 8, not shown). Also when one arm 22 is provided two spaced blocks 16 are formed on the rear wall.