Restraining Belt Buckle With Lock

Abstract

A buckle at the end of a belt has a clasp that pivots open with respect to a base to allow the belt to be drawn through the buckle. When the clasp is closed, a bladelike clamp on the underside of the clasp cooperates with a closely spaced, upwardly projecting belt-retaining member in the base of the buckle to tightly crimp the belt. A catch from a lock on the underside of the clasp abuts against the underside of a retaining member in the buckle when the clasp is closed to prevent the clasp from opening and to maintain the belt in its crimped condition. A key inserted in a keyhole in the clasp retracts the catch to open the clasp.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to restraining belts, and more particularly to a buckle and lock for use with restraining belts. The invention is particularly useful in belts used to restrain obstreperous patients in beds, wheelchairs, and the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the past, buckles with locks have generally been satisfactory for preventing uncooperative patients from releasing themselves from restraining belts. However, they have not always been satisfactory in preventing a patient from tightening a belt once the buckle is locked. Preferably, a belt used to restrain uncooperative patients should have a buckle structures so that an attendant can apply the belt rapidly. However, many prior art buckles with locks cannot be operated quickly because they are relatively cumbersome and often require more than one attendant to operate effectively. Further, the structure of many prior art buckles with locks requires relatively careful threading of the belt through the buckle, thereby preventing quick application of the belt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a buckle with a lock for locking a restraining belt so that a patient is prevented from both releasing and further tightening the belt after it is applied. However, the buckle enables a belt to be quickly applied and released by an attendant.

Briefly, the buckle provided by this invention includes a belt guide secured to an end of a conventional safety belt. The belt guide has a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal sidewalls and a belt support base which includes an upwardly projecting belt-retaining member between the sidewalls. The top of the belt is covered by a clasp that pivots open relative to the belt support base. In use, the clasp pivots open to allow the belt to be drawn through the belt guide.

On the underside of the clasp are a downwardly projecting elongated belt-clamping member and a lock spaced therefrom having a movable catch. After the belt is drawn through the belt guide, the clasp pivots closed against the belt to tightly clamp and lock the belt against further longitudinal movement. When the clasp is in its closed position the belt-clamping member is closely spaced from the retaining member so that the belt is tightly crimped between these members. A catch-retaining member is disposed in the belt guide, and the catch from the lock abuts against the underside of the catch-retaining member when the clasp is closed. This prevents the clasp from opening and thereby maintains securement of the belt between the belt-clamping member and the belt-retaining member.

Preferably, the catch is spring-biased so that it retracts automatically upon engagement with the upper surface of the catch-retaining member during closing of the clasp. Thus, after the belt is drawn through the belt guide, it is quickly clamped and locked by simply pushing the clasp to its closed position. The clasp is released by retracting the catch with a key inserted through a keyhole extending through the front of the clasp to the lock.

In the preferred form of the invention, the belt-retaining member is an elongated rib with an upwardly curved belt-engaging edge extending between the sidewalls of the belt guide. Preferably, the belt-engaging edge is convoluted along its length for tightly gripping the belt when the clasp is closed.

The belt-retaining member is spaced from the remainder of the belt support base to define an elongated opening in the support base between the walls of the belt guide. The belt-clamping member is preferably an elongated blade projecting down adjacent to and slightly below the convoluted belt-engaging edge when the clasp is closed. Thus, closing the clasp causes the belt-clamping member to force the belt down toward the opening in the belt support base to crimp the belt between the belt-engaging edge and the bottom edge of the belt-clamping member.

Preferably, the buckle of this invention has a pair of spaced-apart belt-clamping members and a cooperating pair of belt-retaining members so that the belt is crimped at two spaced-apart locations when the clasp is closed. In this form of the invention, one of the two belt-clamping members is closely spaced adjacent to the lock and has an aperture adapted to register with the catch from the lock. The apertured belt-clamping member is closely spaced from the catch-retaining member when the clasp is closed. The catch projects through the aperture in the belt-clamping member and abuts against the underside of the catch-retaining member to lock the clasp. The respective belt-retaining member cooperating with the apertured belt-clamping member is slotted along its length to tightly grip the belt.

