Patent ID: 7657977

Claim:
A belt clamp adapted for attachment to a belt encircling a waist of a user for carrying an article comprising: a base member adapted for attachment of an article having an inside and outside surface and an upper and lower portion, said lower portion including a locking portion; a cover member having an inside and outside surface and an upper and a lower portion, said lower portion of said cover member including a locking portion for engaging said locking portion of said base member; cooperating fasteners between said upper portions of respective said members for movement of said members between a closed position defining an interior space between said inside surface of said members and an open position; cooperating locking members including a locking passageway in one said lower portion of one said member, and a projecting element on another said lower portion of other said member disposable within said passageway to releasably lock said members together, said projecting element having an elongate barb portion extending substantially the length of said projecting element, said passageway being elongate and having a length substantially equal to said length of said projecting element, said passageway being bounded by a pair of short side walls an elongate upper wall and an elongate lower wall, said elongate barb portion releasably locking on said lower wall of said passageway, said projecting element being sized to fit within said passageway and be nested therein between said side walls for inhibiting twisting movement between said base and cover members to maintain said locking members in said closed position, one said locking portion including said locking passageway having a lower lip and terminal ends, said other said locking portion includes a projecting member having a barb for engaging with said lip when said projecting member is located within and substantially occupying and nested within said locking passageway, said barb including an undercut ledge inclined from the vertical for contacting said lip of said locking passageway, said locking passageway being elongated and oriented transversely of said projecting member, said barb having end walls nested against said terminal ends of said locking passageway to substantially eliminate any play between said barb end walls and said locking passageway terminal ends whereby twisting forces placed on said clamp will inhibit inadvertent opening of said clamp.