Buckle

Abstract

A quick clamping, quick releasing, buckle is designed to directly engage a strap, belt, or web at any position along the strap, belt, or web without first threading the free front or rear end of the strap, belt, or web through the buckle. The buckle has a locking element for releasably locking the buckle to the strap, belt, or web at a desired position. The buckle is particularly useful for engaging a strap, belt, or web in the configuration of a closed loop without opening the loop, or for releasably joining together the free ends of different straps, belts, or webs. The buckle is arranged so that in its closed position, increasing tension on the web, strap or belt received in the buckle increases the friction on the web, strap or belt to prevent movement of the buckle relative to the web, strap or belt.

1 . A clamp for releasably retaining a web, belt or strap therein, said clamp comprising a base and a retaining element pivotably mounted relative to each other along a first pivot axis, said retaining element being selectively pivotable relative to said base between an opened position and a closed position in which said web, belt or strap is releasably retained in said clamp, said first pivot axis being oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of extension of said web, belt or strap through said clamp.  
   
   
       2 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a locking element pivotably mounted relative to said retaining element along a second pivot axis, said locking element being selectively pivotable relative to said retaining element between a locked position and an unlocked position, said locking element arranged relative to said retaining element such that said second pivot axis is oriented substantially transversely relative to said first pivot axis.  
   
   
       3 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said locking element includes means for releasably fixing the position of said buckle relative to a strap, belt, or web received in said base and extending in said longitudinal direction of said base.  
   
   
       4 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said locking element includes means for releasably locking said retaining element in said closed position relative to said base.  
   
   
       5 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said locking element includes first means for releasably fixing the position of said buckle relative to a strap, belt, or web received within said base and extending in said longitudinal direction of said base, and second means for releasably locking said retaining element in said closed position relative to said base.  
   
   
       6 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 1 , further including means for moving said retaining element relative to said base along a plane oriented at an angle relative to said first pivot axis for releasably locking said retaining element to said base.  
   
   
       7 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 2 , further including means for moving said retaining element relative to said base along a plane oriented at an angle relative to said first pivot axis for releasably locking said retaining element to said base.  
   
   
       8 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said locking element comprises said means for moving said retaining element relative to said base along said plane oriented at an angle relative to said first pivot axis, said locking element cooperating with said retaining element and said base such that said retaining element is moved along said plane oriented at an angle relative to said first pivot axis when said locking element is pivoted along said second pivot axis into said locked position.  
   
   
       9 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 8 , further including cooperating engagement elements on said base and said retaining element for limiting the relative movement of said retaining element relative to said base along said plane oriented at an angle relative to said first pivot axis when said retaining element is in said closed position relative to said base and said locking element is in said locked position relative to said retaining element.  
   
   
       10 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said cooperating engagement elements comprise: 
 at least one opening defined in said base and oriented along said plane oriented at any angle relative to said first pivot axis; and at least one member on said retaining element adapted to be received within said at least one opening in said base.    
   
   
       11 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said base and said retaining element are pivotably mounted to each other along said first pivot axis by said cooperating engagement elements.  
   
   
       12 . A clamp comprising a base and a retaining element for selectively retaining a strap, web or belt therebetween, said base and said retaining element being pivotably mounted to each other along a pivot axis for relative movement between opened and closed positions of said clamp, said pivot axis being oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of extension of a strap, web or belt retaining in said clamp.  
   
   
       13 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 12 , further including cooperating locking elements on said base and said retaining element for releasably locking said retaining element to said base in said closed position of said clamp.  
   
   
       14 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said base and said retaining element are formed together as a single unit.  
   
   
       15 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said base defines an opening therein, and said retaining element includes a protuberance thereon, said base and said retaining element arranged such that said protuberance is received in said opening to fixedly retain said strap, web on belt in said clamp when said clamp is in said closed position.  
   
   
       16 . The clamp as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said retaining element and said base are arranged such that increasing tension on said strap, web or belt increases the force with which said clamp engages said strap, web or belt when said clamp is in said closed position.  
   
   
       17 . A method of releasably locking a clamp to a strap, belt, or web removably received within said clamp, said clamp comprising a base for removably receiving therein a portion of said strap, belt, or web extending through said base in a longitudinal direction, and a retaining element pivotably mounted to said base along a first pivot axis, said retaining element being selectively pivotable relative to said base between an opened position and a closed position, said first pivot axis being substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of extension of said strap, belt, or web through said base, the steps of said method comprising: 
 pivoting said retaining element relative to said base along said first pivot axis into said opened position;    causing said clamp to directly engage a predetermined position on said strap, belt, or web without threading an end of said strap, belt, or web through said clamp; and    pivoting said retaining element relative to base into said closed position for releasably retaining said strap, belt, or web between said retaining element and said base.    
   
   
       18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further including the step of: 
 releasably locking said clamp to said predetermined position on said strap, belt, or web for fixedly retaining said clamp relative to said strap, belt, or web on said predetermined position thereon.    
   
   
       19 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further including the step of: 
 releasably locking said retaining element to said base when said retaining element is moved into said closed position relative to said base.    
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the step of releasably locking said retaining element to said base includes the step of selectively moving said retaining element relative to said base along a plane oriented at an angle relative to said longitudinal direction of extension of said strap, belt, or web through said base.  
   
   
       21 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , further including the step of pivotably mounting a locking element to said retaining element along a second pivot axis oriented substantially transversely relative to said first pivot axis, said locking element being selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position.  
   
   
       22 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , further including the step of pivotably mounting a locking element to said retaining element along a second pivot axis oriented substantially transversely relative to said first pivot axis, said locking element being selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position.  
   
   
       23 . The method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the step of releasably locking said clamp to said predetermined position on said strap, belt, or web includes the step of moving said locking element into said locked position.  
   
   
       24 . The method as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the step of releasably locking said retaining element to said base comprises the step of moving said locking element into said locked position.  
   
   
       25 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further including the step of: 
 releasably locking said retaining element to said base when said retaining element is moved into said closed position relative to said base, and    releasably locking said clamp to said predetermined position on said strap, belt, or web for fixedly retaining said clamp relative to said strap, belt, or web on said predetermined position thereon.    
   
   
       26 . The method as claimed in  claim 17  when said base defines an opening therein and said retaining element has a protuberance thereon, said step of pivoting said retaining element relative to said base including the step of pivoting said protuberance into said opening for releasably retaining said web, strap or belt as a result of frictional engagement with said base and said protuberance on said retaining element.  
   
   
       27 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further including the step of arranging said base and said retaining element such that increasing the tension on the strap, belt or web in the clamp increases the force with which said clamp engages said strap, belt or web in the closed position of said clamp.