Hopple

Claim 2

A buckle for releasably and adjustably receiving and retaining a strap, comprising: a. a housing having an open end to receive the strap, and converging, opposed side walls proximate said open end; b. handle means carried by the housing for rotation about a fixed axis and having a handle portion manually accessible external of the housing for movement between clamping and nonclamping positions; c. a clamping member having converging outer surfaces cooperable with the converging side walls of the housing in clamping relation therewith and adapted to have the strap threaded therearound, the clamping member defining an enclosed portion loosely retained about the rotational axis of the handle means to permit movement of the clamping member between clamping and non-clamping positions; d. and an actuating member disposed within the enclosed portion of the clamping member, the actuating member being rotatable with said handle means and engageable with said clamping member in camming fashion to effect movement thereof into said clamping position.

Claim 3

The buckle defined by claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a second open end to receive a second strap, and means within the housing for retaining the second strap upon being received through the second open end.

Claim 4

The buckle defined by claim 1, wherein said opposed side walls converge toward said open end and terminate therewith.

Claim 5

The buckle defined by claim 1, wherein said enclosed portion is cylindrical and further comprises an abutment member disposed on the inner cylindrical surface, the actuating member being eccentrically disposed relative to said rotational axis and engageable with said abutment member and inner cylindrical face.

Claim 6

The buckle defined by claim 4, wherein said abutment member comprises a chord segment of the inner cylindrical face.

Claim 7

The buckle defined by claim 5, wherein said actuating member is constructed and arranged to be frictionally retained between the chord segment and an opposing point on the inner cylindrical surface.

Claim 8

The buckle defined by claim 6, wherein the actuating member is of predetermined thickness and defines opposed longitudinal sides respectively engageable with said chord segment and said inner cylindrical surface.

Claim 9

The buckle defined by claim 7, wherein: a. the actuating member has an axial bore extending longitudinally therethrough; b. the handle member comprises bifurcations defining opposed faces, said opposed faces having an axial bore formed therethrough; c. and further comprising a pivot pin extending through the axial bores of said handle member and actuating member and retained by said buckle housing.

Claim 10

The buckle defined by claim 8, wherein the inner face of each bifurcated portion has an elongated lug formed thereon, and each end of the actuating member is slotted for retaining engagement with one of said elongated lugs.

Claim 11

The buckle defined by claim 8, wherein said handle portion interconnects said bifurcations.

Claim 12

The buckle defined by claim 4, wherein the actuating member further comprises a laterally projecting dog disposed for engagement with said abutment member with movement of the handle member toward its release position to cause retraction of the clamping member from its clamping position.

Claim 13

The buckle defined by claim 1, wherein the converging side walls of the buckle housing and the outer converging surfaces of the clamping member are ridged to permit frictional gripping with said strap.

Claim 14

The buckle defined by claim 2, wherein the means for retaining the second strap comprises a rigid post secured transversely between opposite sides of the buckle housing proximate said second open end.

Claim 15

The buckle defined by claim 1, wherein the handle portion abuts the buckle housing to preclude movement thereof beyond said clamping position.

Claim 16

An improved hopple for pacing horses, comprising: a. first and second pairs of hopple loops comprising a flexible strap formed into a loop, the strap ends of each loop being secured together; b. a buckle for releasably and adjustably connecting the secured strap ends together, comprising i. a housing having a first open end to receive the first strap end, a second open end to receive the second strap end and converging, opposed side walls proximate the second open end; ii. means within the housing for retaining the first strap upon being received through said first open end; iii. handle means carried by the housing for rotation about a fixed axis and having a handle portion manually accessible external of the housing for movement between clamping and non-clamping positions; iv. a clamping member having converging outer surfaces cooperable with the converging side walls of the housing in clamping relation therewith and adapted to have the second strap threaded therearound, the clamping member defining an enclosed portion loosely retained about the rotational axis of the handle means to permit movement of the clamping member between clamping and non-clamping positions; v. and an actuating member disposed within the enclosed portion of the clamping member, the actuating member being rotatable with said handle means and engageable with said clamping member in camming fashion to effect movement thereof into said clamping position; c. each hopple loop pair having a pluality of up-tug buckles secured thereto; d. and a plurality of hopple hanging straps adapted to fit over the horse''s body, each hopple hanging strap terminating in ends adjustably secured to an up-tug buckle.

Claim 17

An improved hopple for pacing horses, comprising: a. first and second pairs of hopple loops comprising a flexible strap formed into a loop, the strap ends of each loop being secured together; b. a buckle for releasably and adjustably connecting the secured strap ends together, comprising i. a housing having a first open end to receive the first strap end, a second open end to receive the second strap end and converging, opposed side walls proximate the second open end; ii. means within the housing for retaining the first strap upon being received through said first open end; iii. handle means carried by the housing for rotation about a fixed axis and having a handle portion manually accessible external of the housing for movement between clamping and non-clamping positions; iv. a clamping member having converging outer surfaces cooperable with the converging side walls of the housing in clamping relation therewith and adapted to have the second strap threaded therearound, the clamping member defining an enclosed portion loosely retained about the rotational axis of the handle means to permit movement of the clamping member between clamping and non-clamping positions; v. and an actuating member disposed within the enclosed portion of the clamping member, the actuating member being rotatable with said handle means and engageable with said clamping member in camming fashion to effect movement thereof into said clamping position; c. each hopple loop pair having a pluality of up-tug buckles secured thereto; d. and a plurality of hopple hanging straps adapted to fit over the horse''s body, each hopple hanging strap terminating in ends adjustably secured to an up-tug buckle.

Claim 18

The hopple defined by claim 15, wherein each up-tug buckle comprises: a. a predetermined length of resiliently flexible plastic strap, the strap having a stud and stud receptacle formed on one face thereof, the strap being doubled over and secured together to define a closed loop with the stud and stud receptacle in registration; b. and a buckle retainably disposed within said closed loop to adjustably secure the hopPle hanging strap end.

Claim 19

The hopple defined by claim 16, wherein each hopple loop further comprises: a. a predetermined length of resiliently flexible tubing through which the flexible strap is threaded, the tubing having its ends secured together to define said loop; b. and one of said up-tug buckles being integrally formed with the tubing of each hopple loop.