During operation of the buckle of this invention, the opening at the end of the belt guide is sufficiently large that the belt can be quickly threaded through the opening and drawn through the belt guide to adjust the desired tightness. The belt is then tightly clamped and locked against further longitudinal movement by simply pushing the clasp into its closed position against the belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the buckle and lock of this invention with the clasp in its closed position;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevational sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side elevational view of the buckle and lock of this invention with the clasp in its open position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows a side elevational sectional view of an alternative form of the invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a side elevational view of the buckle of FIG. 5 with the clasp in its open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, a conventional safety belt 10 is secured to a belt-securing end 12 of a buckle 14. The belt is adapted to be wrapped around a patient (now shown) and its opposite end threaded through a belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14. The belt is drawn through buckle 14 until the desired tightness is reached, and then the buckle is clamped and locked in a manner hereinafter described. Buckle 14 includes a pair of longitudinally extending upright sidewalls 18 parallel to one another and spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of belt 10. Sidewalls 18 are connected at their bottom by a belt support base 19 (hereinafter described in detail) to form a cradlelike belt guide 20 for guiding belt 10 as it is drawn through the buckle. A conventional safety belt clasp 21 spans the distance between the tops of sidewalls 18 and pivots about a pivot pin 22 extending between the sidewalls at belt receiving end 16 of the buckle.

As seen best in FIG. 2, belt support base 19 comprises a relatively thin and flat transversely rectangular elongated crossmember 24 extending between the bottoms of sidewalls 18 at belt securing end 12 of buckle 14. A similar relatively thin and flat elongated transversely rectangular crossmember 26 connects the bottoms of sidewalls 18 at a location closely spaced from crossmember 24. Crossmembers 24 and 26 are parallel to one another and therefore define an elongated rectangular opening 28 in the bottom of belt support base 19. Safety belt 10 is secured to belt-securing end 12 of buckle 14 by threading an end of belt 10 through aperture 28 and doubling the belt back on itself where it is secured by conventional stitching or the like.

Belt support base 19 further includes a relatively thin and flat elongated first belt-retaining member 30 connecting the bottoms of sidewalls 18 at the belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14. The portion of first belt-retaining member 30 farthest from belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14 is curved upwardly into belt guide 20 to define an upwardly projecting transverse belt-engaging edge 32. As seen best in FIG. 4, belt-engaging edge 32 is convoluted along its length between sidewalls 18. Further included in belt support base 19 is a relatively thin and flat elongated second belt-retaining member 34 connecting the bottoms of sidewalls 18 intermediate of the length of the walls. The portion of second belt-retaining member 34 farthest from belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14 is curved upwardly into belt guide 20 to define an upwardly projecting transverse belt-engaging edge 36. As seen best in FIG. 4, belt-engaging edge 36 is slotted along its length between sidewalls 18. A relatively thin, elongated catch retaining member 38 extends between sidewalls 18 at a level slightly below the tops of the walls. Catch-retaining member 38 is disposed directly above second belt-retaining member 34. A pair of relatively thin, upright sidewalls 40 connect the ends of belt-retaining member 34 and catch-retaining member 38. Sidewalls 40 are secured to the inside of sidewalls 18 intermediate their length to provide the means for connecting second belt-retaining member 34 and catch-retaining member 38 to sidewalls 18. Second belt-retaining member 34 is spaced between crossmember 26 and belt-retaining member 30 to define a laterally extending first rectangular opening 42 along the right edge of belt-retaining member 34 and a laterally extending second rectangular opening 44 along belt-engaging edge 36 of belt-retaining member 34.

