Interchangeable Belt Buckles

Abstract

A belt buckle with a window on the outer face of a main body for receiving a replaceable cover for displaying a distinctive emblem, logo, symbol or image, and which can be readily replaced. Included as well is a simple mechanical arrangement using a rotatable bar having a cam-like protuberance for locking the cover in place and allowing for a simple method of replacing the cover.

1 . A belt buckle comprising:
 a main body with an upper face, a lower face, side edges, and a pair of spaced extensions perpendicular to said main body adjacent a front end thereof that flank a space where said belt will slide;   said main body having a curved pin that extends downwards from a rear end of said main body, said curved pin adapted to go through a hole in the belt and thus keep the belt at a proper tension;   said main body having a window on said upper face configured to receive a replaceable cover having a distinctive emblem, logo, symbol or image;   said main body having an internal groove adjacent a front edge in a lower face of said window to receive a front edge of said cover allowing said cover to be rotated up and under said window, and a mechanism for fixing a rear edge of the cover in place under said window; and   said mechanism comprising a rotatable lock consisting of a bar with a cam-shaped protrusion designed to keep said cover fixed and coupled to the main body, said rotating lock having a recess to secure a rear edge of said cover in said window.   
     
     
         2 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The belt buckle of  claim 1  in which said rotatable lock has an inclined crescent-shaped cavity adjacent a rear edge of said cover adapted to receive pressure to release said rotatable lock for rotation to permit removal and replacement of said cover; and
 whereby said cover may be readily removed and replaced by another cover of different design. 
 
     
     
         8 . The belt buckle of  claim 7  in which said main body has beveled edges surrounding said window. 
     
     
         9 . The belt buckle of  claim 7  which is made of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, titanium, gold, white gold, stainless steel, brass, bronze, zamak, iron, woven steel, synthetic or natural animal skins, wood, textile products, plastics, gums, rubber, rubber combined with metal, and compounds derived from petroleum. 
     
     
         10 . A method of making and using a belt buckle comprising the steps of:
 forming a main body with an upper face, a lower face, side edges, and a pair of spaced extensions perpendicular to said main body adjacent a front end thereof that flank a space where said belt will slide;   providing said main body with a curved pin that extends downwards from a rear end of said main body;   providing said main body with a window on said upper face configured to receive a replaceable cover having a distinctive emblem, logo, symbol or image;   providing said main body with an internal groove near a front edge in a lower face of said window to receive a front edge of said cover and rotating said cover up and under said window, and using a mechanism to fix a rear edge of the cover in place under said window; and   pushing said curved pin through a hole in the belt extending through said flanked space to keep the belt at a proper tension.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  in which said mechanism comprises a rotatable lock consisting of a bar with a cam-shaped protuberance coupled by a bolt for rotation on said main body and said protuberance pressing a fixed pin fastened transversely to said main body, said rotating lock having a recess to secure a rear edge of said cover in said window. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  in which a screw driver or other tool is used to apply pressure on an inclined crescent-shaped cavity on a free edge of said bar fixing a rear edge of said cover to release said rotatable lock for rotation to permit removal and replacement of said cover; and
 removing and replacing said cover with a cover of different design. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  in which said main body is provided with beveled edges surrounding said window. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  in which said cover is made of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum, titanium, gold, white gold, stainless steel, brass, bronze, zamak, iron, woven steel, synthetic or natural animal skins, wood, textile products, plastics, gums, rubber, rubber combined with metal, and compounds derived from petroleum.