US Patent 7181808 Buckle or clasp

A fastener is adapted to retain one or more holes of a belt or strap beneath a belt frame without passing through the frame. The fastener comprises primarily a frame and a back plate, coupled together for relative rotational movement about an axis parallel to the axial orientation of the strap. The frame also serves as a biasing member to engage a latch mechanism. The back plate anchors the member-to-be-secured, if it is a belt. Otherwise, if the member-to-be-secured is a strap to, for example, close a pocket, then the back plate is mounted to the body on which the pocket is mounted, such as a purse or a piece of luggage. A faux tongue gives the appearance of a known buckle, but the faux tongue does not pass through the belt or strap.