Ratchet buckle

Abstract

In the present invention, a lightweight apparatus for secure transport of cargo in cargo compartments, such as those found in trucks and freight trains, is provided. The ratchet buckle has a front reel which receives a cargo strap. The light weight of the ratchet buckle is achieved by the use of a dual purpose detachable ratcheting lever or wrench. The wrench has a wrench head which engages the front reel to tighten the ratchet buckle. The wrench also has a release end which engages a release hole in the ratchet buckle, to disengage the ratcheting mechanism and allow removal of the cargo strap. Additional purposes and advantages are provided herein.

1 . A ratchet buckle comprising:
 a ratchet buckle frame with a front side and a rear side, a top side and a bottom side, a left opposing sidewall and a right opposing sidewall, said left opposing sidewall defining a left ratchet drive plate slit and said right opposing sidewall defining a right ratchet drive plate slit, each opposing sidewall having a front and rear side;   a front reel at said front side of said ratchet buckle frame, said front reel having a cargo strap slot;   a left and right ratchet drive wheel, each having teeth and each being situated around the front reel; and   a ratchet drive plate with left and right wheel engagement members, wherein said left and right wheel engagement members are disposed through the left and right ratchet drive plate slits, respectively, such that the wheel engagement members may engage the teeth of the ratchet drive wheels;   wherein the ratchet drive plate is biased towards the ratchet drive wheels; and   wherein the right wheel engagement member has a right edge and the right ratchet drive wheel has a right face, and the right edge of the right ratchet drive wheel and the right edge of the right wheel engagement member are substantially aligned, thereby providing a substantially even and continuous surface.   
     
     
         2 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the front reel has a central portion between the left and right opposing sidewalls of the ratchet buckle frame, a left portion to the left of the left opposing sidewall, and a right portion to the right of the right opposing sidewall;   the right portion of the front reel defines an annular groove, thereby allowing engagement by a wrench.   
     
     
         3 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a cross plate affixed to the bottom side of said ratchet buckle frame.   
     
     
         4 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the cross plate defines a wrench engagement hole substantially aligned with a curved notch in the ratchet drive plate.   
     
     
         5 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a spring retention nub defining a spring retention hole, wherein said nub protrudes perpendicular to said cross plate and towards the top of said ratchet buckle.   
     
     
         6 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a spring attachment member extending from the rear side of the ratchet drive plate, and aligned with said spring retention hole.   
     
     
         7 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a spring disposed around the spring attachment member and against the spring retention nub, biasing the ratchet drive plate towards the ratchet wheels.   
     
     
         8 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the left portion of the front reel defines a left reel retainer hole extending axially through the reel and the right portion of the front reel defines a right threaded reel retainer hole extending axially through the reel;   a reel retainer fastener is disposed through the left reel retainer hole;   a threaded retainer fastener is disposed through the right threaded reel retainer hole;   the left ratchet wheel is located between the left reel retainer pin and the left opposing sidewall of the ratchet frame; and   the right ratchet wheel is located between the right threaded reel retainer pin and the right opposing sidewall of the ratchet frame.   
     
     
         9 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rear reel at said rear side of said ratchet buckle frame.   
     
     
         10 . A ratchet buckle, comprising:
 a frame having a top side and a bottom side, left and right opposing sidewalls and a front end, each of said left and right opposing sidewalls defining a ratchet drive plate slit;   a front reel disposed at the front end;   a ratchet drive plate having a front side, a rear side, and a right edge, wherein said ratchet drive plate is disposed through said slits in said left and right opposing sidewalls;   left and right ratchet wheels disposed on said front reel, said left and right wheels engaged with said ratchet drive plate, and said right wheel having a right face;   a ratchet wrench comprising:
 a shaft with a wrenching end and a release end, a length and a width; 
 a wrenching head at said wrenching end; 
 a release protrusion at said release end; and 
 a spring loaded tooth engagement member extending from and perpendicular to the shaft, wherein said spring loaded member is located at the wrenching end and is near the grasping head; 
   wherein said right edge of said ratchet drive plate is substantially aligned with the right face of the right wheel, thereby providing a flush surface to allow operation of an engaged wrench.   
     
     
         11 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the front reel has a central portion between the left and right opposing sidewalls of the ratchet buckle frame, a left portion to the left of the left opposing sidewall, and a right portion to the right of the right opposing sidewall;   the front reel defines an annular groove, thereby allowing engagement by a wrench.   
     
     
         12 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a cross plate affixed to the bottom side of said ratchet buckle frame.   
     
     
         13 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the cross plate defines a wrench engagement hole substantially aligned with a curved notch in the ratchet drive plate.   
     
     
         14 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a spring retention nub defining a spring retention hole, wherein said nub protrudes perpendicular to said cross plate, extending towards the top of said ratchet buckle.   
     
     
         15 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a spring attachment member extending from the rear side of the ratchet drive plate, and aligned with said spring retention hole; and   a spring disposed around the spring attachment member and against the spring retention nub, biasing the ratchet drive plate towards the ratchet wheels.   
     
     
         16 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a pair of L-shaped reel gripping portions disposed at the wrenching head for locking around the front reel;   a pair of spring loaded nubs set into the wrenching head, said nubs biased towards the gripping portions, said spring loaded nubs capable of releasably retaining the pair of L-shaped reel gripping portions in a locked position.   
     
     
         17 . The ratchet buckle of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the left portion of the front reel defines a left reel retainer hole extending axially through the reel and the right portion of the front reel defines a right threaded reel retainer hole extending axially through the reel;   a reel retainer fastener is disposed through the left reel retainer hole;   a threaded retainer fastener is disposed through the right threaded reel retainer hole;   the left ratchet wheel is located between the left reel retainer pin and the left opposing sidewall of the ratchet frame; and   the right ratchet wheel is located between the right threaded reel retainer pin and the right opposing sidewall of the ratchet frame.   
     
     
         18 . A method of operating a cargo buckle, comprising:
 providing a securing strap;   providing a ratchet buckle and wrench combination comprising:
 a frame having left and right opposing sidewalls and having a front end, each of said left and right opposing sidewalls defining a ratchet drive plate slit; 
 a front reel disposed at the front end, said front reel having an annular groove; 
 a ratchet drive plate having a right edge, wherein said ratchet drive plate is disposed through said slits in said left and right opposing sidewalls; 
 left and right ratchet wheels disposed on said front reel, said left and right wheels engaged with said ratchet drive plate, and said right wheel having a right face; 
 a shaft with a wrenching end and a release end, a length and a width; 
 a wrenching head at said wrenching end; 
 a conical release protrusion at said release end; and 
 a spring loaded tooth engagement member extending from and perpendicular to the shaft, wherein said spring loaded member is located at the wrenching end and is near the grasping head; 
 wherein said right edge of said ratchet drive plate is substantially aligned with the right face of the right wheel, thereby providing a flush surface to allow operation of an engaged wrench; 
   sliding the strap through said slit in said front reel;   engaging said wrench with said annular depression such that said spring loaded member engages a tooth on one of the ratchet wheels;   driving said wrench to rotate said front wheel, thereby drawing the strap towards the buckle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 repeatedly torquing said wrench until the strap reaches a desired tightness.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 inserting the release protrusion of the wrench into a wrench engagement hole in a cross plate;   rotating the wrench to force the ratchet drive plate to disengage from the ratchet wheels; and   unwinding the strap is removed from the buckle.