Self-locking fixing loop with strap adjustment

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6802109
  • Patent Number
    6,802,109
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, August 12, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 12, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A self-locking fixing loop with adjustment of an attachment strap comprises a base equipped with a clasp for hooking a retaining ring thereon, and an operating button movable between a closed position and an open position of the loop, respectively to hold and release said retaining ring. A spring locks the operating button in the closed position, and a ring adjusts the length of the strap, said ring being inserted between the button and the base opposite the clasp.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a self-locking fixing loop comprising a base equipped with a clasp for hooking a retaining ring thereon, and an operating button movable between a closed position and an open position of the loop, respectively to hold and release said retaining ring.




The fixing loop can for example equip a strap of a belt or of a body harness for climbing or pot-holing. It is imperative for handling reasons for opening of the loop to take place without having to remove the strap, the latter having in addition to be adjustable. Moreover, for questions of safety, unscheduled opening of the loop must not be able to take place.




OBJECT OF THE INVENTION




The object of the invention is to achieve a fixing loop preventing any unscheduled opening and not requiring the strap to be removed when deliberate opening is performed.




The loop according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises:




a locking means for locking the operating button in the closed position,




and an adjustment ring for adjusting the length of the strap, said ring being inserted between the button and the base opposite the clasp.




According to a preferred embodiment, the locking means comprises a catch arranged as a rocker pivotally mounted on a spindle between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a return spring urging automatic resetting of said catch in the locked position to prevent the operating button from moving to the open position. The base comprises a flange arranged as a support for articulation of the operating button, and a first hole for insertion of a lug of the button when movement takes place to the open position.




The base is equipped with a second hole situated under the adjustment ring for passage of the strap. The retaining ring is provided with a pin designed to enter a hole of the clasp to limit the angular movement of the retaining ring under a strong load.




According to an alternative embodiment, the locking means is formed by a compression spring pressing on the base and urging the button to the closed position.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given as non-restrictive examples only and represented in the accompanying drawings in which:





FIGS. 1 and 2

are perspective views of the whole of the loop according to the invention respectively in the closed position and in the open position;





FIG. 3

shows the loop of

FIG. 1

from another angle;





FIG. 4

is an identical view to

FIG. 3

after the ring has swivelled towards the button;





FIGS. 4A and 5

represent longitudinal sectional views of the loop in the closed position and for two different inclines;





FIG. 5A

illustrates an enlarged scale sectional view of the catch of

FIG. 5

;





FIG. 6

is an elevational view of the loop according to

FIG. 5

;





FIGS. 7 and 8

are identical views to

FIG. 5

of the loop, respectively during opening and at the end of opening travel;





FIGS. 9

to


11


illustrate the different phases of adjustment of the strap;





FIGS. 12A-12E

represent the different phases of fitting and assembly of the loop;





FIG. 13

is an identical view to

FIG. 5

of an alternative embodiment.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE LOOP




In

FIGS. 1

to


8


, a fixing loop


10


is designed to receive a retaining ring


12


whereto the end of an attachment strap


14


, for example of a belt or a harness, is securedly attached. The other end of the strap is attached to the loop


10


.




The fixing loop


10


comprises a metal base


16


in the form of a clasp


18


at the front part, and a flange


20


at the rear part. The clasp


18


cooperates by hooking up with the ring


12


when the fixing loop


10


is closed, whereas the flange


20


acts as support for articulation of an operating button


22


. The latter is pivotally mounted between a closed position to hold the ring


12


captive inside the clasp


18


and an open position for formation of a gap releasing the ring


12


. The button


22


can be made of plastic or metal.




A rotary or swivelling catch


24


is associated with the button


22


to prevent unscheduled movement of the latter to the open position. The catch


24


can pivot for this purpose around a spindle


26


between a locked position and an unlocked position. A return spring


28


(FIG.


5


A), for example a torsion spring, is wound on the spindle


26


and urges the catch


24


clockwise to the locked position. In the unlocked position, a lug


29


of the button


22


can enter a first hole


27


of the base


16


to allow the ring


12


to be unhooked. To push the button


22


downwards in the opening direction of the loop


10


, the rocking catch


24


first has to be turned to the unlocked position against the return force of the spring


28


(FIGS.


7


and


8


).




The ring


12


is equipped in the central part with a pin


12




a


designed to enter an axial hole


30


of the clasp


18


so as to limit the angular movement of the ring


12


under load in a wrong direction (FIG.


4


), and to prevent any engagement against the button


22


liable to unlock the rotary catch


24


.




The lug


29


also serves the purpose of preventing movement of the ring


12


to the right when the button


22


is in the closed position. The pin


12




a


then remains held in the hole


30


(FIGS.


4


A and


5


).




With reference to

FIGS. 9

to


11


, the end of the strap


14


situated on the same side as the loop


10


is adjustable in length by means of an adjustment ring


32


integrated in the loop


10


opposite the clasp


18


. Any force exerted on the strap


14


in the direction of the arrow F


1


causes movement of the adjustment ring


32


in the same direction, so as to block the strap


14


(FIG.


9


). The base


16


is provided with a second hole


33


for passage of the strap


14


.




