Strap locking device with quick release

Claim 2

A quick-release strap locking device comprising: a tab, attachable to a first strap end, having a first side which includes a notch; a buckle, attachable to a second strap end, having a passageway and a resiliently attached first arm which has a tooth, the tab being in the passageway and the first arm having a normal first position in which the tooth is exterior to the notch; and sleeve means for forcing the first arm into an engaged second position in which the tooth is within the notch whereby the tab is locked in the passageway and for alternatively allowing the first arm to assume its normal first position whereby the tab may be removed from the passageway.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 in which: the tab has a second side opposite the first side which also includes a notch; the buckle has a resiliently attached second arm, on the opposite side of the passageway from the first arm, which has a tooth and a normal first position in which the tooth is exterior to the notch on the second side of the tab; and the sleeve means includes means for forcing the second arm into an engaged second position in which the tooth on the second arm is within the notch of the second side of the tab and for alternatively allowing the second arm to assume its normal first position.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 in which: the first side of the tab includes a plurality of notches; the tooth of the first arm is exterior to each notch of the plurality of notches when the first arm is in the first position; and the sleeve means includes means for forcing the first arm into an engaged second position in which the tooth on the first arm is within a notch of the plurality of notches and for alternatively allowing the first arm to assume its normal first position.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 in which: the tab has a second side opposite the first side which also includes a plurality of notches; the buckle has a resiliently attached second arm, on the opposite side of the passageway from the first arm, which has a tooth and a normal first position in which the tooth is exterior to each notch of the plurality of notches on the second side of the tab; and the sleeve means includes means for forcing the second arm into an engaged second position in which the tooth on the second arm is within a notch of the plurality of notches of the second side of the tab and for alternatively allowing the second arm to assume its normal first position.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4 in which the sleeve means includes a sleeve member slidably mounted over the buckle and its arms, the arms being in the first position when the sleeve member is away from the ends of the arms and in the second position when the sleeve member is adjacent the ends of the arms.

Claim 7

The device of claim 5 in which the buckle includes latch means for maintaining the sleeve member adjacent the ends of the arms and for alternatively allowing the sleeve member to be moved away from the ends of the arms.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 in which the tab has a rectangular cross-section and the passageway has a rectangular cross-section slightly larger than that of the tab, the sides of the tab containing the notches being the narrower sides.

Claim 9

The device of claim 7 in which, when the arms are in the second position, the notches and the teeth point in a direction toward the direction of insertion of the tab into the buckle.

Claim 10

A quick-release strap locking device comprising: a tab, attachable to a first strap end, having a first side which includes a notch; and a buckle made of resilient material and attachable to a second strap end, said buckle having a passageway and having an integral first lever, the tab being in the passageway and the buckle including an integral tooth near a first end of the lever, the lever having a normal first position in which the tooth is in the notch and in which a second, distal end of the lever is away from the tab, and the lever having a tooth disengaging second position in which the lever, by resiliently deforming the buckle, positions the tooth exterior to the notch when the distal end of the lever is moved toward the tab.

Claim 11

A quick-release strap locking device comprising: a tab, attachable to a first strap end, having a first side which includes a notch; and a buckle made of resilient material and attachable to a second strap end, said buckle having a passageway and having an integral first lever, the tab being in the passageway and the buckle including an integral tooth near a first end of the lever, the lever having a normal first position in which the tooth is in the notch and in which a second, distal end of the lever is away from the tab, and the lever having a tooth disengaging second position in which the lever, by resiliently deforming the buckle, positions the tooth exterior to the notch when the distal end of the lever is moved toward the tab.

Claim 12

The device of claim 9 in which: the tab has a second side opposite the first side which also includes a notch; and the buckle has a second integral lever on the opposite side of the passageway from the first lever, the buckle including a second integral tooth near a first end of the second lever, the second lever having a normal first position in which said second tooth is in the notch on the second side of the tab and in which a second, distal, end of said second lever is away from the tab, and said second lever having a disengaged second position in which said second lever, by resiliently deforming the buckle, positions said second tooth exterior to the notch on the second side of the tab when the second end of the second lever is moved toward the tab.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 in which: the first side of the tab includes a plurality of notches; and the lever is in the first position when its tooth is in one of the notches of the plurality of notches and its second end is away from the tab, and in a disengaged second position when its tooth is exterior to the notches and its second end is moved toward the tab.

Claim 14

The device of claim 11 in which: the tab has a second side opposite the first side which also includes a plurality of notches; and the buckle has a second integral lever on the opposite side of the passageway from the first lever, the buckle including a second integral tooth near a first end of said second lever, and said second lever having a normal first position in which said second tooth is in one of the notches of the plurality of notches on the second side of the tab and in which a second, distal, end of said second lever is away from the tab, and said second lever having a disengaged second position in which said second lever, by resiliently deforming the buckle, positions said second tooth exterior to the notches of the plurality of notches of the second side of the tab when the second end of the second lever is moved toward the tab.

Claim 15

The device of claim 12 in which, when the levers are in the first position, the notches and the teeth on the levers point in a direction toward the direction of insertion of the tab into the buckle.

Claim 16

The device of claim 13 in which the tab has a rectangular cross-section and the passageway has a rectangular cross-section slightly larger than that of the tab, the sides of the tab containing the notches being the narrower sides.

Claim 17

A quick-release strap locking device compriSing: a tab, attachable to a first strap end, having a first side which includes a notch; a buckle, attachable to a second strap end, having a passageway and a resiliently attached arm which has a tooth, the tab being in the passageway and the arm having a first position in which the tooth is exterior to the notch; and means for moving the arm into a second position in which the tooth is in the notch and for alternatively moving the arm to assume the first position, the movement of the arm being along an arc which intersects the centerline of the tab.

Claim 18

A quick-release strap locking device compriSing: a tab, attachable to a first strap end, having a first side which includes a notch; a buckle, attachable to a second strap end, having a passageway and a resiliently attached arm which has a tooth, the tab being in the passageway and the arm having a first position in which the tooth is exterior to the notch; and means for moving the arm into a second position in which the tooth is in the notch and for alternatively moving the arm to assume the first position, the movement of the arm being along an arc which intersects the centerline of the tab.

Claim 19

The device of claim 15 and further comprising a strap integral with the tab and with the buckle, the strap, tab and buckle being of a resilient material having a memory.

Claim 20

The device of claim 15 wherein the buckle is of a resilient material having a memory.

Claim 21

The device of claim 17 wherein the material is nylon.