Abstract: The present invention provides an adjustable headband for protective headgear with a ratchet mechanism having different resistances. The adjustable headband utilizes a ring gear assembly having a plurality of radially projecting teeth thereon. Each of the projecting teeth of the ring gear assembly has a first tooth side and a second tooth side which is different from the first tooth side. For example, each tooth of the ring gear assembly preferably has a first tooth angle on the first tooth side and a second, different tooth angle on a second tooth side. A spring assembly having at least one spring tooth projecting radially therefrom is connected to the adjustment knob. The spring assembly is positioned such that the at least one spring tooth meshes with the teeth of the ring gear assembly to provide resistance to the rotation of the adjustment knob.

Abstract: A strap tightening/loosening device includes two side plates with a connecting plate connected therebetween, an inverted U-shaped handle mounted to the side plates with a shaft extending through the handle and the side plates, two ratchets fixedly mounted to the shaft. Each of the two side plates has two slots and an elongated slot, two members slidably and respectively received in the two slots so that one of the members is engaged with the ratchets. A first rod is connected between the two side plates and has a limit member mounted thereto which has two hooks and two tail members extending therefrom. Two slidable plates are connected to the two side plates with a second rod extending through the elongated slots and the slidable plates. The two hooks are disengagably engaged with the second rod. The first rod together with the two hooks are pivoted by an impact of one of the members which is pushed by the cam device defined in each of the distal ends of the handle.

Abstract: A strapping device includes two plates pivotally connected a U-shaped handle by a shaft to which two ratchets are disposed, each one of two distal ends of the handle has a cam means formed thereto, a control member and a pawl member respectively and movably disposed to the handle and between the two plates, both of the control and the pawl member engaged with the ratchets, a first board and a second board respectively and pivotally disposed between the two plates wherein a front end of the first board is located beneath a rear end of the second board, a first pin movably connected between the two plates and located beneath a rear end of the first board, two sliding plates slidably mounted to outside of the two plates with a first rod extending through third slots in the plates and the fourth slots in the sliding plates, the first rod received in a groove in a front end of the second board, a second rod extending through the fourth slots and first holes in the plates and a third rod connected between the two s

Abstract: An operating arm is engaged with ratchet gear of a strapping mechanism for operating the ratchet gear, the operating arm includes a pair of legs having one end engaged with the ratchet gear, a hand grip is formed integral with the other ends of the legs so as to increase the strength of the operating arm, the legs includes a number of projections for engaging with the ratchet gear so as to decrease frictional force between the ratchet gear and the legs.

Abstract: The present invention is to offer a ratchet diving mask strap which can be adjusted to a desirable tightness even under water through a process of two-piece opposite direction displacement tightening by turning the adjusting knob to tighten the two sides of strap, and consists of one each elastic strap on the left and right, a guard cover an upper rack, a lower rack, a gear, an adjusting knob and a check device, wherein each elastic strap is combined with the left and right sides of the upper and lower racks to form a strip, the upper and lower racks are mutually overlapped and disposed in the guard cover, a gear disposed in the tooth grooves of upper and lower racks to engage with the upper and lower racks, and the gear is combined with the adjusting knob, turning the adjusting knob can displace the upper and lower racks left and right and further pull the left and right elastic strap so as to adjust the tightness of said strap, and the check device can check the adjusting knob to keep the tightness of mask

Abstract: A device is provided for regulating the tension on shoelaces of the type worn in conventional footwear. The shoelace tension regulating device is mounted on the top of the shoe with which it is used, preferably by lacing the shoelace ends through a pair of apertures in the housing of the device. The shoelace ends which emanate from the uppermost eyelets of the shoe adjacent the wearers ankle are not tied, as in conventional practice, but are captured by a hook mechanism that is wound onto a drum within the device by means of a crank in the form of a rotatable cap. The drum is carried in rotation as the cap is turned until the desired level of tension on the shoelace ends has been achieved. A pawl and ratchet wheel in the device prevent counter-rotation until the user desires to release tension on the shoelace ends, at which time the pawl can be disengaged from the ratchet wheel by an actuating mechanism operable externally of the device.

Abstract: A securing and adjustment device, particularly for ski boots, includes a case having a knob which can be actuated by the skier, and at least one spool, provided with an axial toothing, for winding at least one cable. The device further includes a resilient planar element which is associated, at one end, with the case and is arranged on a plane which is approximately parallel to the plane of arrangement of the axial toothing. The planar element has an angled wing which ratchet-like engages the axial toothing of the winding spool. A release means, such as an axially arranged button, is furthermore provided on the knob and interacts with the planar element so as to disengage its wing from the axial toothing of the spool.

Abstract: A process and a device for holding a flexible plastic liner within a rigid or semi-rigid waste or storage container.The device or apparatus includes a split or divided shaft 30 which is attached to a ratchet wheel 104, which is controlled by a worm gear 102. Worm gear 102 is capable of moving the ratchet wheel both forwards and backwards and holding the wheel stationary. The worm gear is attached to or is a formed part of the shaft 111 which is further attached to a key or handle 100, that when rotated, turns the shaft 111, the ratchet wheel 104, and the split or divided shaft 30. The worm gear 102, the shaft 111, and the ratchet wheel 104 are housed in a split housing with top part 98 and bottom part 99. The housing 98-99, contains an attachment strap holder 46 through which the attachment strap 44 passes, thereby, attaching the device to the attachment strap 44. The attachment strap 44 is further hooked over the top edge 110 of the container 108, thereby, attaching the device to the container.