To unwedge the strap


14


, the adjustment ring


32


simply has to be pushed in the direction of the arrow F


2


(

FIG. 10

) or the loop


10


be swivelled in the direction of the arrow F


3


(FIG.


11


). Adjustment can then be performed by pulling on one of the strands of the strap


14


.




The different phases of fitting of the loop


10


are illustrated in

FIGS. 12A

to


12


E. After the catch


24


has been assembled on the button


22


, the latter is slid in the direction of the arrow F


4


under the two articulation lugs of the flange


20


(FIG.


12


A).




In

FIG. 12B

, the button


22


moves up into its housing and is ready to swivel. It presents at the rear a retaining spigot


34


designed to keep the adjustment ring


32


in place.




In

FIG. 12C

, the adjustment ring


32


is inserted in the loop


10


at the rear of the flange


20


. Frontwards swivelling of the button


22


causes the spigot


34


to lift to allow the longitudinal sliding movement of the adjustment ring


32


.





FIG. 12D

shows the loop


10


in a pre-assembly state in which it can be manipulated. The retaining spigot


34


is housed in the hole of the adjustment ring


32


and prevents the latter from egressing therefrom keeping it in contact with the internal face of the base


16


.




In

FIG. 12E

, inserting the strap


14


via the hole


33


secures the adjustment ring


32


, which securedly affixes the button


22


in the flange


20


. Such an assembly of the loop


10


is performed without any tools and is rendered unable to be dissasembled once the strap


14


has been inserted.




Operation of the fixing loop


10


is as follows:




In

FIGS. 1

,


5


and


5


A, the loop


10


is in the closed position and the button


22


is blocked by the catch


24


in the locked position by the spring


28


. The retaining ring


12


is positively secured in the clasp


18


of the base


16


.




In

FIG. 6

, any deliberate attempt to press on the button


22


does not enable opening thereof so long as the catch


24


remains in the locked position, i.e. pressing on the base


16


. Unscheduled opening of the loop


10


is thus rendered impossible.




An opening command requires two distinct consecutive actions to be performed:




a first action of unlocking the catch


24


and pressing on the button


22


to open the loop


10


;




a second action to unhook the ring


12


from the clasp


18


, moving it in the opposite direction to that of the tension of the strap


14


.




The first manual action of the unlocking action is represented in

FIGS. 7

to


8


.




In

FIG. 7

, after clockwise rotation of the catch


24


, the contact point of the catch


24


on the base


16


is located to the rear of the spindle


26


allowing the cover


22


to swivel in the same direction.




In

FIG. 8

, the catch


24


is in the unlocked position enabling the loop


10


to be completely opened.




The retaining ring


12


can now be unhooked from the clasp


18


, as indicated in FIG.


2


.




Releasing the button


22


performs automatic resetting of the catch


24


and returns the button


22


to the position of FIG.


5


.




According to an alternative embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 13

, the catch


24


is replaced by a compression spring


40


fitted between the button


22


and the base


16


.




To obtain opening of the loop, the button


22


simply has to be pressed to allow the retaining ring


12


to be unhooked.



Claims
  • 1. A self-locking fixing loop, comprising:a base equipped with a clasp for hooking a retaining ring thereon, an operating button movable between a closed position and an open position of the loop, respectively to hold and release said retaining ring, locking means comprising a catch arranged as a rocker pivotally mounted on a spindle between an unlocked position and a locked position for locking the operating button in the closed position, and a movable adjustment ring for adjusting a length of a strap, said ring being inserted between the button and the base opposite the clasp, wherein the operating button is equipped with a spigot designed to keep the adjustment ring in place when the button is in the closed position.
  • 2. The fixing loop according to claim 1, wherein a return spring ensures an automatic resetting of said catch in the locked position to prevent the operating button from moving to the open position.
  • 3. The fixing loop according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a flange arranged as a support for articulation of the operating button, and a first hole for insertion of a lug of the button when movement takes place to the open position.
  • 4. The fixing loop according to claim 2, wherein the return spring is formed by a torsion spring wound on the spindle of the catch.
  • 5. The fixing loop according to claim 1, wherein the retaining ring is provided with a pin designed to enter a hole of the clasp to limit an angular movement of the retaining ring under a strong load.
  • 6. The fixing loop according to claim 1, wherein the base is provided with a first hole situated under the adjustment ring for passage of the strap.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
02 00593 Jan 2002 FR
PCT Information
Filing Document Filing Date Country Kind
PCT/FR03/00146 WO 00
Publishing Document Publishing Date Country Kind
WO03/05910 7/24/2003 WO A
US Referenced Citations (12)
Number Name Date Kind
263176 Hawes Aug 1882 A
292164 Gibbons Jan 1884 A
372821 Spooner Nov 1887 A
429137 Loveless Jun 1890 A
536390 Parker Mar 1895 A
889013 Hutchison May 1908 A
2498334 Garner Feb 1950 A
2514656 Manson Jul 1950 A
3992756 Stafstrom Nov 1976 A
4074401 Spinosa et al. Feb 1978 A
4928360 Wilbanks May 1990 A
6023820 Fair Feb 2000 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number Date Country
674 302 May 1990 CH