Abstract: The apparatus is a strap retainer with a straight post element and a generally arcuate retainer element molded as a single integral piece thereby forming a D-shaped outline. First ends of said post and arcuate retainer elements are affixed to each other while second ends of the post and arcuate retainer elements include complementary elements of a detent locking element. A first detent locking element includes a stem with a D-shaped cross section supporting a bulbous portion of increased cross section. The second detent locking element includes an aperture assembly with a first generally round aperture sized to receive the bulbous portion and a second aperture of D-shaped cross section sized to receive the stem of similar cross section and dimensions. The first and second apertures communicate by tapered walls which form detent edges on the second aperture. The stem can be slid from the first aperture to the second aperture to be detently locked in place therein.

Abstract: A fastener including an engagement member having a predetermined length and a receiving member for connection substantially anywhere along the length of the engagement member and being readily movable in at least a first direction along the length of the engagement member.

Abstract: A backpack hip-brace assembly is disclosed, which individual hip-brace is interchangeable and operable upon either backpack frame side; is slidably positionable along the frame; and is laterally displaceable with respect to a wearer's body so as to pivot the backpack for redistribution of the load.

Abstract: A buckle including a female receptacle member having a tubular body, an interior channel therethrough and being open to the channel on a portion of the tubular body, a male latch member having at least one arm member for insertion within the channel through the open end of the female receptacle member and a latch member formed between the tubular body and the arm member for releasable locking engagement of the tubular body and the arm member upon insertion of the arm member within the channel and for providing a resistance force in opposition to and alignment with an arm member removal loading force between the tubular body and the arm member.

Abstract: An end connector for attachment to a tubing end including a housing having a first aperture therethrough with a predetermined internal periphery and a plug member having a predetermined external periphery for cooperative engagement with the end of the tubing and the internal periphery of the first aperture of the housing, the plug member releasably retaining a portion of the end of the tubing between the external periphery of the plug member and the internal periphery of the first aperture of the housing to prevent removal of the tubing from the housing when the tubing is subjected to tension in a desired direction.

Abstract: A snap hook and complementary buckle member having a connector assembly for connecting the snap hook to the buckle and having increased holding power when under a load including a buckle member having a male connector member to be attached to the snap hook having an elongate stem with first and second opposite ends and a shoulder formed on the first end of the stem having a predetermined shape and exterior dimensions, a snap hook including a female receptor member for receiving the shoulder therein having a tapered channel extending therethrough with a first tapered end, a second opposite flared end and a side wall therebetween forming the channel, the interior dimensions of the first tapered end being smaller, and the interior dimensions of the second flared end being larger, than the exterior dimensions of the shoulder, and at least one slot formed through the side wall of the channel having a first end open to the tapered end and extending along the side wall toward the flared end to terminate in a second

Abstract: A shell buckle for releasably securing together a pair of ends of a belt, strap or the like includes a shell buckle latch member and a shell buckle body member. The latch member has a pair of opposed resilient arms which are movable toward and away from each other. The body member includes a central body portion which has a pair of resilient arch members extending from the opposite sides thereof so as to form a C-shaped section. The resilient arms are receivable in the central body portion and are releasably interengaging with means of the body member to connect the latch and body members together. The resilient arch members include opposite side guard members which are movable inwardly relative to each other with a curling action to form the C-shaped section with a smaller radius to cause inward movement of the resilient arms on the latch member to disengage the latch member from the body member.

Abstract: A twistlock fastener is constructed of a latching member and a base member. The base member has a socket portion with a square-shaped internal bore. The latching member is formed with head portion and a shank portion. The shank portion has a cylindrical section adjacent to the head portion and has a pair of resilient bifurcated leg elements integrally formed with the cylindrical section. Each of the leg elements have a radial surface to provide a latching shoulder. Each latching lateral shoulder is formed with a width sufficient to retain the shank portion in the square-shaped internal bore. Each of the opposite side surfaces at the opposite ends of the latching shoulder for both leg elements lie in a common flat plane which is perpendicular to the latching shoulders.

