US3624868A - Self-locking strap buckle - Google Patents

Abstract

A WIRE BUCKLE FOR WEB TYPE STRAPPING MATERIAL IS DISCLOSED WHEREIN THE BUCKLE MAINTAINS PARALLELISM OF THE STRAP ENGAGING ARMS. THIS IS PRIMARILY ACHIEVED IN THE RELATIONSHIP BY THE FORMATION OF A NOTCH BY ONE OF THE BRIGHT MEMBERS WITHIN WHICH NOTCH A DISTAL LEG IS "LOCKED" INTO POSITION.

Description

Dec. 7, 1971 SQMANN SELF-LOCKING STRAP BUCKLE Filed Oct. 5, 1970 FIG I hilt/ 70/? FIG 2PM 10 "1mm Has/Q United States Patent 3,624,868 SELF-LOCKING STRAP BUCKLE Gert Somann, Centralia Industrial Park, Huron Park, Ontario, Canada Filed Oct. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 77,926 Claims priority, applicat7ion Canada, Nov. 17, 1969,

6 ,546 Int. Cl. A44b 11/00; B6511 63/06 US. C]. 2474 A Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improved connector or buckle for securing the opposite ends of a flexible strap loop which is arranged in taut relation about a package, bail, box or bundle or other object that is to be tied.

With the advent and subsequent popularity of nonmetallic strapping such as nylon, polypropylene, rayon and the like, whether in rope or cord configuration, or band or strap configuration, they have brought about a demand for specialized fasteners or buckles for securing and tensioning the opposite ends, particularly of strap loops, by means of frictional engagement rather than by means of strapping and sealing tools. As a result two types of fasteners or buckles have emerged for non-metallic strapping; those made from a rigid or semi-rigid molded plastic material and those made from spring wire steel. Both types have serious limitations which have unduly limited the full exploitation of the unique advantages of plastic strapping over steel strapping.

Referring to my Canadian patent application entitled Self-Locking Strap Buckle, Ser. No. 47,577, filed Apr. 2, 1969 I disclosed therein a novel buckle wherein the parallelism of the strapping engaging arms could be maintained irrespective of the tension achieved.

I have now found that a new configuration of a wire buckle can be achieved which keeps the parallelism of the strap engaging arms in coplanar relationship with juxtaposed oposite sides of the buckle and yet is composed of a standard steel wire than the more expensive spring wire steel.

This is achieved by a novel configuration of a piece of wire formed into a slightly distorted U shaped portion having a (first) distal leg, a (first) proximal leg, and an interjoining (first) doglegged bight wherein the doglegged bight forms a notch which constrains an interjoining bend between the (second) distal leg and (second) bight of a second generally U shaped member formed from the balance of the wire. As a result the second distal leg is constrained in parallelism with the first proximal leg and with the first distal leg and second proximal leg. This provides a buckle of greater strap holding tenacity than those earlier achieved.

The invention therefore contemplates a buckle for use in connection with flexible strapping comprising a single piece of wire formed as follows:

(a) A first generally U shaped portion, slightly distorted, including a distal leg formed from one end of said single piece of wire, a proximal leg, and a doglegged bight, said doglegged bight and proximal leg disposed to form a notch;

(b) A second generally U shaped portion including a distal leg formed from the other end of said single piece of wire, a proximal leg, and a bight;

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(c) An intermediate wire portion connecting the proximal legs of each U shaped portion; said two proximal legs and said intermediate wire portion lying in a plane having essentially a U-shaped configuration said proximal legs lying parallel to each other as well as parallel to the first distal leg and to the second distal leg, the ends of said distal legs extending across the intermediate wire portion.

The embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through the buckle of FIG. 1 along lines 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the buckle laced with strap material.

