Abstract: A locking system is described for detachably securing two workpieces together (e.g., two housing sections). Elongated arms are carried by one workpiece and a corresponding opening(s) is present in the other workpiece. The outer end of each elongated arm is resiliently deflectable so that it is deflected when being inserted into the opening in the one workpiece; then the arm springs back. A locking arm on the second workpiece is then able to move behind the end of the elongated arm to restrict deflection of the arm, thus preventing any unintentional unlocking of the two workpieces.

Abstract: A receptacle residing within a recess in the sole of a shoe includes an opening located along the edge of the shoe. A lug, receivable through the opening within the receptacle is carried by a flap extending from the upper of the shoe. An indentation carried by the lug is matingly engageable with a protrusion residing within the receptacle. Pressure from the foot of the wearer upon the sole of the shoe prevents disengagement of the lug from the receptacle.

Abstract: A simple, two piece, plastic fastener structure can be formed to include a latch receptacle having an open end leading to an internal cavity defined by front and back sides and top and bottom walls. The front and back sides are shaped so as to include openings located opposite one another. The fastener structure also includes a catch member having a body portion shaped more or less like a tongue which is capable of being inserted within the opening. When it is so inserted sloping walls on catches on the tongue will spread the front and back sides apart until such time as the catches are adjacent to the openings. At this point the sides will spring back to their original configuration so as to secure the catches in the openings so as to hold the catch member relative to the receptacle. The catch member may be released by pushing on the top and bottom walls of the receptacle so as to bow the sides outwardly until the catch member can be withdrawn from the cavity.

Abstract: A child resistant buckle for seat belt restraints comprising a two-part buckle in which the female part, or part containing the release button, has a multi-part release button which can only be operated by a full size hand. A smaller, child's hand, having smaller fingers and thumbs, will not normally apply simultaneous pressure to all of the parts of the release button, which must be actuated simultaneously to release the other part of the buckle.

Abstract: In a buckle comprising male and female members, releasably couplable to each other in snap action, the female member has in its side wall a pair of side walls a pair of side slits, respectively, in which a pair of resilient arms of the female member extends. The female member also has in its bottom wall a pair of transversely spaced holes into which a projection on the respective arm extends. The movement of each arm in a direction perpendicular to the general plane of the female member is restricted within the width of the respective slit, while the transverse movement of each arm is restricted within the width of the respective hole.

Abstract: A safety release device particularly useful for tethering horses comprises a cylindrical housing, a central shaft therein having on one end a spring retainer/trigger and on the other end a capture washer held by a stop or shoulder on the shaft, a spring between the retainer and the washer, two opposed spring loaded capture dogs engaging the capture washer and preventing it and the shaft from being pulled from the housing until released and fastening members, one attached to the end of the shaft and another attached to the housing to permit lines to be attached thereto. The operation of the device is such that when a sufficient pull is exerted on the shaft, the spring compresses allowing the retainer/trigger to move toward the capture washer against the action of the spring and in so doing to force the dogs apart releasing the washer and thus the shaft.

Abstract: A mounting or locking device, the latter especially for use with foldable, lockable seat backs for motor vehicle rear seat assemblies, includes a mounting or locking housing for accommodating a bolt or other latching element to be retained therein, an arresting element which is mounted for movement on the mounting or locking housing, and which is actuable against a spring force in the direction of the "release position", and an actuating element acting on the arresting element. The mounting or locking housing and the arresting element are combined into one integral, unitary structure which is made of plastics, with the arresting element being formed onto the mounting or locking housing through a bracket. The bracket also serves as a pivot bearing and a resilient element for the arresting elment.A mounting or locking assembly of this type is characterized by the sparsity of parts required for its manufacture. It is simple in design, economical to manufacture and easy to assemble.

Abstract: A tire chain adapted to be mounted on and readily removed from a vehicle tire includes an inner support extending, in the mounted state of the chain, circumferentially along and in engagement with an inwardly oriented tire side. The inner support has a spring steel yoke including adjacent opposite free yoke ends and a hook lock having cooperating first and second components mounted on the opposite yoke ends, respectively and adapted to selectively assume an interengaged, closed state or a disengaged, open state. The first component is a flat, quadrangular eyelet defining an eyelet plane oriented such that in the mounted state of the tire chain the eyelet lies flat against the side wall of the tire and further, the second component is a flat hook defining a hook plane oriented perpendicularly to the eyelet plane.

