Abstract: An adjustable seat belt system having a plurality of anchor fittings where one or more anchoring slide block fittings comprise a gear mounted to the anchoring slide block for positioning the anchoring slide block along a track by a manual rotation device or electric motor for rotating the gear interacting with a rack located on the track. The anchoring slide block fitting can also be repositioned by rotating a screw which repositions the anchor. A double-pole double-throw switch is activated to energize the motor to move the block to a selected position.

Abstract: A structural control locking means for a safety belt retractor having a belt storage spool rotatably mounted on a shaft, the spool having a programming ratchet and a locking ratchet, each ratchet having a respective equal plurality of teeth, and a programming pawl and a locking pawl for preventing spool rotation when engaged with the respective ratchet teeth. The structural control locking means preferably comprises the provision of an actuator means for initiating movement of the programming pawl into engagement with the teeth of the programming ratchet, an inertia sensor means for moving the actuator means and a control means. The control means includes a pawl mounting means for mounting the programming pawl and a driving means for drivingly engaging the locking pawl with the locking ratchet.

Abstract: An improvement to ratchet wheels having a releasable pawl for engaging the ratchet wheel to prevent rotation thereof so as to allow release of the pawl from engagement with the ratchet wheel at a lower force. The pawl is in two parts hingedly joined together for movement between a locked position in an over-the-center state and a released position where the pawl is free to flex. A cam disc is operably connected to the pawl to move the pawl to the released position. In the absence of pressure from the cam disc, the pawl returns to the locked state from gravity and/or a spring member.

Abstract: A vehicle is equipped with a knee bolster for restraining an adult passenger's lower torso within a seat during emergency conditions, and a chest belt having one end wound onto an acceleration-sensitive retractor located at the lower, inward side of the seat and a second end releasably-secured to first quick-release means attached to a door or door frame of the vehicle adjacent to the seat for restraining the passenger's upper torso within the seat. A dual mode retractor having both an acceleration-sensitive mode and an automatic-locking mode is providing along with control means for engaging the automatic-locking mode. A second quick-release means is provided at the lower, outward side of the seat for alternative releasably receiving the chest belt lower end. The second quick-release means is provided with switch means for switching the replacement retractor to the automatic-locking mode when the second end of the belt is engaged therewith.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor mechanism for vehicle passengers is described which has an apparatus for selectively relieving belt retractive tension on the passenger. The apparatus may be either manually or automatically engaged at a first extensive position of the belt corresponding to the buckled up position such that, for a single extractive movement of the belt by a first predetermined amount of "slack", the belt is locked against further retractive movement below that position, thereby relieving the retractive tension of the belt on the wearer. Further extensive and retractive movements of the belt beyond the tensionless position and less than a second predetermined amount, such as would result from passenger forward movements to reach controls, etc., result in normal retractive tension in the belt against the passenger until the passenger returns to the buckled up position. The apparatus then "remembers" this position and restores the slack to the wearer.

Abstract: A lightweight, multiple-point, quick-release, safety buckle for body harnesses is disclosed in two preferred embodiments having a pair of shoulder harnesses, a waist belt and a crotch strap having connector ends meeting to engage within the device which has a housing comprised of a plastic cover rotatable relative to a plastic base which encloses a pair of metal plates to form a retaining space for the harness end-connectors and a plurality of cam-actuated pawls to releasably-retain the strap connector ends for their quick-release upon a rotation of the cover, and further, containing a finger-actuated lever to selectively quick-release only one or more of the straps.

Abstract: An apparatus for locking the seat belts of a vehicle against further extensive movement during an emergency. The belt passes through a belt clamp and a roller assembly movable with respect to the clamp. The roller assembly is set to detect inertial forces and/or accelerations of the belt of a predetermined magnitude and to lock against further rotation upon their detection, whereupon further movement of the belt in the extensive direction urges the assembly against the belt clamp, causing it to lock.

