Patent Publication Number: US-6668434-B2

Title: Harness buckle and method of making same

Description:
This application claims benefit of provisional Ser. No. 60/289,991, filed May 10, 2001, entitled “Harness Buckle and Method of Making Same”. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to buckles, and may also be described in terms of methods and apparatus for interconnecting first and second straps on a harness of the type that is commonly worn for fall-arrest purposes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Buckles are well known in the art and prevalent in a variety of applications. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved buckle, preferably of a type that is suitable for use on fall-arrest harnesses worn by persons who work at dangerous heights. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred application, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for interconnecting the distal ends of first and second harness straps. Many features and/or advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference to the Figures of the Drawing, wherein like numerals represent like parts and assemblies throughout the several views, 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment buckle constructed according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the buckle of FIG. 1, showing the buckle in an unlatched configuration; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the buckle of FIG. 1, showing the buckle in a latched configuration; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of an intermediate plate on the buckle of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternative embodiment buckle constructed according to the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A preferred embodiment buckle constructed according to the principles of the present invention is designated as  100  in FIGS. 1-3. The buckle  100  generally includes a first member or housing  101  and a second member or catch  170 . In operation, a first harness strap is secured to the housing  101  in a manner already known in the art, and a second harness strap is secured to the catch  170  is a manner already known in the art. The catch  170  is releasably latched to the housing  101  in order to releasably connect the two harness straps to one another. 
     The housing  101  includes first and second outer plates  111  and  112  that are preferably made identical to one another for purposes of manufacturing efficiency. At least one intermediate plate  130  is sandwiched between the outer plates  111  and  112 . The outer plates  111  and  112  are preferably made of steel, and the at least one intermediate plate  130  is preferably made of nylon plastic. Four registration pegs  137  project outward from each side of the intermediate plate(s)  130  and align with respective registration holes  117  in a respective outer plate  111  or  112 . An elliptical boss  131  may also be provided on each side of the at least one intermediate plate  130  to align with similarly shaped openings  113  in respective outer plates  111  and  112 . Rivets  123  extend through respective holes  103  in one outer plate  111 , then through respective holes  133  in the intermediate plate(s)  130 , and then through respective holes  103  in the other outer plate  112 . 
     The housing  101  includes a buckle slide  140  that is preferably made of steel and has a cylindrical middle portion  144  and flat ends  141 . As shown in FIG. 4, the at least one intermediate plate  130  has a central opening  134  that is sized and configured to accommodate the entire slide  140 . Also, each of the outer plates  111  and  112  has a relatively smaller rectangular opening  114  that is sized and configured to accommodate the middle portion  144  of the slide  140 . The thickness of the intermediate plate(s)  130  is greater than the thickness of the ends  141 , so the ends  141  of the slide  140  are movably retained between the outer plates  111  and  112 . The slide bar  140  cooperates with the openings  114  in the plates  111  and  112  to retain the end of a harness strap. The middle portion  144  may be knurled to increase friction between the bar  140  and the strap. 
     The at least one intermediate plate  130  also has opposing slots  136  that are sized and configured to accommodate respective springs  160  between the outer plates  111  and  112 . The springs  160  are helical coils that are compressed between respective end walls of respective slots  136 , and respective bearing surfaces on respective pawls  158  and  159 . Rivets  122  extend through respective holes  102  in one outer plate  111 , then through respective holes  152  in respective pawls  158  and  159 , and then through respective holes  102  in the other outer plate  112 . The pawls  158  and  159  are preferably made of steel and sized to be thinner than the intermediate plate(s)  130 . As a result, the pawls  158  and  159  are pivotally mounted between the outer plates  111  and  112 . 
     The pawls  158  and  159  have respective latching portions that are biased toward one another by respective springs  160 . This inward pivoting of the pawls  158  and  159  is limited by contact between the pawls  158  and  159  and respective portions of the intermediate plate(s)  130 . The pawls  158  and  159  also have respective force receiving portions that project away from one another and outward beyond the perimeter of the outer plates  111  and  112 . These force receiving portions or “wings” define bearing surfaces that face away from the catch  170  and in divergent fashion relative to one another. 
     The housing  101  has a “receiving” end  107  that is sized and configured to receive the catch  170 . A “lead” end  171  of the catch  170  is configured for insertion into the housing  101  and between the pawls  158  and  159 . More specifically, this “lead” end  171  of the catch  170  may be described as generally T-shaped, with recessed edges or shoulders  175  on opposite sides thereof. As the end  171  is inserted into the housing  101 , it pushes the latching portions of the pawls  158  and  159  away from one another. Upon continued insertion of the end  171 , the pawls  158  and  159  encounter the recessed edges  175  of the catch  170  and snap back toward one another (and behind the forwardmost portion of the catch  170 ). As shown in FIG. 3, inspection openings or windows  119  in the outer plates  111  and  112  allow a person to visually confirm that the pawls  158  and  159  have snapped into engagement with the catch  170 . The catch  170  cannot thereafter by removed from the housing  101  unless both pawls  158  and  159  are rotated to respective “releasing” orientations. An opposite end of the catch  170  is provided with a slot  177  for purposes of retaining the end of a harness strap. 
     As a person uses his/her thumb and forefinger to urge respective force receiving portions to the pawls  158  and  159  away from the tab  132 , the thumb and forefinger thereafter encounter the relatively wider portion of the catch  170  upon release of the catch  170  from the housing  101 . This “transitional” arrangement facilitates both unlatching and removal of the catch  170  in one continuous motion. 
     FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment buckle  200  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The buckle  200  includes an identical catch  170  that is selectively latched between similar pawls  258  and  259  on an alternative housing  201 . The housing  201  similarly includes at least one intermediate plate secured between first and second outer plates by means of rivets  222  and  223  (and registration pegs  237 ). Both the pawls  258  and  259  and a slide bar  240  are movably retained between the outer plates. Each of the outer plates on the housing  201  has an end opposite the catch  170  that is bounded by a concave edge, thereby defining a notch. The at least one intermediate plate has a “grippable” portion or tab  232  that spans the notch, and opposite facing sides of the tab  232  are bounded by an arcuate, peripheral ridge  231  that facilitates grasping of the housing  101 . 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments and a particular application, this disclosure will enable others to derive additional embodiments, improvements, and/or applications of the present invention. As a result, the scope of the present invention should be limited only to the extent of the following claims.