Referring to FIG. 1 a buckle 10' includes a first generally U-shaped portion 1'1, slightly distorted, withdistal leg 12,proximal leg 13 and dogleggedbight 14. The dogleggedbight 14 has twoportions 21 and 22 interconnected by athird portion 23 which is disposed essentially parallel to theproximal leg 13 so that a seat ornotch 24 is established. A second generally U-shapedportion 15 includes adistal leg 16,proximal leg 17 andbight 18. Anintermediate wire portion 19 connects theproximal legs 13 and 17 into a U-shaped planar portion. -It should be noted that thedistal leg 16 andbight 18 are in different parallel planes (see FIG. 2) and that theinterjoining bend 27, betweendistal leg 16 andbight 18 is preferably in a plane perpendicular to the plane of thedistal leg 16 andbight 18. As a result thebend 27 is snug to theseat 24. It is this snug relationship between theseat 24 and thebend 27, and the fact that thedistal legs 12 and 16 extend across theintermediate wire portion 19 which constrains the distal legs to retain parallelism each to the other as well as to theproximal legs 17 and 13. It will be further noted that thedistal legs 12 and 16 lie in one plane while theproximal legs 17 and 13 lie in a superadjacent parallel plane which is almost coincident with the first plane such that thedistal leg 12 lies essentially superadjacent to the secondproximal leg 17. Similarly the seconddistal leg 16 lies essentially superadjacent to the firstproximal leg 13. It can also be seen that thedistal legs 12 and 16 are disposed nearer to each other thanproximal legs 13 and 17 and preferably nearer to each other by the diameter thickness of the wire used to form the buckle itself.

The free end 51 of astrip 50 is thread over thedistal leg 12 and thence disposed between thedistal leg 12 and the adjacentproximal leg 17 and thence beneath and around theproximal leg 17 to overlie thestrap 50 essentially as shown in the right hand portion of FIG. 3 wherein thestrap 50 is shown in its tight position about thedistal leg 12. The end 51 of the strap should extend at least about one inch beyond thebuckle 10 in order to provide sufficient free strap should there be flexing of thebuckle 10 and stretching of thestrap 50 during tightening. The other end of thestrap 50, after having been looped about a package (not shown) which is to be tied, is threaded over the otherproximal leg 13 and thence between theproximal leg 13 and its adjacentdistal leg 16 as more particularly shown in the left hand portion of FIG. 3.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. A buckle for use in connection with flexible strapping comprising a single piece of Wire formed as follows:

(a) a first generally U shaped portion, slightly distorted, including a distal leg formed from one end of said single piece of wire, a proximal leg, and a (b) a second generally 'U-shape d portion distal leg formed from the other end of said single piece of wire, a proximal leg, and a bight;

(c) an intermediate wire portion connecting the proximal legs of each U-shaped portion; said 'tWo proximal legs and said intermediate wire portion lying in a plane having essentially aU-shaped configuration said distal legs lying parallel to each other as Well as parallel to the first distal legand to the second distal leg, the ends of said proximal legsextending across the intermediate wire portion, wherein the distal leg and bight of said second U shaped portion are connected by an interjoining bend extending across and snug to said notch. 2. The buckle of claim 1 wherein the distal legs are disposed superadjacent to the proximal legs. 7 '3. The buckle of claim 1 wherein the distal legs are disposed superadjacent to the proximal legs and disposed from each other a closer distance than the proximal legs are disposed from each other.

i i 4. The buckle of claim '1 wherein the distal legs are disposed supe adia nt to. h .p w m le s an f m; sas

other about the diameter of the wire closer than the proximal legs are disposed from each other.

5. The buckle of claim 4 wherein said notch has respective side portions at least as long as the diameter of the wire Y 6. The buckle of claim 1 wherein the notch has respective side portions atleast as long as the diameter of the Wire. I

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PAUL R. G-LLLIAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24-26, 200

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3. 62A. 868 Dated December 7, 1971 Inventor(s) Gert Sol'nann It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading insert "assignor to Ferplas Industries Limited" Signed and sealed this 13th day of June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCI- IER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Off icer Commissioner of Patents ORM PC405 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 50376-P69 9 U 5' GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I9! O3i6-3IH

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