Abstract: A safety belt restraint system for restraining a passenger in his automotive vehicle seat has a pair of emergency locking safety belt retractors mounted in relatively close proximity to each other on the vehicle door near a lower portion thereof with a single safety belt strap running therebetween and through associated upper and lower belt guides on the door, there being a single connector fitting mounted in fixed relation to a mid-portion of the strap and being releasably anchored in a conventional safety belt buckle anchor located inboard of the vehicle seat, the retractors having large diameter spools sufficient to wind all of the webbing up adjacent to the vehicle door when the connector is released from the buckle.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant operated device for selectively eliminating the rewinding tension in a seat belt retractor mechanism. The automobile battery is operably coupled to the device, using an occupant controlled switch to a combination limit and reversing switch. The limit switch is coupled to a permanent magnet, d-c, reversing motor. Through reduction gearing, the motor shifts a rod-like member which is adapted to actuate a tension eliminator mechanism within the seat belt retractor between two positions, one in which rewinding tension imparted to the seat belt is allowed, the other in which said tension is eliminated.

Abstract: To enable a semi-trailer or full trailer to back up on a straight path, a remotely controlled locking plunger attached to the fifth wheel of a tractor or converter dolly is extended upwardly to enter a bushing carried by the king pin plate on the bottom of the trailer. The arrangement locks the trailer against pivoting relative to the tractor fifth wheel around the axis of the king pin.

Abstract: A safety belt webbing emergency locking apparatus has clamping means for selectively clamping safety belt webbing against further movement relative to the clamping means and an inertia responsive means for operating the clamping means independently of webbing movement to a webbing clamp position in response to changes in vehicle inertia, the clamping means including a wedge shaped clamp member having a high strength, resilient and high coefficient of friction material provided for engaging the webbing portions to be clamped, biasing means for normally biasing the wedge member toward a webbing clamping position, releasable retaining means for normally holding the wedge member against movement under its bias and tripping means operated in response to changes in vehicle inertia for releasing the retaining means to allow wedge movement under its bias to the webbing clamping position.

Abstract: An integral track vehicle seat structure has a pair of laterally spaced side rails providing seat cushion mounting means, including a seat spring and seat back adjustment mechanism mounted to the side rails, a plurality of floor anchors for securing the side rails to the vehicle frame and an integral track formed integrally of the side rails and floor anchors including relatively adjustable and position lockable upper and lower track members each having an opened box section like configuration which slidably fit in internested, telescoping relation to secure the vehicle seat at all times to the vehicle floor while providing for forward and backward seat adjustment.

Abstract: A passive safety belt system has lap and chest belts with a common connector for releasably connecting inner ends of the belts to a safety belt buckle mounted by a floor anchor strap at a position adjacent the inboard hip of a passenger, outer ends of the belts are anchored in vehicle sensitive inertia retractors mounted on the vehicle door and the lap belt is moved automatically on opening of the vehicle door by lap belt lifting means operatively connected between the vehicle door and portions of the lap belt generally adjacent the door and running to the associated door mounted retractor so that the lap belt is lifted relative the vehicle seat when the door is opened, but allowed to move to its normal position on closing of the vehicle door, the lap belt lifting means being biased to a stowed out of the way position generally adjacent the door when the door is closed.

Abstract: A locking apparatus for use with safety belts of the type protracted and retracted on a spool which is locked by inertia forces in an emergency. The safety belt passes through a clamping assembly which is activated upon sliding movement of the retractor reel from protraction forces in the locked state greater than a pre-established threshold amount.