Abstract: A buckle comprises a male member having a pair of resilient legs releasably engageable with a socket portion of a female member to couple the male and female members, the female member having a pair of cantilevered resilient arms resiliently flexible toward each other to urge the legs out of interlocking engagement with the socket portion. The arms are disposed between a pair of opposed plates of the socket member and have stop fingers loosely received in apertures in one of the plates. With this construction, the resilient arms are protected against damage or breakage when subjected to forces tending to flex the arms in a direction either parallel to or perpendicular to the general plane of the socket portion. The male member includes a generally U-shaped reinforcing rib disposed between and connected with the legs with a U-shaped slit defined therebetween so as to increase the resiliency of the legs.

Abstract: A fastening device for the connection of any two members that would normally move apart under use. The fastening device consists of two components, one providing a tongue and the other a fulcrum against which the tongue bears in the fastened condition of the device. The arrangement of the components ensures that in passing between the unfastened and fastened conditions, the tongue is put into compression, the compressive stress in which acquires a value in a center-point position which is greater than that subsisting in the fastened condition of the device. Thus fastening and unfastening of the device involves moving the tongue through this center-point position.

Abstract: A strap buckle having male and female components which are connected to respective opposite ends of a strap and which have cooperative and releasable latching means whereby the two components are releasably held against separation. The strap is connected to the male component through connecting means arranged to permit adjustment of the effective length of the strap so that the strap can be extended or shortened as required, and in use that connecting means normally locks the strap against extension. The female component includes a strap reacting section which overlies the connecting means of the male component when the two components are connected together and thereby prevents the strap from being manipulated such as to release it from the locking influence of the connecting means. The male component has three laterally spaced arms which locate within the female component, and guard means is provided on one or more of those arms to prevent incorrect or incomplete cooperation of the two components.

Abstract: By providing a pressure responsive actuator in controlled actuating engagement with a latch mechanism in which a spring-loaded indicator is securely retained, with said indicator being movable from a non-visible, retained position to a visible, released position in response to pressure exceeding a desired level, a unique, precision constructed pressure sensor and indicator is achieved. In the preferred embodiment, the latch mechanism comprises a plurality of elongated, resilient, spring-biased locking fingers, with the locking fingers being controllably disengaged from the indicator in response to the movement of the pressure responsive actuator. In addition, the present invention is also quickly and easily manually reset, thereby further enhancing the usability of the present invention.

Abstract: An apparatus for gripping various types of earring posts having a friction clutch incorporated with a finger-operated clutch-catch capable of providing a positive stop to a specially designed indented shoulder post as well as providing a semi-positive stop to conventional threaded and indented shoulder posts. The friction clutch acts as a backup securing device if the primary clutch-catch fails.

Abstract: The child safety seatbelt securement device of the present invention includes a housing adapted for at least partially covering the release button of a female seatbelt buckle so that direct access to the release button is substantially restricted. The housing includes a mechanism for releasably securing it onto a conventional female seatbelt buckle. Finally, the housing includes an actuator mechanism which is actuatable by an adult for depressing the release button of the female seatbelt buckle on which the housing is secured. The same actuator mechanism is difficult, if not impossible, for a young child to operate, however, due to its complicated or multi-step operation or the force required for actuating it.

Abstract: A quick acting, self locking fastener of the spiral cam type is provided with a receptacle comprising a housing having a bottom, open top and a pair of opposed sidewalls. One of the walls is provided with a lip at the top thereof and the opposed wall is provided with a slot at its top. The closure for the housing includes a pair of biased faces which define a clip therebetween. The bottom face is provided with a slot at one end and a lip at the opposite end. A spring within the housing includes a central section that forms a cross pin for an associated stud and end sections that serve to bias the opposed sidewalls apart to secure the engagement of the sidewall's lip and slot with those of the bottom face of the closure.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle employs a pivoting latch plate for retaining a tongue plate tip within the buckle interior. A locking means for securing the latch mechanism in a latched position includes a sliding member mounted on the pivoting latch plate and urged forward by spring means.

Abstract: A mounting clip is provided for pressing onto a weld stud having ridges extending radially outwardly therefrom. The clip is provided with a box for accommodating the stud. A frame is provided on the top of the stud receiving box which provides wall structure for supporting a pair of detents, which wall structure is designed to be flexible, allowing the detents considerable freedom of movement.

Abstract: A jewelry clasp comprising a female member with a pull-up lever integrally formed on the surface of its top and a stop member integrally formed underneath its top, for receiving a male member having a planar shape and an opening therein for engagement with the stop member for locking the jewelry clasp.

Abstract: A jewelry clasp having a female member with parallel sides and a bottom, a top member mounted at its inner end to said sides of the female member, and having a pull-up lever on its surface at its outer end and a stop member under the pull-up lever, and a male member having a planar shape with a groove along one side.

