Adjustable buckle and strap assembly

Abstract

Highly adjustable, single piece buckles and buckle and strap assemblies for use as clothing belts and other purposes. The buckles comprise a chamber having a post that is used to hold the buckle and strap assembly in adjustment. The buckles and assemblies disclosed allow quick attachment, ease of cinching, and ease of removal. The design permits wearers to interchange belt straps, providing one buckle that can be matched to different colors and styles of belt straps.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A buckle comprising:
 A planar body having a front side and a back side, said planar body having a length and a width and thickness along a top edge and a bottom edge;   A slot open to the front side and the back side of the body; said slot positioned perpendicular to a length of the body for attaching an anchoring end of a strap;   An elongated chamber open to the front side and back side of the body and having an open floor, said chamber running along a width of the body, parallel to the slot, said chamber having a ceiling in proximity to the top edge of the body and two walls continuous with the ceiling, said two walls extending from the ceiling toward the open floor to be continuous with the bottom edge of the body; and   A post continuous with the planar body, projecting from the chamber ceiling in the direction of the open floor, said post shrouded by the chamber walls, whereby a loose end of a strap may be securely positioned around the post.   
     
     
         2 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the body of the buckle is rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the front side and back side of the body are parallel or equidistant along adjacent curved planes. 
     
     
         4 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the walls of the chamber further comprise opposing catches adjacent to the bottom edge of the body to retain a strap on the post. 
     
     
         5 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the walls of the chamber are parallel to the slot. 
     
     
         6 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the post is interposed evenly between the chamber walls. 
     
     
         7 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the planar body is shaped to provide a concave curve on the back side of the body. 
     
     
         8 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the planar body is cut from sheet metal. 
     
     
         9 . The buckle of  claim 8  wherein the body is formed to provide a concave curve on the back side of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The buckle of  claim 1  wherein the post is chamfered along the front side of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The buckle of  claim 10  wherein the post has sharp edges with small radius along the back side of the body. 
     
     
         12 . A belt comprising:
 A buckle having a two-sided planar body and a front side and a back side, said planar body having a top edge and a bottom edge;   A slot in the buckle body open to the front side and the back side of the body; said slot positioned perpendicular to a length of the body of the buckle for attaching an anchoring end of a strap;   An elongated chamber running along a width of the body parallel to the slot, said chamber open to the front side and back side of the body and having a ceiling, walls, and an open floor, said ceiling in proximity to the top edge of the body and said walls continuous with the ceiling, said walls extending from the ceiling of said chamber to be continuous with the bottom edge of the body;   A post continuous with the planar body, inside the chamber and shrouded by the chamber walls, said post projecting from the chamber ceiling in the direction of the open floor; and   A strap having an anchoring end and a loose end, said anchoring end of the strap attached to the slot of the buckle body, whereby the loose end of the strap may be positioned around the post of the buckle and the belt securely cinched when the loose end of the strap is pulled.   
     
     
         13 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the anchoring end of the strap forms a loop and further comprises at least one closure to secure the loop within the slot of the buckle. 
     
     
         14 . The belt of  claim 12  wherein the closure is a repeatably operable closure. 
     
     
         15 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the strap is a webbing or woven fabric. 
     
     
         16 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the strap is a flexible, solid material. 
     
     
         17 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the front side of the buckle body is decoratively shaped or engraved. 
     
     
         18 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the body is rectangular. 
     
     
         19 . The belt of  claim 11  wherein the body is shaped to further comprise a specialized edge or void that functions as a tool. 
     
     
         20 . A buckle comprising:
 A planar body having a front side and a back side, said planar body having thickness along a top edge and a bottom edge;   A slot open to the front side and the back side of the body; said slot positioned perpendicular to a length of the body for attaching a buckle end of a strap;   An elongated chamber open to the front side and back side of the body, said chamber running along a width of the body, parallel to the slot, said chamber having a ceiling in proximity to the top edge of the body and a floor in proximity to the bottom edge of the body and two walls continuous with the ceiling, said two walls extending from the ceiling to the floor; and   A post continuous with the planar body, projecting from the chamber ceiling in the direction of the floor, said post shrouded by the chamber, whereby a loose end of a strap may be securely positioned around the post.   
     
     
         21 . A buckle comprising:
 A planar body having a front side and a back side, said planar body having a length and a width and having a thickness along a top edge and a bottom edge;   A slot open to the front side and the back side of the body; said slot positioned perpendicular to a length of the body for attaching an anchoring end of a strap;   An elongated chamber open to the front side and back side of the body and having an open floor, said chamber running across a width of the body, parallel to the slot, said chamber having a ceiling in proximity to the top edge of the body and a wall continuous with the ceiling, said wall extending from the ceiling toward the open floor to be continuous with the bottom edge of the body; and   A post continuous with the planar body, projecting from the chamber ceiling in the direction of the open floor, said post opposite the chamber wall, whereby a loose end of a strap may be securely positioned between the post and the chamber wall.   
     
     
         22 . The buckle of  claim 21  further comprising a catch adjacent to the bottom edge of the body to retain a strap within the chamber and beside the post.