Survival Buckle

Abstract

A survival buckle is disclosed which is durable, easy to use, safe, and can provide the necessary spark to create a fire in almost any setting. The male buckle member comprises a flint cartridge positioned on the center guide rod, and the female buckle member comprises a striking pad. To create a spark, the user will separate the male buckle member from the female buckle member, secure the male buckle member in one hand, secure the female buckle member in the other hand, and strike the flint cartridge against the striking pad in an outward motion. The impact from the flint cartridge causes a portion of the striking pad, heated by friction, to react with oxygen from the atmosphere and create a spark.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A survival buckle comprising:
 a female buckle member and a male buckle member releasably connectable to said female buckle member;   said male buckle member having a base, a center guide rod forwardly extending from said base, and two spring arms equally spaced from said center guide rod and forwardly extending from said base, said spring arms terminating with retaining hooks at their front ends;   said female buckle member having a hollow body, front aperture, and two side apertures which hold and secure said spring arm retaining hooks when said male buckle member is slideably inserted into said female buckle member;   said center guide rod having an attached flint cartridge on its top side positioned such that said flint cartridge does not contact said female buckle member when said male buckle member is slideably inserted into said female buckle member; and   said female buckle member having a striking pad;   wherein a spark is created when said flint cartridge strikes said striking pad.   
     
     
         2 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a groove on said top side of said center guide rod;   a locking mechanism at the base end of said center guide rod;   a replaceable flint cartridge adapted to slidably engage and be retained by said groove and said locking mechanism.   
     
     
         3 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said striking pad is located on either the top side, the bottom side, the left side, or the right side of said female buckle member. 
     
     
         4 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said striking pad is positioned to be flush with an edge of said female buckle member. 
     
     
         5 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said striking pad is positioned to protrude over an edge of said female buckle member. 
     
     
         6 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein the female buckle member is made of steel and operates as a striking pad. 
     
     
         7 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said female buckle member further comprises a compartment having a compartment door and a rubber seal to secure the contents of said compartment when said compartment door is closed. 
     
     
         8 . The survival buckle of  claim 7 , wherein said compartment door further comprises an openable top side of the female buckle member. 
     
     
         9 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , further comprising a compass located on the female buckle member opposite said compartment door. 
     
     
         10 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said male and female members further comprise strap apertures adapted to retain a belt or strap. 
     
     
         11 . The survival buckle of  claim 10 , wherein said male and female buckle members are attached to opposing ends of a strap using said strap apertures to create a bracelet or necklace. 
     
     
         12 . The survival buckle of  claim 11 , wherein said bracelet comprises intertwined rope which can be unbound for survival purposes. 
     
     
         13 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said male and female buckle members are incurvate. 
     
     
         14 . The survival buckle of  claim 1 , wherein said center guide rod is entirely made of a replaceable flint cartridge. 
     
     
         15 . A method for creating a spark using a survival buckle, said method comprising the steps of:
 separating a female buckle member and a male buckle member releasably connectable to said female buckle member;   securing said male buckle member in one hand, said male buckle member having a base, a center guide rod forwardly extending from said base, and two spring arms equally spaced from said center guide rod and forwardly extending from said base, said spring arms terminating with retaining hooks at their front ends;   securing said female buckle in the other hand, said female buckle member having a hollow body, front aperture, and two side apertures which hold and secure said spring arm retaining hooks when said male buckle member is slideably inserted into said female buckle member;   orientating said center guide rod such that its top side is exposed, said top side having an attached flint cartridge positioned such that said flint cartridge does not contact said female buckle member when said male buckle member is slideably inserted into said female buckle member; and   orientating said female buckle member such that its top side is exposed, said top side having a striking pad; and   striking said flint against said striking pad such that a portion of the striking pad, heated by the friction of the collision, reacts with the oxygen from the atmosphere, creating a spark.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 releasing a locking mechanism at the base end of said center guide rod;   removing said flint cartridge adapted to slidably engage and be retained by a groove on said top side of said center guide rod and said locking mechanism;   replacing said flint cartridge; and   locking said locking mechanism at the base end of said center guide rod to secure said flint cartridge.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said striking pad is located on either the top side, bottom side, left side, or right side of said female buckle member. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 storing a flammable material within a compartment on said female buckle member, said compartment having a compartment door; and   creating a spark using said flint and striking pad to ignite said flammable material.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 attaching said male and female buckle members to opposing ends of a strap using a strap aperture on said mail and female members; and   slideably inserting said male buckle member relative to said female buckle member, creating a bracelet, said male and female buckle members being incurvate for comfort.   
     
     
         20 . A center release survival buckle comprising:
 a female center buckle member and a male center buckle member releasably connectable to said female center buckle member;   said male center buckle member having a center base and a center tab which forwardly extends from said center base, said center tab having a center tab aperture encapsulating a release arm retained by the bottom side of said center tab aperture;   said female center buckle member having a female center aperture which engages said release arm;   said release arm having an attached center flint cartridge on said bottom side of said center tab aperture; and   said female center buckle member having an attached center strike pad;   wherein a spark is created when said center flint cartridge strikes said center striking pad.