SLIDE RELEASE BUCKLE WITH INCENDIARY IMPLEMENTS

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel incendiary device with a fire starter and a quick release slide buckle wherein sparking and ignition means reside in the buckle apparatus, and which buckle may be attached to clothing, backpacks or any other item a quick release slide buckle may be utilized. One portion of the buckle houses a sparking and combustible material, and the other is a mating side of a quick release buckle. Adding a fire starter to a quick release buckle is a novel tool for any outdoor activity that requires fire ignition.

Claims

1-7. (canceled)

8. A method for creating a spark, the method comprising: providing a quick release slide buckle having a sparking and ignition device housed only within a first side of the quick release slide buckle, rotating a spark wheel of the sparking and ignition device about an axis; and creating a spark, wherein the axis is parallel to an axis extending along a width of the first side of the quick release slide buckle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: biasing a ferrocerium rod against the spark wheel with a spring such that the spring provides sufficient force for the ferrocerium rod and the spark wheel to create the spark when the spark wheel is rotated.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising projecting the spark to an item to be ignited.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising rotating the spark wheel with a thumb or finger.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising attaching the quick release slide buckle to clothing or equipment.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the sparking and ignition device provides an internal force configured to generate the spark when the spark wheel is rotated.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising seating the first side of the quick release slide buckle in a second side of the quick release slide buckle to conceal the sparking and ignition device in the quick release slide buckle.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the sparking and ignition device comprise the spark wheel, a sparking element, and a spring.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the first side is a male portion having a male portion center, the sparking and ignition device housed within the male portion center.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the male portion further comprises two snap support pieces, wherein the male portion center and sparking and ignition device are centered between the two snap support pieces.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the spark wheel is the same as a height of the male portion center and less than the height of the male portion.

19. A buckle comprising: a quick release slide buckle having a first side configured to releasably couple to a second side; and a sparking and ignition device having a spark wheel with a rotation axis, wherein the sparking and ignition device is housed only with the first side of the quick release slide buckle, and wherein the rotation axis is parallel to an axis extending along a width of the first side of the quick release slide buckle.

20. The buckle of claim 19, the sparking and ignition device further comprising a ferrocerium rod biased against the spark wheel, the ferrocerium rod housed within a cavity of the first side.

21. The buckle of claim 19, wherein the sparking and ignition device is configured to be concealed when the first side is coupled to the second side.

22. The buckle of claim 19, wherein the first side is a male portion having a male portion center, the sparking and ignition device housed within a cavity of the male portion center, and wherein the male portion center and sparking and ignition device are centered between two snap support pieces.

23. The buckle of claim 22, wherein a diameter of the spark wheel is the same as a height of the male portion center and less than the height of the male portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention is described in further detail by reference to six (6) drawings sufficient in detail to describe the invention in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a top view of current embodiment of the slide release buckle with integrated fire starting components. The assembly has features for webbing which are typical for buckle application in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the complete quick release buckle assembly, both female and male portions;

[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective top side view of the male side of the quick release buckle with integrated fire starter components, namely spark wheel, ferrocerium rod, and spring.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a top side view of the male portion of the buckle with sparking assembly;

[0015] FIG. 5 is an orthographic section view of FIG. 4 showing the internal assembly of the sparking generating components and side view of the male portion of the buckle; and

[0016] FIG. 6 is an illustration of the center male piece containing the spark and flint means wherein the spark means are detachable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION, INCLUDING BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an improved construction of a quick release buckle with single sided fire starting components as part of a greater assembly. The female portion of the buckle 20 slides over the male portion 30. In this illustration, when the buckle assembly is fully seated, the sparking or combustible material is concealed by the female portion 20. This illustrates a preferred embodiment, but the buckle form can include obvious variations which may be germane to buckles purposed for affixing two ends or sides of an item together.

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded assembly of the improved construction of a single sided quick release buckle with fire starting components. The sparking wheel 40 is housed at the end of the male connector portion 30 centered between two snap support pieces 50. The female portion 20 is shown with release tabs 60 and affixing points 70.

[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded assembly of the improved fire starting quick release buckle. The spark wheel 40 is attached to the male portion center 30 and makes contact with the ferrocerium rod 80. A spring 90 connects to the male portion center 30 and to the rod and wheel wherein the spring provides sufficient force for the ferrocerium rod and spark wheel to create spark when the spark wheel is turned with adequate speed.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a simple top view of the male portion 30 of the buckle with the spark wheel 40 and affixing point 70.

[0021] FIG. 5 is a section view in a third angle orthographic projection showing the male end of the buckle 30 with the sparking wheel 40 connected to the ferrocerium rod 80 and spring 90. In this form the incendiary capabilities of the buckle are enabled.

[0022] FIG. 6 is an illustration of the center male piece 30 wherein the spark and flint portion 100 is detachable so a user may remove and replace the spark and flint portion. The spark and flint portion is simply snapped into the male center of the buckle between the two snap support portions 50.

[0023] Another embodiment can provide for a small tank of butane or other flammable matter situated in one side of the buckle to assist in the spark wheel and flint method so as to provide just enough fuel for flame while not impeding the buckle connection or making the buckle so oversized as to be cumbersome. While current embodiments of the quick release buckle with single sided fire starting components have been disclosed herein in reasonable detail, it should be noted that minor modifications and variations thereto do not obviate the present invention.