Abstract: An automatically locking safety belt retractor has a belt storage spool with side mounted ratchet wheels, a locking bar pivotally mounted in the retractor side walls with pawl teeth for engaging the ratchet wheels, a programming ratchet wheel mounted to turn with the spool, a programming pawl and associated vehicle inertia sensor means mounted on the locking bar to cause the programming pawl to engage the programming ratchet wheel in response to actuation of the sensor means, the programming pawl movement imparted by the programming ratchet lifting the locking bar into engagement with the spool ratchet wheels and control means for preventing movement of the programming pawl when the webbing is not protracted to a position of use, the exemplary control means including a webbing sensor arm formed integrally of the programming pawl and shaped to engage webbing build up on the spool inwardly of the spool side ratchet wheel while the programming pawl engages a programming ratchet outwardly of the spool ratchet whe

Abstract: An emergency locking safety belt retractor having a modular locking pawl actuator subassembly for transferring the rotational movement of a webbing storage reel of the retractor to a locking pawl to move the locking pawl from a deactivated to an activated position in engagement with a locking ratchet to prevent further webbing protractive rotation of the reel. The actuator subassembly includes a shiftable housing containing a vehicle inertia sensor which activates a program pawl to engage a program ratchet which transfers the rotation of the storage reel to the subassembly housing and in turn to the locking pawl to lock the reel in response to an emergency condition.

Abstract: A safety belt webbing emergency locking apparatus having one or more wedge shaped clamp members for clamping directly upon the safety belt webbing to prevent further safety belt protraction has biasing means for normally biasing the clamping means to a webbing clamping position, releasable retaining means for normally holding the clamping means in a webbing release position against the bias of the biasing means, vehicle inertia sensor means for sensing changes in vehicle inertia and operating the releasable retaining means to release the clamping means to clamp the webbing under the urging of said biasing means when the sensor means experiences a change in vehicle inertia of more than a predetermined amount and automatically operating reset means for resetting the retaining means after a belt webbing clamping mode whereby the clamping means is moved back to a webbing release position and held in such position against the bias of the biasing means, the automatically operating reset means operating in response

Abstract: An improved dual locking safety belt retractor mechanism is disclosed having a frame, a spool of safety belt webbing rotatably carried with respect to the frame by a reel, the reel being provided with a primary ratchet wheel and a deformable program ratchet wheel. An inertia-activated pawl assembly carries a primary pawl member and a deformable programming pawl for engagement with the ratchet wheels in a programmed manner for preventing false-locking conditions. The pawl assembly is mounted by the shaft of the safety belt webbing reel for limited rotation with respect to the retractor frame between deactivated and activated positions in response to protractive forces exerted on the safety belt.

Abstract: An emergency locking dual spool safety belt retractor having a frame, two belt storage spools rotatably mounted in said frame, a spool locking ratchet on each spool and an inertia sensor for sensing vehicle acceleration or deceleration above a predetermined value is provided with a split pawl locking means for locking the two belt storage spools in response to operation of the inertia sensor wherein resilient means are provided, including a pawl guide positioning the pawl members and cushioning them between the spool ratchets and resilient bushings surrounding ends of the pawl members and guide which penetrate the retractor frame side walls, whereby lockup of both spools by the two separate pawl members is assured even in a false latching condition and when one or the other pawl member engages a ratchet in a tooth to tooth condition, the resiliency of the resilient guide and bushings cooperating to maintain the pawl members in spool locking condition in response to operation of the inertia sensor.

Abstract: A dual spool safety belt retractor having first and second ratchet means on first and second spools, respectively, is provided with an improved dual locking pawl emergency locking means including an action pawl for engaging only the ratchet wheel means of the first spool in response to actuation by inertia sensing means and reaction pawl means separate from the action pawl means for reacting in response to movement of the action pawl on its engagement with the first spool to cause locking of the second spool by the separate reaction pawl. Resilient connecting means are illustrated between the action and reaction pawl means for resiliently urging the reaction pawl into locking engagement with the ratchet wheel of the second spool in a continuing manner to overcome false locking conditions, exemplary embodiments of the resilient connecting means including a flexible linkage, a resilient rubber-like body, a leaf spring, a coil spring and a right angle leaf spring.