Abstract: A safety guard device for a wallet includes a salient button which penetrates the corner or the edge of the laminae of a wallet and fastens with a lock base that is installed in the upper portion of one's trouser pocket or at the lower end of a belt clamp. To remove the wallet, one presses down on the tenon button which is hidden inside the trousers or inside the lower end of the belt clamp. In addition to being convenient in use, the present invention can effectively prevent one's wallet from being picked, snatched or lost.

Abstract: An improved buckle for a child's safety car seat in which a release plate normally bears against a center plate, within an enclosing housing, to receive in locking relation hasp tips having opening cooperating with bosses on the release plate. The housing is configured to avoid cocking or blocking of the hasp tips on insertion, and to bias the housing covering the bail portion of the buckle against peeling away to expose the metal to the harness straps connecting the buckle to the child's car seat.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle fitted with belt straps and two interlocking parts. These are designed for releasably connecting the belt strap. One interlocking part consists of a locked part and the other interlocking part consists of a locking part. The latter is fitted with a locking member pivoted in the locking part and able to be reset between the position releasing and the position locking the locked part. The locking member is spring loaded so as to attempt to pivot to its releasing position. A detent member is able to be reset between a detent position in which the locking member is prevented from being reset from its locking position and a releasing position in which the locking member is permitted to pivot to its releasing position. An ejector is arranged so as to eject the locked part by the action of a spring when the locking member is rest to the locking position. A link connects the detent member to the ejector. The link is loaded by a spring which attempts to move the ejector to its outer position.

Abstract: A locking element or latch is embodied from a metal plate and comprises a first pair of articulation tabs, a second pair of tabs to receive strains, these tabs being received in corresponding openings formed in the flanges of the base. The retaining member of the latch is guided in displacement in an L-shaped cutout and is associated with a floating contact with a rocker articulated on an ejector. A push button comprises engagement surfaces cooperating selectively with the locking member and ejector and ramps to assist the lifting of the latch. A single spring serves to actuate, and place under tension, all of the moving parts of the buckle.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle, in which a locking member is mounted in a channel-shaped base member and a tongue can be inserted between the base member and locking member and locked in engagement with a tongue engaging surface of the locking member, comprising first and second symmetrical guide holes formed in said base member, a slider movably disposed in the base member, a first guide member being movable in said first guide holes and urging said locking member, a second guide member penetrating said second guide holes and movable together with said slider through said second guide holes, a tensile coil spring coupling together said first and second guide members, and a button member for releasing said first guide member from its locking state.

Abstract: The latching device includes a tongue unit engageable with a clasping unit having a pair of divergable leaf members. The leaf members are held in superposed relationship by a clip member that extends from one leaf member to the other. An elastomeric or spring washer disposed on the clip member helps maintain the tongue unit and clasping unit in locking engagement. The locking engagement of the tongue unit and clasping unit is accomplished by establishing interference between a catch surface on one of the units and an abutment surface on the other unit. Release of the latching device is obtained when the leaf members of the latching unit are diverged against the influence of the elastomeric or spring washer to bring the abutment surface and the catch surface out of interference with each other thereby permitting withdrawal of the tongue unit from the clasping unit.

Abstract: A fastener for a piece of apparel, e.g. a nursing bra, comprises a male and a female portion of resilient plastic material, the female portion being partly shaped as a substantially rectangular frame forming a guide channel for the introduction of a flat shank of the male portion which is integral with a tongue whose free end faces away from the leading end of the shank and forms a stepped transverse edge engageable with a shoulder of a cross-member of the frame in a locking position. A tab integral with the female portion occupies the frame opening on one side of the guide channel and has a free edge overlying the free end of the inserted tongue which is substantially narrower than the tab and can be released from its locking position by finger pressure upon that tab. An asymmetrical hump on the leading end of the shank prevents locking by coming to lie against an internal projection of the frame when the shank is introduced into the channel in an inverted position.

Abstract: This invention relates to safety clasp for jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings, tie tacks, hat pins and the like, and more particularly, to a clasp for jewelry including releasably connected male and female components, generally flat in one dimension. The male component comprises a flat shaped tongue. The female component comprises a tongue guide provided with a groove in which the tongue is slidably mounted. A spring lock release with a tab projecting through a groove for engagement and disengagement with a notch in the tongue. The foregoing elements are housed in a two-part shell fastened together in final assembly.

Abstract: A buckle for receiving a tongue. A pair of helical springs are positioned between the latch and a main body having first slots for receiving one edge of a reinforcement plate which is pivoted downward depressing the latch springs and snapping into place into a yieldable hook shaped portion. A push button is positioned between the reinforcement plate and the cover which has a plurality of downwardly extending hook shaped fingers engaging the plate which secures the cover and main body together.