A pair of sidewalls 46 extend down from clasp 21 adjacent to the inside of sidewalls 18 at belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14. Pivot pin 22 extends through sidewalls 18 and sidewalls 46 to pivot clasp 21 to sidewalls 18. An elongated section of angle material having a relatively flat and thin base section 48 is bent downwardly at a right angle to form a bladelike belt-clamping member 50. Base section 48 is secured to the underside of clasp 21 between sidewalls 46 of the clasp so that belt-clamping member 50 projects downwardly from the underside of the clasp. A similar section of angle material includes a relatively flat and thin base section 52 bent downwardly at a right angle to form an elongated bladelike clamping member 54. Base section 52 is secured to the underside of clasp 21 near belt securing end 12 of buckle 14. When clasp 21 is closed as shown in FIG. 2, belt-clamping member 50 extends down toward opening 42 in belt support base 19 at a location slightly spaced to the left of convoluted belt-engaging edge 32. Belt-clamping member 54 extends down toward opening 44 in the base structure at a location slightly spaced to the left of slotted belt-engaging edge 36. In the preferred form of the invention, belt-clamping members 50 and 54 each extend downwardly to a level slightly below that of belt-engaging edges 32 and 36, respectively.

A key-operated lock 56 is secured to the underside of clasp 21 at belt-securing end 12 of buckle 14. As seen best in FIG. 4, lock 56 is a relatively flat boxlike structure abutting against the flat underside of base section 52 of second belt-clamping member 54. Lock 56 is secured to clasp 21 by a U-shaped support 58 extending around the sides and the bottom of the lock and terminating in a pair of outwardly extending flanges 60 secured to the underside of base section 52. A key 62 inserts in a keyhole 64 extending through the top of the clasp to lock 56. A horizontally movable catch 66 projects outwardly from the end of lock 56 closest to belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14. Catch 66 is extendable and retractable in response to turning of key 62, as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 2. When catch 66 extends outwardly from lock 56, it registers with an aperture 68 in second belt-clamping member 54. When clasp 20 is in its closed position as shown in FIG. 2, catch 66 projects through aperture 68 so that its upper surface abuts against the lower surface of catch-retaining member 38.

In use, clasp 20 pivots upwardly about pivot pin 22 to its open position shown in FIG. 3. This allows the end of belt 10 to be threaded through belt-receiving end 16 of buckle 14. The belt is then drawn through belt guide 20 until the desired tightness is achieved. Clasp 21 then pivots about pivot pin 22 to clamp and lock against the top of belt 10, as shown best in FIG. 2. Before closing clasp 21, catch 66 of lock 56 can alternatively be in its retracted position shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 2, or in its extended position shown by the solid lines in FIGS. 2 and 3. If catch 66 is in its retracted position, belt 10 is clamped and locked by pushing clasp 21 to its closed position and then inserting key 62 in keyhole 64 to extend catch 66 to its locking position against the underside of catch-retaining member 38. Alternatively, key 62 can be operated to extend catch 66 to its outermost position before closing clasp 21. Then, belt 10 is clamped and locked simply by pushing clasp 21 downwardly to its closed position shown in FIG. 2. Catch 66 is spring-biased so that it retracts slightly upon engagement with the upper surface of catch-retaining member 38 during the closing of clasp 21.

When clasp 21 is closed, belt 10 is clamped so that longitudinal movement in either direction is prevented. Belt-clamping member 50 is closely spaced from belt-retaining member 30 and extends below that member's convoluted belt-engaging edge 32 when clasp 21 is closed. Thus, belt 10 is tightly crimped between members 30 and 50 as belt-clamping member 50 forces the belt down toward opening 42 immediately after it passes over convoluted belt-engaging edge 32. Further, belt 10 is tightly gripped across its width by the outward projections of convoluted belt-engaging edge 32. Belt 10 is also clamped at a second location in buckle 14 to provide insurance against longitudinal movement in either direction. Thus, belt-clamping member 54 is closely spaced from belt-retaining member 34 and extends below that member's slotted belt-engaging edge 36 when clasp 20 is closed. Belt 10 is tightly crimped between belt-clamping member 54 and belt-retaining member 34 since belt-clamping member 54 forces the belt down toward opening 44 after the belt passes over belt-engaging edge 34. Further, belt 10 is tightly gripped across its width by the irregular surface presented by slotted belt-engaging edge 36.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative form of the buckle 14 of this invention. The basic mode of operation of this form of the invention is the same as that for the buckle described in FIGS. 1--4. However, the buckle of FIGS. 5 and 6 has modifications in structure which produce a relatively smaller and more compact buckle having the same clamping and locking capabilities. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a buckle 70 has a pair of upright sidewalls 72 connected at their bottoms by a belt support base 74. A clasp 76 spans the top of the opening between sidewalls 72 and pivots about a pivot pin 78 connecting the sidewalls at the right end of the buckle.