Abstract: A headband for a headset has separate coarse and fine adjustment features. The adjustments may be to the axial distance between at least one earpiece element and a side support. Such adjustment to the axial distance varies the pressure exerted on the head of the user. The present fine adjustment feature may be used while the headset is being worn, thereby permitting a user to optimize the amount of pressure between the contending criteria of comfort and keeping the headset in place on the user's head.

Abstract: In this rotary fastener which can be used particularly on ski boots two traction wire tensioning elements can be altered in their effective length in opposing directions by a rotary movement in one or the other direction in order to tighten or loosen shoe closure flaps. For the accurate adjustment of the rotary fastener and accurate adaptation of the shoe to a foot a ratchet arrangement is provided in the region between the rotary knob and the wire reel for the traction wire tensioning elements and contains an intermediate element which supports a pawl and is rotatable with the rotary knob whilst maintaining a free play as well as a gear ring inserted in a housing cover and is thereby of simple and compact construction.

Abstract: This shell-type ski-boot comprising a lower portion molded integrally with the sole and an upper made of a front quarter and a rear quarter pivotally interconnected and fulcrumed on the lower portion, is proveded with a telescopic traction device adapted to close the upper tightly and automatically when the front quarter is bent forwards. The telescopic traction device comprises a male member and a female member the relative axial sliding movement of which causes the rear quarter of the upper to move toward the front quarter. For this purpose, a pair of cables anchored to the rear face of the rear quarter are guided around the boot sides and inside a pulley-block comprising two sets of pulleys, one set being fixed and the other movable for varying the cable length and therefore the degree of tightening of the boot on the skier's ankle.

Abstract: This operating device comprises an operating knob rigid with a reel accommodating a cable winding thereon and acting on foot locking elements. The knob is supported on a lever pivoted at one end thereof to the ski boot so as to be movable between an opening position in which the knob is accessible from the outside and a closing position in which the knob is enclosed between the lever and the ski boot. The knob presents a half-moon-shaped lever pivoted to the knob and also movable between a rest position, flush with the knob, and an operating position, in which the half-moon-shaped lever is arranged transversally to the knob and acts as a gripping member therefor.

Abstract: The device of the clevis type for handling materials, notably lifting or hauling operations, comprises two clevis branches connected by at least two stems which have non aligned parallel axes and at least one of which is slit longitudinally, a flat flexible tie in the form of a strap having one at least of its ends secured against motion by friction on the slit stem with the strap penetrating the associated slot and being lockingly wound on the slit stem, and means being provided for locking said slit stem in rotation about its axis.

Abstract: This ski boot comprises a boot shell having a front gaiter and a rear gaiter associated therewith, as well as a lever element which is pivoted at one end to either of said gaiters, preferably the rear gaiter, for rotation about the pivot axis. Journalled to a middle portion of the lever element is an adjustment assembly for adjusting the working length of a pair of cables which are attached with the other ends thereof to the other gaiter, e.g. the front gaiter, at a point away from the pivot axis. The lever element may be moved to an open position, whereat said adjustment assembly is made accessible for operation and the working length of the cables can be adjusted without pulling them, and to a closed position, whereat the cables tighten the gaiters against each other, and the adjustment assembly cannot be reached from the outside.

Abstract: A shoe closure intended particularly for ski boots contains two pull straps adapted to be fastened on corresponding parts of the shoe and a rotatable actuating member with two driving members arranged eccentrically with reference to the axis of rotation of the actuating member. The ends of the pull straps which face each other have only half the width of the remainder of the straps and are located adjacent and alongside each other. Each pull strap has a groove which is open toward the other pull strap, the depth of such groove corresponding to the eccentricity of the driving members, and the driving members engage in the groove so that a largely direct and effective and closing is made possible in a simple manner.

Abstract: The closure device comprises a box-like body associated with one of the ski boot flaps to be brought together and provided with a knob for actuating a spool whereon at least one small cable associated with the other of the flaps to be brought together is wound. Also provided is a ratchet gear mechanism driven by the knob to lock the spool at any selected position as the knob is turned in one direction, and to release the spool as the knob is rotated in the opposite direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tensioning apparatus for tensioning a flexible member, such as a strap (11, 62) or a panel (P) and wherein the flexible member (11, 62, P) presents a rigid element (13) at or near its free end or edge, the rigid insert (13) is located in a slot (15, 53) in a rotary member (16, 51) and said rotary member (16, 51) is rotated to tension the flexible member (11, 62, P). The apparatus includes locking means (21, 22 or 54, 56, 64 and 65) for locking the rotary member (16, 51) with the flexible member (11, 62 or P) in tension and said flexible member (11, 62, P) preferably includes a resilient member (14) which, when passed through the slot (15, 53) in advance of the rigid element (13) resiliently retains the flexible member (11, 62, P) with the rotary member (16, 51).

Abstract: This disclosure relates to locks for bracelets, belts and the like to fasten two ends of the same together. The lock basically includes sliders which are attached to the ends of the bracelet, etc., with the sliders having rack formations which are engaged by a single gear to effect the simultaneous inward and outward movement of these sliders. Associated with the gear is a ratchet wheel and depressable keys are provided for effecting the locking, releasing and rotation of the ratchet wheel and the associated gear.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanized device having the same basic uses as a turnbuckle and herein referred to as an automatic turnbuckle. The automatic turnbuckle of the present invention is designed to mechanically remove slack from a line and to keep a constant tension on a line. The structure of the present invention includes two protruding rods, one at either end of an elongated body which houses the mechanism. The exposed ends of the rods are looped. In the housing, the rods move parallel to each other and are connected by a spring and gear arrangement which allows manual movement of one of the rods in two directions and mechanical movement in one direction. There is a means included in the device for adjusting the movable rod to various pull lengths and for manually triggering a pulling action. The same means can be used to lock the rods into a fixed position,.