US3540085A - Belt with belt buckle - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17,1970 R. BERNING BELT WITH BELT BUCKLE Filed Feb. 5, 1969 Fig.7

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Y

NOV. 17, 1970 BERNING I 3,540,085

BELT WITH BELT BUCKLE V 1 7 Filed Feb. 5, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

g L. 1% I '1 "1 1i 151 15 115 1' ii! I Fig.6 2 15 3 11 12 9' W BY INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,540,085 BELT WITH BELT BUCKLE Rudolf Berniug, Schwelm, Germany, assignor to Astor- Werke Otto Berning & C0,, Schwelm, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Feb. 3, 1969, Ser. No. 795,923 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 2, 1968, A 29,224; July 6, 1968, 1,760,829 Int. Cl. A44b 11/12 US. Cl. 24-77 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A belt with a belt buckle, in which the buckle comprises a frame-like bottom part and a material-covered upper part which clampingly secures the edges of covering material, thereto. A holding device carried by the parts is provided within an opening of the buckle for securing predetermined belt lengths. A plate is held by webs and extends below the material, the latter completely covering the buckle opening. The plate supports at least one clamping closure, and the latter presses one end of the belt in an anchoring manner toward the plate.

The present invention relates to a belt with a buckle, which comprises a frame-like lower part and a materialcovered upper part with clamping of the material edges, whereby within the buckle opening a holding device carried by the buckle frame parts is arranged for securing of predetermined belt lengths.

The most usual holding devices on belt buckles are formed as a thorn mounted on a buckle web which projects through corresponding holes on the free end of the belt, whereupon the free thorn end engages lockingly one frame arm of the buckle body. These structures are, however, not favorable, since they permit only a step-wise adjustment corresponding to the chosen distance between the holes. Furthermore, the other end of the belt must be wound around the web, in order to be held here by rivet ing or sewing. Partly more advantageous embodiments are, however, such likewise known belt buckles, which are equipped with a sweep disposed on the center web of the buckle, which presses the belt, passed through with its one side edge, against the corresponding outer web of the buckle frame and thus retains the passed through belt. It is, though, necessary here also to connect the buckle sided end of the belt by example by riveting with the sweep part. Furthermore, this belt buckle is not completely free from sliding depending upon the used belt material. All known structures have inherently in addi tion the drawback, tthat the ends of the belt must be always clearly edged, in particular because the one end, namely the belt point, is free during wear in outward direction.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a belt with a buckle which permits in each reliable connection a favorable securing of the ends of the belt such, that a clean edging etc. of the ends of the belt, in particular the special preparation of a belt point can be omitted because both ends of the buckle are covered up by holding parts of the buckle and by the belt, respectively.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a belt with a buckle, wherein a plate is held by webs and extends below the material completely closing the buckle opening, which plate mounts at least one clamping closure, which presses the one end of the belt anchoring against the plate.

It is favorable thereby, if in accordance with the present invention, the plate has holes on the wide faces adjacent the clamping closure for hooking in the other end of the belt.

An advantageous formation of the present invention is realized such, that between the normal material and the plate, a supporting disc is arranged, which is tensioned by means of the material against the upper side of the buckle frame upper part and leaves free an open distance to the plate.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a belt with a buckle which realizes a favorable structural design, if the plate is carried by webs disposed between the buckle frame parts.

An advantageous feature of the present invention resides furthermore in the fact that the angular sheet forming the clamping closure is mounted at both ends in a wing projecting each from the plate.

For a small structure, it is of advantage if, in accordance with the present invention, the plate comes back relative to the buckle frame underside.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the plate amounts to two clamping closures in form of angular sheets assuming the closing position by oppositely directed snap movements, one, namely the shorter arm of the angular sheets, forms projections anchored in the wide face of the belt.

It is also of advantage if, in accordance with the present invention, the angle of the two clamping closures overlap each other in snapped-in position with their longer arms.

Furthermore, it is of advantage, if, in accordance with the present invention, both angular sheets are mounted at both ends in a wing forming an angle each relative to the plate.

'Finally, due to such structure, a belt with a belt buckle is created favorable in use, which is also easily producible and which makes possible an advantageous direct connection of a buckle with belt strips. The base plate carrying the clamping closure or the clamping closures in form of angular sheets on a correspondingly provided Wing or on wings is separately premountable, so that a fast end mounting is made possible.

In particular, this circumstance shows to be as particularly favorable in case of mass articles. By providing of a supporting disc, the material covering the disc remains sufliciently taut. The one belt end can be secured in suitable length adjustment. An appreciable simplification is given for the belt manufacturer, without causing disadvantages in use for the user. The producer can omit the very complicated and also expensive production of the cleanly edged belt point, since the point is now disposed below the closely covered buckle frame, thus removed from view. By provision of two clamping closures, at first the belt end to be connected with the buckle body is secured, whereby the projections of the angular sheet bring about in form of an indentation web a clamping securing. A second angular sheet foldable over the first angular sheet is coordinated to the free belt end. The fixing of this belt end can be provided without steps. Due to the fact that the longer angular arms are arranged overlappingly in particular, a small structure can be realized, so that all structural parts necessary for the securing of the belt ends can be provided within the buckle opening, which first of all is also possible, because the plate mounting the same still jumps back relative to the buckle frame underside. By provision of a supporting disc, even with the longest time periods of use, the material covering these parts remain sufficiently taut. The convex curvature of the one angular sheet arm favors the introduction of the one belt end in its following securing.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention, which is shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the belt with a buckle disclosing a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, one end of the belt being spaced apart from the corresponding buckle;

FIG. 3 is a section along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, the free belt end being removed;

FIG. 4 is a section similar to that shown in FIG. 3, however, with the free belt end connected;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation of the belt buckle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a section along the lines 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a section of FIG. 6, however, with the secured belt end.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. l-4, the belt buckle, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, has a frame-like lower part 1 produced from a metal blank and a likewise frame-like upper part 2 consisting of the same material. The latter has a covering material 3-. The latter is held clampingly with its material edges between the lower part 1 and the upper part 2. As can be ascertained from FIGS. 3 and 4, a double layer of covering material 3 is used.

