BUCKLE MECHANISM

The present invention concerns a buckle generally for waist belts and a belt incorporating the buckle.

Classic belt buckles have a unit positioned at one end of a belt strap comprising a pin adapted to engage in one of several holes located at the other end of the belt strap on a tongue member. As the human waist expands in the sitting position, classic belts need to be constantly adjusted. The constant repositioning of the pin in one of the belt's holes causes the strap to wear out gradually and as a consequence it needs to be changed regularly. If classic belts are not adjusted, the added force exerted by the pin deforms the belt's holes.

The aim of the present invention is to propose a buckle mechanism allowing the adjustment of the belt strap in at least two positions without repositioning the pin in another hole of the belt thus reducing the wear and tear on the belt strap.

This aim is achieved by a buckle mechanism such as set out in claim 1. This buckle mechanism, for adjustably connecting an attachment member to a tongue member, comprises a principal buckle member that is adapted to be connected to the tongue member and a movable element that is slidably mounted on the principal buckle member and is adapted to be connected to the attachment member. Each side of the movable element is slidably mounted on a rod which is part of the principal buckle member. The buckle mechanism further comprises a manually-operable system and/ or a self- adjusting system for allowing movement of the movable element between two positions. This system comprises a member that is pivotally connected through about 90 degrees to the principal buckle member about an axis perpendicular to a general plane of the principal buckle member. This pivotable member comprises an arm having at one of its ends guidance

means which cooperates with the movable element so that the latter is pushed to a first position when the arm is positioned approximately parallel to the rods. Said movable element is brought to a second position when the member of said system is pivoted about 90 degrees so that the arm is approximately perpendicular to the rods.

The invention will be better understood thanks to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 represents a front view of the buckle mechanism joining the ends of a belt when both the movable element and the manually- operable system are in their first position.

- Figure 2 represents a front view of Figure 1 when the movable element is in an intermediate position, the manually-operable system having pivoted through about 45 degrees from its first position.

- Figure 3 represents a front view of Figure 1 when both the movable element and the manually-operable system are in their second position, the manually-operable system having pivoted through 90 degrees from its first position.

- Figure 4 represents a front view and two side views of the movable element.

- Figure 5 represents a front view of both the movable element and the manually-operable system in their first locked position and a side view of the buckle mechanism.

- Figure 6 represents a front view like Figure 5 when both the movable element and the manually-operable system are in their second locked position and a side view of the buckle mechanism.

- Figure 7 represents a front view and a side view of the manually- operable system.

- Figure 8 represents several views of a locking element mounted on the front face of a principal buckle member of said buckle mechanism.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the buckle mechanism, for adjustably connecting an attachment member (1) to a tongue member (2), comprises a principal buckle member (3) that is adapted to be connected to the tongue member (2). For the purpose, a pin (22) and a bridge (23) are located underneath said principal buckle member (3) for adjustably passing the tongue member (2) through the bridge (23) and engaging a hole in said tongue member (2).

Each side of a movable element (4), which is adapted to be connected to the attachment member (1), is slidably mounted on a rod (5) which is inserted in a hole (25) (Figure 4), the rod (5) being part of the principal buckle member (3).

The buckle mechanism further comprises a manually-operable system (8, 10,

11 , 14, 15) for moving the movable element (4) between two locked positions.

Said manually-operable system (8, 10, 11 , 14, 15) comprises a pivotable member (8, 10) having a first arm (8) provided at one of its ends with guidance means (14, 15) comprising a disc (14) rotating around a shaft (15).

The member (8, 10) of the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11 , 14, 15) comprises a second arm (10) positioned at approximately 90 degrees to the first arm (8) such that said member (8, 10) has a boomerang-like shape, the second arm (10) comprising at its end a knob (11).

The pivotable member (8, 10) of the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11 , 14, 15) is pivotally connected through about 90 degrees to the principal buckle member (3) about an axis (7) perpendicular to a general plane of the principal buckle member (3).

The periphery of the disc (14) of the guidance means (14, 15) fits partially into a groove (16) and rolls along said groove (16) situated along one side (16') of the movable element (4) when the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11, 14, 15) is actuated. The disc (14) pushes the movable element (4) until said disc (14) is received in a recess (17) located at one end on the side (16') of the movable element (4) locking the latter in a first position (Figure 1).

A spring (12) is mounted around one of the rods (5) one of whose ends rests on a protruding part (13) of the movable element (4), the spring (12) being compressed by the protruding part (13) while the movable element (4) is brought by the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11 , 14, 15) to the first locked position (Figure 1).

The movable element (4), which comprises a hook part (19), is unlocked from its first locked position as soon as the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11, 14, 15) is actuated disengaging the guidance means (14, 15) from the recess (17). At this point, the spring (12) pushes the movable element (4) to an intermediate position whereupon the shaft (15) comes into contact with the hook part (19) (Figure 2). Subsequently, the shaft (15) pushes the movable element (4) from the intermediate position to the second position when the manually-operable system (8, 10, 11, 14, 15) pivots through about 90 degrees so that the arm (8) is approximately perpendicular to the rods (5) (Figure 3). A locking element (18) comprising a projecting part (24) (Figure 8) is pivotally mounted on a front ornamental face (20) about an axis (25). Said element (18) locks the movable element (4) when it is pivoted so that the projecting part comes into contact with the shaft (15).

The principal buckle member (3) comprises an arc-shaped aperture (21) on the front ornamental face (20) that receives the shaft (15) for a movement along said aperture (21) while the movable element (4) slides between its two locked positions.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the manually-operable system (8, 14, 15) comprises only one arm (8), said system (8, 14, 15) being actuated by a handle connected directly to the shaft (15).

The described buckle mechanism must not necessarily be positioned only in the two locked position as explained above. The movable element (4) of the buckle mechanism can adjust itself through the elasticity of the spring (12) between the two locked positions when the manually operable system is not actuated (Figure 2). As a consequence, a belt comprising such mechanism will adapt to a person's waist line when he or she adopts different postures.