Strap and Handle Assembly

Abstract

A casing 10 provides a handle whereby an item can be carried. Within the casing 10 is a spool 11 on which is wound a strap 13. The strap 13 can be passed around an item to be carried and attached at its free end to the handle. The strap is then tightened around the item to be carried using the thumb wheel 19. To release the strap from the item ratchet wheels 12 on opposite sides of the spool 11 are disengaged by a plate 18 enabling more of the strap to be drawn off the spool. The tab at the free end of the strap and the slots in the handle in which it engages are shaped so that when the tab extends away from the handle (load bearing position) it cannot emerge from the slots.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A strap and handle assembly for portering items of miscellaneous dimensions, comprising a handle, a pair of anchorage points for a strap in spaced relation on the handle, at least one of said points comprising a spool on which the strap can be wound, means biasing the spool to wind the strap to shorten the length of the strap which extends between the anchorage points, locking means to lock the strap at a chosen extension from the spool and means for releasing said locking means to allow the strap to be wound by the biasing means. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly as clamed in  claim 13 , wherein means is provided for manually winding the spool to effect a final tightening of the strap around an item or items to be portered. 
     
     
         15 . An assembly as clamed in  claim 13 , wherein the means for releasing the locking means is a spring biased to its locking position and means i provided for manually withdrawing the locking means to a position unlocking the strap enabling it to be wound onto the spool. 
     
     
         16 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein holding means is provided optionally to hold the locking means in the unlocked position against the action of said spring means. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the holding means is accessible by fingers of the same hand which is holding the handle. 
     
     
         18 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the other of said anchorage points is releasably engageable by a free end of the strap by means of a tab on said free end, the tab having side lugs which engage in respective slots in the handle, the slots opening upwardly of the handle, the slots and lugs having respective shapes such that when the tab is rotated so that the strap extends away from the handle when an item or items is or are being carried the lugs cannot be disengaged from the slots. 
     
     
         19 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said means for manually winding the spool comprises a wheel accessible for manual operation externally of the casing. 
     
     
         20 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said wheel is adapted to rotate the spool through a planetary gear system which rotates the spool more slowly than said wheel. 
     
     
         21 . An assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the biasing means for the spool is a clock spring. 
     
     
         22 . An assembly as clamed in  claim 13 , wherein the spool is integral with a ratchet which cooperates with a pawl releasable to permit movement of the strap only into and not out of the casing. 
     
     
         23 . A strap and handle assembly for portering items: comprising a handle, a pair of anchorage points for a strap in spaced relation on the handle, at least one of said points comprising a spool on which the strap can be wound, a spring biasing the spool to wind the strap to shorten the length of the strap which extends between the anchorage points, a lock to lock the strap at a chosen extension from the spool and release that unlocks said locking in order to allow the strap to be wound by the spring.