In the buckle opening is disposed a plate 4. The latter is outwardly removed from view by the covering material 3. It has for holding the one belt end 9' the clamping closure 5 capable of being brought into closing position by means of a snapping movement. The clamping closure 5 is made of an angular sheet metal. The shorter arm 5' of this clamping closure-angular sheet 5 enters with projections, by example, those in form of a tooth edge 7 into the wide face of the belt strip 9.

The clamping closure-angular sheet 5 holds the belt end 9' on the buckle body. Thereby, an engagement by pressure against the plate 4 takes place.

The pivot point for the clamping closure-angular sheet 5 is formed by wings 10 and 11 projecting on both sides of the plate 4. The wings 10 and 11 have bearing bores 12 and axle loops 13 projecting beyond the length of the angular sheets into the bearing bores 12.

At least the longer arm 5" of the clamping closureangular sheet 5 is convexly curved.

The plate 4 is arranged falling back relative to the buckle frame underside. Suitable, thereby, the full depth of the buckle hollow is used up, so that the plate 4 extends still in the curved plane of the buckle upper part. By this arrangement, sufficient space remains particularly in mounting buckles for the arrangement of the clamping closure 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, between the material 3 and the plate 4, a supporting disc 16 is provided. The latter is tensioned by means of the material 3 against the upper side of the buckle frame upper part 2. The supporting disc 16 can be made of plexiglass, synthetic material or metal. It lends to the material 3 a fold-free appearance, even in case of slight relaxing material tension. It leaves free a distance to the plate 4.

In its securing, the plate 4 is equipped with webs 17. The latter are formed by freely cutting of corresponding metal sections from the plate 4 itself. They enter between the buckle frame parts 1 and 2.

On the Wide face adjacent the clamping closure 5 the plate 4 has hooking holes 18, which project into slots 19 of smaller cross-section and serve for hooking in the undercut heads 20 of the other end of the belt 9". The open distance x permits an easy hooking in without danger of a pressing through in outward direction.

In the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 5-7, instead of the hooking in holes 18 and heads 20, a further clamping closure is used. The additional clamping closure is again in the shape of an angular sheet 6. The shorter arm 6- has the tooth edge 7. The angular sheet 5 holds the end of the belt 9' on the buckle body. The angular sheet '6, however, is used for the securing of the desired belt length.

In case of a closed buckle, the two longer formed angular sheet- arms 5 and 6" overlap each other. In this position, the angular sheets 5 and 6 entered beyond their deadpoint position TT and T'T' between the pivot point and the next disposed remote point to the plate 4. It results thus a certain snapping effect. The pulling effect occurring in the belt ends in the direction of the arrow x charges the angular sheets 5 and 6 in closing direction.

The pivot point for the angular sheets 5 and 6 is formed by wings 10 and 11 angularly disposed on both ends of the plate 4. The wings 10 and 11 have bearing bolts 12. The axial members 13 enter into the latter.

At least the longer arm 5" of the one angular sheet 5 is convexly curved. This has the advantage of a favorable guiding for the free belt end 9" to be inserted.

Furthermore, the longer arms 5" and 6" of both angular sheets 5 and 6 have recesses 14 and gripping recesses 15 open towards the free end of this arm, respectively.

Also the plate 4 of this embodiment is arranged to jump back relative to the buckle frame underside, which is provided in the interest of a possibly flat structure of the belt buckle.

To its securing the plate 4 is again equipped with webs 17 The latter are formed by the plate 4 itself by free cutting of corresponding metal sections. They are at first of a high angle relative to the plane and follow parallel to this plane bent outwardly such, that they enter with web sections 17' between the buckle frame parts 1 and 2.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A belt with a belt buckle, the buckle comprising a frame-like bottom part and a material-covered upper part clampingly securing the edges of covering material,

a holding device carried by said parts within an opening of said buckle for securing predetermined belt lengths,

a plate held by webs and extending below said material, the latter completely covering said buckle opening,

said plate supporting at least one clamping closure, and

said clamping closure pressing one end of said belt in an anchoring manner towards said plate.

2. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate has holes at its inside face for hooking in the other belt end.

3. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, which includes a supporting disc disposed between said covering material and said plate,

said supporting plate is tensioned towards the upper side of said upper frame part and leaves an open space to said plate.

4. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein web portions enter between said frame parts and carry said plate.

5. The belt, as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least the longer of said arms of one of said angular sheets is convexly curved.

6. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said clamping closure comprises an angular sheet, and

two angular wings extend from said plate and support said angular sheet at opposite ends thereof.

7. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate springs backwardly relative to said frame bottom part.

8. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plate supports two of said clamping closures comprising angular sheets to enter the closing portions by oppositely directed snapping movements, and

one of the arms of said angular sheets defines projections anchored in the wide face of said belt.

9. The belt, as set forth in claim 8 wherein said angular sheets overlap each other with the longer of said arms.

10. The belt, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said two angular sheets are mounted on both ends in a wing projecting angularly from said plate.

11. The belt, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said clamping closure comprises at least one angular sheet having a longer and a shorter arm, and

the longer arm of said angular sheet has recesses for engagement during the opening movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

Images