Belt support base 74 includes a pair of spaced horizontal crossmembers 80 and 82 at the left end of the buckle. A belt 84 is secured to the left end of buckle 70 by threading it through the space between crossmembers 80 and 82 and doubling it back on itself where it is secured by stitching or the like. The remainder of belt support base 74 comprises a relatively thin and flat belt-retaining member 86 that covers approximately the bottom right half of buckle 70. The portion of belt-retaining member 86 farthest from the right end of buckle 70 is curved upwardly into the buckle to provide an upwardly projecting transverse belt-engaging edge 88. Preferably, belt-engaging edge 88 is convoluted along its length to increase the belt-gripping capability of buckle 70. Belt-engaging edge 88 is spaced from the right edge of crossmember 82 to define an elongated transverse opening 90 in belt support base 74.

Secured to the underside of clasp 76 is a belt-clamping member 92 formed from an elongated section of angle material. Belt-clamping member 92 includes a relatively flat and thin base section 94 bent downwardly at a right angle to form a bladelike member 96. Base section 94 is welded to the underside of clasp 76 so that bladelike member 96 projects down to register with opening 90 when the clasp pivots closed. Thus, buckle 70 operates to clamp belt 84 across its width at one location instead of two spaced-apart locations as contemplated by buckle 14 of FIGS. 1--4. However, buckle 70 provides substantially the same effective belt-gripping capability because bladelike member 96 of belt-clamping member 92 forces the belt down into opening 90 so that belt-engaging edge 88 of belt-retaining member 86 tightly grips the belt across its width. Belt-clamping member 92 is also closely spaced from belt-retaining member 86 so that the belt is tightly crimped along the length between these members when clasp 76 closes.

The belt-locking structure of buckle 70 is the same as that of buckle 14, except that FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate that the position of lock 56 of buckle 14 can be changed without departing from the invention's mode of operation. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, a lock 98 secured to the underside of clasp 76 has a catch 100 that extends toward the front of the clasp instead of away from it, as does catch 66 of buckle 14. An apertured catch-retaining member 102 between sidewalls 72 prevents clasp 76 from opening when catch 100 is extended outward by a key 104 inserted in the top of the clasp.

Claims

I claim

1. A buckle for a restraining belt comprising:

a. belt guide means secured to an end of the belt and including a pair of longitudinal sidewalls and a belt support base having an upwardly projecting belt-retaining member between the sidewalls;

b. a clasp pivotally secured to the belt guide means;

c. an elongated belt-clamping member projecting down from the underside of the clasp;

d. a lock secured to the underside of the clasp and having a movable catch, the belt-clamping member being disposed adjacent to the lock and having an aperture arranged to register with the catch; and

e. a catch-retaining member secured to the belt guide means, the clasp pivoting open to permit the belt to be drawn through the guide means and pivoting closed to lock the belt against further movement relative to the belt guide means, the belt-clamping member being closely spaced from the belt-retaining member when the clasp is closed so the belt is tightly secured between said members, the catch being operative to abut against the underside of the catch-retaining member when the clasp is closed to prevent opening of the clasp and to maintain the belt secured between the belt-clamping member and the belt-retaining member.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the belt-retaining member has a slotted upper edge for tightly gripping the belt when the clasp is closed.

