Improvements in Strap Buckles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Strap Buckles.
I, HENRY GEORGE MARSHALLSAY, of 120, Victoria Road, Aldershot, in the County
of Hampshire, Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to buckles for securing straps and has for object
to, provide an efficient buckle of simple construction which in time of emergency
or when there is need of haste can be readily opened so as to at once release a strap
held therein, even should the said strap be under considerable tension.
For this purpose one of the side bars and one of the cross bars of the frame of
the buckle are made separate from one another and jointed to the ends of the
remaining portion of the frame in such a way that their free ends can be engaged
with each other so as to admit of the buckle being used in the ordinary way but
can be readily disengaged from each other when it is desired to quickly release the
end of the strap normally held in place against the said cross bar by the buckle
tongue or tongues, as I shall now.describe by the aid of the accompanying illus-
trative drawings wherein
Figs. 1 and 2 show respectively in plan and side view, a buckle constructed
according to this invention together with the end portions of a strap connected
thereto. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but showing the two movable portions
of the buckle disengaged from each other and the corresponding strap end released.
The buckle shown comprises a rectangular frame having two cross bars 1 and 2
and two side bars 3 and 4, the cross bar 1 and side bar 3 being formed in one piece
of metal, and the cross bar 2 and side bar 4 being formed in separate pieces of
metal that are pivoted at 5 and 6 within the slotted adjacent ends of the cross and
side bars 1 and 3 respectively. 7 is an ordinary tongue loosely mounted on the
cross bar 1 to which one end 8 of a strap is to be permanently connected in the
usual way, the other end 8% of the strap being temporarily connected to the buckle
by the tongue 8 in the ordinary way.
The cross bar 2 is formed with a prolongation 2 at its unattached end, which,
when the buckle is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, extends through a hole 9 in the
unattached end of the side bar 4 which is prolonged beyond the said hole for a
sufficient distance, and may be roughened, so as to allow of its being readily
engaged by the finger or thumb for disengaging it from the cross bar 2 when the
strap end 8 is to be released. The curved formation of the cross bar 2 shown in
this arrangement is for the purpose of assisting to prevent the two movable parts 2
and 4 becoming accidentally disengaged which is further assisted by making the
joint between the parts 1 and 4 sufficiently tight to prevent the part 4 moving either
by itself or by slight lateral pressure. The side bar 4 may, for a like purpose, be
acted upon by a spring, as shown for example in Fig. 4, where a slide block 10
fitted in the cross bar 1, is pressed against the pivotted end of the side bar 2 by
a coiled spring 11 so as normally to keep the other end of such side bar in engage-
ment with the adjacent end of the cross bar 2. Usually however the employment
of a spring for this purpose will be unnecessary.

page_text: With a buckle constructed as described, it will be seen that the strap can be
fastened or unfastened in the same manner as with a buckle of ordinary construc-
tion but that, when desired, by pressing in a lateral direction upon the roughened
end of the side bar 4, the cross bar 2 can be released from engagement therewith
and the strap end 8" can be pulled directly off the buckle tongue 7.
As will be obvious, buckles according to this invention can be constructed in
various forms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
is:―
1. A strap buckle wherein one of the side bars and one of the cross bars of the
buckle frame are made separate from one another and are jointed to the remaining
portion of the frame, the unattached ends of the movable side and cross bars being
adapted to be engaged with each other in such a way as to admit of the buckle
being used in the ordinary way for holding the ends of a strap and also of being
readily disengaged from each other when it is desired to quickly release one end of
the strap connected thereto, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
2. The improved buckle constructed and operating as hereinbefore described
with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings annexed for the
purpose set forth, or modified according to Fig. 4.