A tourniquet for application to a patient's limb in an emergency situation, and a method for its application. The tourniquet includes a tension-sensing mechanism used to establish a baseline tension in a loop around an injured limb, and a tension-increasing mechanism to reduce the circumference of the loop and tighten the tourniquet as required beyond the baseline tension. The tension-sensing mechanism may be incorporated in a buckle in which when sufficient tension is developed in the loop a pin protrudes to engage and maintain tension in a strap member which is part of the loop. A latch may be incorporated in the buckle to keep it in a condition in which the pin protrudes to engage the strap and maintain the baseline tension. A release tab operable to release the latch is located where it is protected against inadvertent operation.

A nonmetallic belt buckle assembly for facilitating a belt and buckle to be worn while passing through a metal detector includes a belt that may be worn around a waist. A clasp is removably coupled to the belt. The clasp releasably engages the belt such that the belt forms a closed loop to retain the belt around the waist. The clasp is comprised of a non-metallic material. In this way the clasp may be passed through a metal detector without triggering the metal detector.

A nonmetallic belt buckle assembly for facilitating a belt and buckle to be worn while passing through a metal detector includes a belt that may be worn around a waist. A clasp is removably coupled to the belt. The clasp releasably engages the belt such that the belt forms a closed loop to retain the belt around the waist. The clasp is comprised of a non-metallic material. In this way the clasp may be passed through a metal detector without triggering the metal detector.

Disclosed is a belt buckle including a surround and an ornamental plate arranged in an interior space defined by the surround. The ornamental plate is connected to the surround by a pivot that allows the ornamental plate to be reversed within the surround. The buckle includes a lock to hold the ornamental plate in position with respect to the surround in a first position that exposes a first face of the ornamental plate via an open upper face of the surround, and in a second position that exposes a second face of the ornamental plate via the open upper face of the surround. The lock includes a first element projecting along an edge face of the ornamental plate and a second element projecting on an interior edge of the surround and which are configured to lock together mechanically. Also disclosed is a belt including such a buckle.

Disclosed is a belt buckle including a surround and an ornamental plate arranged in an interior space defined by the surround. The ornamental plate is connected to the surround by a pivot that allows the ornamental plate to be reversed within the surround. The buckle includes a lock to hold the ornamental plate in position with respect to the surround in a first position that exposes a first face of the ornamental plate via an open upper face of the surround, and in a second position that exposes a second face of the ornamental plate via the open upper face of the surround. The lock includes a first element projecting along an edge face of the ornamental plate and a second element projecting on an interior edge of the surround and which are configured to lock together mechanically. Also disclosed is a belt including such a buckle.

An adjustable connector strap may include two interlocking bodies, wherein one body includes a plurality of teeth located along opposing edges, and the other body includes a plurality of notches located along opposing edges. The user may select the number of teeth that are mated with the notches to adjust the size of the strap. The use of interlocking teeth and notches along the opposed edges of the strap bodies may enhances the ability of the strap to maintain its interlocking strength during tension loads. The teeth and notch engagement may also allow a user to quickly engage or disengage the strap bodies, thereby enhancing the ease-of-use of the strap.

This disclosure relates to modular locking connectors that enable discrete and fully separate components to be easily, quickly, and interchangeably connected together to result in a fully functional buoyancy compensator device. These separate components may include shoulders, waistbands, back panels, bladders or other buoyancy chambers, pockets including those for ballasting weights, and accessories such as knives, lights, signaling devices and the like.

This disclosure relates to modular locking connectors that enable discrete and fully separate components to be easily, quickly, and interchangeably connected together to result in a fully functional buoyancy compensator device. These separate components may include shoulders, waistbands, back panels, bladders or other buoyancy chambers, pockets including those for ballasting weights, and accessories such as knives, lights, signaling devices and the like.

This disclosure relates to tank wedge connectors to support cylindrical objects, for example to support scuba tanks, particularly designed for use in underwater operations on swimming and diving gear. An embodiment of the tank wedge connectors includes arranging the tank wedge connectors in an opposing pair, forming a cradle. Another embodiment of the disclosed tank wedge connectors includes a rail component which the wedge connectors can slide on to separate and expand, with one of the rails including detents for the wedges to be positioned and fixed at a desired spacing. A third embodiment of these tank wedge connectors includes being mounted to a flexible surface which allows the connectors to conform to cylindrical objects of varying radii.

This disclosure relates to a modular cord connector that enables two cords to connect together and release. An embodiment of this cord connector disclosure is designed for use on cords integral to a gas release on buoyancy compensator devices. The preferred embodiment of this cord connector, shown for use on a buoyancy compensator device, includes modular male and female portions which include a T-shaped post on the male portion and a pathway with detents configured to retain the male portion when engaged with the female portion.