3. A buckle for a restraining belt comprising:

a. belt guide means secured to an end of the belt and including a pair of longitudinal sidewalls and a belt support base having an upwardly projecting belt-retaining member between the sidewalls;

b. a clasp pivotally secured to he end of the belt guide means opposite the end where the belt is secured, the sidewalls, the end of the clasp, and the end of the belt support base defining an aperture at the end of the belt guide means through which the belt is drawn when the clasp pivots open;

c. an elongated belt-clamping member projecting down from the underside of the clasp;

d. a lock secured to the underside of the clasp having a movable catch; and

e. a catch-retaining member secured to the guide means, the clasp pivoting closed to lock the belt against movement relative to the guide means, the belt-clamping member being closely spaced from the belt-retaining member when the clasp is closed so the belt is tightly secured between said members, the catch from the lock being operative to abut against the underside of the catch-retaining member when the clasp is closed to prevent opening of the clasp and to maintain the belt secured between the belt-clamping member and the belt-retaining member.

4. A buckle for a restraining belt comprising:

a. belt guide means secured to the end of the belt and including a pair of longitudinal sidewalls and a belt support base having a first upwardly projecting belt-retaining member between the sidewalls and a second upwardly projecting belt-retaining member between the sidewalls and spaced from the first belt-retaining member;

b. a clasp pivotally secured to the belt guide means;

c. an elongated first belt-clamping member projecting down from the underside of the clasp, and an elongated second belt-clamping member spaced from the first belt-clamping member and projecting down from the underside of the clasp;

d. a lock secured to the underside of the clasp and having a movable catch; and

e. a catch-retaining member secured to the belt guide means, the clasp pivoting open to permit the belt to be drawn through the guide means and pivoting closed to lock the belt against further movement relative to the belt guide means, the first and second belt-clamping members being closely spaced from the first and second belt-retaining members, respectively, when the clasp is closed so the belt is tightly secured at one point between the first of said members and at another point between the second of said members, the catch from the lock being operative to abut against the underside of the catch-retaining member when the clasp is closed to prevent opening of the clasp and to maintain the belt secured between the belt-clamping members and the belt-retaining members.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the first and second belt-retaining members are elongated ribs spaced to define a pair of substantially parallel elongated openings in the belt support base extending between the sidewalls of the belt guide means, each opening being located directly below a respective belt-clamping member to provide means for crimping the belt when the clasp is closed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said belt-retaining member defines an elongated edge surface adjacent to its respective belt-clamping member when the clasp is closed, and wherein each belt-clamping member is an elongated blade constructed to extend below the edge surface of its respective belt-retaining member when the clasp is closed to provide means for crimping the belt.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the first belt-clamping member is disposed adjacent to the lock and has an aperture arranged to register with the catch so the catch extends through the aperture toward the second belt-clamping member when it abuts against the underside of the catch-retaining member.

8. A buckle for a restraining belt comprising:

a. belt guide means secured to an end of the belt and including a pair of longitudinal sidewalls and a belt support base having an upwardly projecting elongated belt-retaining blade between the sidewalls;

b. a clasp pivotally secured to the belt guide means, the clasp pivoting open to permit the belt to be drawn through the belt guide means;

c. a catch-retaining member secured to the belt guide means;

d. a lock secured to the underside of the clasp and having a spring biased catch operative to spring into engagement with the catch-retaining member when the clasp pivots closed so as to prevent opening of the clasp; and

e. an elongated belt-clamping member integral with the underside of the clasp and projecting down from the underside of the clasp, the belt-clamping member being arranged to immediately move to a position closely spaced from the belt-retaining blade when the catch springs into engagement with the catch-retaining member to crimp the belt between the belt-clamping member and the belt-retaining blade when the clasp is closed.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the catch is movable in response to rotation of a key inserted through a keyhole extending through the clasp to the lock.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the belt-retaining blade has a convoluted edge for tightly gripping the belt when the clasp is closed.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the belt-retaining blade is an elongated rib spaced from the remainder of the belt support base to define an elongated opening therein between the sidewalls of the belt guide means, the opening being located directly below the belt-clamping member when the clasp is closed to provide means for crimping the belt.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the belt-retaining blade has an elongated edge surface adjacent to the belt-clamping member when the clasp is closed, and wherein the belt-clamping member is an elongated blade extending below the edge surface of the belt-retaining blade when the clasp is closed to provide means for crimping the belt.