Abstract: A one-piece, integrally formed tie apparatus is provided for releasably suspending a vine or the like from a line. A line engaging portion releasably engages the line and a vine holding portion loosely surroundingly holds the vine or the like. The vine holding portion comprises an elongate flexible arm integrally depending from the line engaging portion and elastically deformable to define a loop for loosely surrounding the vine or the like. A first coupling means is integrally formed with the flexible arm. A second coupling means is adapted to connect with the first coupling means to form the flexible arm into a closed loop around the vine or the like. One of the coupling means is responsive to application of a predetermined amount of force to the flexible arm substantially in at least one direction for releasing the other coupling means to open the loop and permit removal of the vine or the like.

Abstract: A two-part fastener made of resilient material is disclosed as comprising two identical mating fastening devices. Each fastening device is constructed with a circular disc head integrally formed with a shank. The shank has an elongate symmetrically-shaped body having a longitudinal central axis and is formed with a pair of leg members disposed along the central axis in diametrically opposed spaced apart relation. Each leg member is formed by two wall elements molded together in a V-shaped configuration wth the outer end portion laterally spaced apart from the adjoining leg member a distance sufficient to embracingly receive the pair of leg members of the identical fastening device. When the identical fastening devices are brought together in a nesting relationship, they are locked together by virtue of the interlocking cooperating relationship of a plurality of tooth formations formed on one of the two V-shaped wall elements of each leg member.

Abstract: A holder made of resilient plastic material is disclosed for mounting a light-emitting diode having a rectangular-shaped base into a rectangular-shaped aperture of a panel member. The holder has a rectangular-shaped hollow body of a cross section slightly smaller than the rectangular-shaped aperture in the panel and is molded with a rectangular-shaped lengthwise throughbore for receiving a rectangular-shaped light-emitting diode. The rectangular-shaped body is molded into a first pair of opposing sidewalls and a second pair of opposing sidewalls. A pair of spaced lengthwise elongate slots are formed in the second pair to define a flexible central web portion in each sidewall of the second pair.

Abstract: A differential-vacuum alarm device is disclosed. The device comprises a housing divided into three chambers by two walls. One wall isolates one chamber from the other two. The other wall, preferably transverse to the first wall and integral therewith, substantially isolates the second chamber from the third. The second wall preferably carries a vibratable reed which is activatable when air, moving via effects of differential vacuum, passes from the second chamber into the third. The housing further includes a cover, preferably snap engageable with the housing. The walls are preferably integral with, and depend from, the cover. Inner surface portions of the housing preferably include integral, U-shaped channels for receiving edge portions of the walls. With the wall edge portions engaged in the channels and the cover snap engaged with the housing, the three chambers are substantially isolated, one from the other. A housing bottom, forming a floor common to the three chambers, includes three through apertures.

Abstract: A one-piece self-retaining threaded plastic screw grommet including a head and bifurcated shank having a through bore through the head and shank. The slots which bifurcate said shank being generally tangentially disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said bore and the free end of said legs being interconnected by non-linear bendable web means that restrain the spreading of the legs when a complimentary screw is inserted within the bore.

Abstract: A one piece lubricious plastic cable guide and door stop for guiding a tensile stressed flexible cable-like member through a work piece aperture and then angularly behind the workpiece. The guide is self-retained in said aperture and includes a latch member for temporarily restraining the cable-like member against the tensile stress inducing device during assembly of the opposite end of the cable-like member with a hinged closure member. It is applicable to devices such as a horizontally hinged dryer door that is spring biased by a pair of said cable-like members and one or more coil springs.

Abstract: A reinforcing sealing sheet metal fastener anchor for use with at least two fasteners mounted in a multi-apertured thin work panel. The anchor includes at least two fastener accepting apertures located in a planar base and a plurality of locating tabs extending outwardly from said base through a continuous double-faced pressure sensitive tape for positively locating and orientating the anchor relative to the work panel by engaging the margins of at least two different aligned workpiece apertures which are sealed by the tape.