Patent ID: 8245892

Claim:
A buckle ( 10 ) comprising: a back plate ( 40 ) defining inner and outer sides ( 41 , 44 ), a top ( 42 ), and a bottom; a fastener ( 46 , 48 , 52 ) disposed on said outer side of said back plate and arranged for connection to a belt; a front plate ( 20 ) defining inner and outer sides ( 26 , 22 ), a top, and a bottom; a single hinge ( 30 ) pivotably connecting said bottom of said front plate to said bottom of said back plate, said hinge ( 30 ) including a first knuckle ( 34 ), which is fixated integrally with said front plate, sandwiched between second and third knuckles ( 32 ), which are formed integrally with said back plate, and a pin passing through said first, second and third knuckles; and a stop ( 36 ) formed integrally with said first knuckle that abuts said back plate so as to limit the range of pivoting of said front plate with respect to said back plate from zero degrees in a first configuration to no further than approximately ninety degrees.