Abstract: A side release buckle includes: a plug; and a socket, the plug including: a base; a pair of legs; and engaging portions, the socket including: a body; an insertion opening; a housing space; engaged portions; and a pair of guide surfaces. The guide surfaces, which are formed on an inner surface of the housing space and extend in an insertion direction of the legs while being opposed to each other, each include: a squeezing portion formed continuously with corresponding one of the engaged portions; and a guiding portion formed between the squeezing portion and the insertion opening. An interval between the guiding portions near the engaged portions is wider than an interval between the squeezing portions near the engaged portions. An inclination angle of each guiding portion to an insertion direction of the plug is smaller than an inclination angle of each of the squeezing portion to the insertion direction.

Abstract: Self actuating mechanical joints that utilize pivotally mounted clamping levers (114) linked to a displaceable catch (112). The displaceable catch engages an external beam (126) inserted into the joint and thus initiates the clamping levers to clasp around the beams profile. Mechanical integrity between beam and joint is achieved when the displaceable catch locks with a stationary catch (102) at the instance the beam is fully inserted into the joint. The three joint designs presented in this patent are the Lever Latch (99), Lever Clamp (299), and Trunnion Clamp (499). Together, they allow mechanical parts to be joined under the following respective circumstances: beam element connected to beam element along their centerline axis, one beam element connected perpendicular to another beam elements centerline axis, and flat plat connected to another flat plat.

Abstract: A connector for releasably connecting a harness to a stringed instrument. The connector includes an engaging member provided on terminal ends of the harness and a receiving member provided on opposite ends of the stringed instrument body. The connector is operated by rotation of a knob fixed on the engaging member to engage and release the receiving member. An insertion cylinder is provided on the engaging member and includes a pair of diametrically opposed engaging elements which are pivotally mounted therein. The engaging elements are dimensioned so as to engage a fitting groove on an inner peripheral wall of a receiving cylinder of the receiving member. The knob provided on the engaging member is limited to rotation through a predetermined angle. A rotatable shaft extends into the insertion cylinder and can be positioned to engage the engaging elements. The rotatable shaft has a lower cross-sectional shape which has a large diameter and a small diameter.

Abstract: A selectively lockable latch to be used, for example, in fastening two furniture parts or the like in temporary alignment comprises a bolt member, a strike box unit and a lock rod. The bolt member includes a projecting nose and a channel which bisects the nose to define a slideway for the lock rod and to divide the nose into a pair of flexible arms. A snap-latch arrangement acts latchably between the bolt member and the strike box unit and includes selectively interengagable cam surface elements. The lock rod is slidably received in the nose channel to be selectively disposed between the flexible nose arms in one position to prevent covergence of the arms and to lock the bolt member in the strike box unit, the lock rod being selectively withdrawable from between the flexible nose arms into a second longitudinal position whereby to permit convergence of the arms and release of the bolt member from the strike box unit.