Abstract: A seat belt webbing retractor for a vehicle prevents protraction of the webbing when the vehicle undergoes changes in momentum above a predetermined level. The retractor includes a retractor frame, a lockable belt storage reel and associated reel lock actuating means including a lever movable in response to movement of an associated inertia sensing pendulum. The invention includes the improvement of providing a pendulum body which includes a light weight base of cup-like configuration which has two interiorly formed actuator camming surfaces, a hollow cylindrical inertia sensing mass of a material relatively heavier than the base and means for securely attaching the mass to the base with the hollow mass and the apertured base providing a vertical axial bore through the pendulum body.

Abstract: A single continuous loop safety belt harness assembly for a vehicle has a retractor which is attached to a first end of a safety belt harness for retractably storing and adjustably anchoring the safety belt, and which is mounted in a rearward position upon the vehicle door. A belt guide is provided for receiving the belt extending upward from the retractor, and for directing the belt in a downward direction diagonally across the torso of the occupant seated in the vehicle. A second end of the belt is attached to a lower portion of the door by means of an anchor.

Abstract: A safety belt system includes a continuous loop of webbing which is anchored at one end to the vehicle floor and anchored at the other end to the roof or upper part of the vehicle. A buckle is mounted on the other side of the seat from the first-mentioned floor anchor, and a connector which is positionable along the webbing includes a tongue plate which mates with the buckle. The system has been improved by the provision of the combination of including limiting means on the connector for allowing the webbing to pass only in a direction to shorten the portion between the floor anchor and the buckle over the lower torso of the user and to lengthen the portion of the webbing between the retractor and the connector over the upper torso. The retractor is more powerful than a normal retractor to pull the webbing through the limiting means. The retractor may further include a tensionless feature to relieve the force from the retractor on the webbing.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor having a frame, a strap receiving reel mounted for rotation on the frame with the reel being urged into a strap wound position and a pawl having a tab for engaging the teeth of a ratchet wheel. Inertia responsive means are associated with the pawl which is normally biased into a position out of engagement with the wheel, the inertia responsive means being responsive to a first rate of acceleration of the strap off the reel for causing the pawl tab to engage with the teeth.

Abstract: The improved locking pawl mounting is for use in an emergency locking safety belt retractor mechanism wherein a locking pawl is pivotally mounted between a pair of spaced retractor frame sidewalls in position to engage a ratchet wheel locking member provided on the retractor wheel upon being pivoted by emergency responsive means associated with the retractor. The locking pawl mounting comprises a pair of circular bearing surfaces in the retractor frame in axially spaced relation. A pair of circular journal members, each being of a low coefficient friction material, are mounted to the locking pawl and are journaled in the bearing surfaces. Tab means are provided at each end of the locking pawl, and an aperture extends into each of the journal members for mating with the tabs so that rotation of the locking pawl causes corresponding rotation of the journal members.

Abstract: In a continuous loop restraint system wherein one end of a length of webbing is anchored near the vehicle seat and the other end of the webbing is anchored near the roof of the automobile, a releasable anchor for releasably anchoring a central portion of the webbing is provided so that the portion of the webbing from the floor anchor to the releasable anchor becomes a lap belt and the portion from the roof mounted anchor to the releasable anchor becomes a shoulder belt. A retractor is provided for winding one end of the webbing therearound. The webbing can slide relative to the releasable anchor to allow respective webbing sections to be of desired lengths. The restraint system has been improved by providing drive means associated with the releasable anchor for urging the webbing through the releasable anchor toward the retractor so that excess webbing is wound about the retractor and so that the portion of the webbing between the stationary anchor and the releasable anchor is tight.

Abstract: A reel on which seat belts are stored about a rotatable shaft. The reel includes spring means for retracting the belt and a ratchet tooth gear fixed for rotation with the shaft. Upon rapid unreeling of the belt off of the shaft, means which may be inertia responsive activates a pair of lockbars to engage the ratchet tooth gear and stop its rotation. Each lockbar includes a pawl tip and when one of the pawl tips is radially aligned with one of the tooth tips on the gear, the other of the pawl tips is aligned midway between a pair of adjacent gear teeth. When the lockbars are moved into engagement with the ratchet tooth gear, the combination of the two pawl tips and their orientation with respect to the teeth of the gear assures that at least one of the tips will be in proper position to engage the tooth gear should the other tip break off or not engage upon contact with the gear. Differential lever means may be provided for moving the pawl tips into engagement with the gear.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor is provided having a frame, a shaft extending transversely of the frame and journalled for rotation thereon, a reel fixed to the shaft and having one end of a strap secured to the shaft and wound about the reel, the other end of the strap extending outwardly of the frame and means for rewinding the strap onto the reel. At least one ratchet tooth gear is mounted on the shaft and rotatable therewith and a lockbar is also mounted on the frame and has at least one locking pawl adapted to engage the teeth of the gear, the lockbar being movable between positions engaging the teeth and out of engagement therewith. Means are provided for moving the lockbar into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet tooth gear and releasing the lockbar from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet tooth gear upon rewinding of the strap back onto the reel.

Abstract: A child safety seat for use in vehicles is provided with a safety harness mounted to the seat with releasable buckling parts positioned and maintained in a buckle-receiving cavity formed in the child safety seat base beneath the portion thereof a child passenger is seated upon to place and maintain such buckling parts in a generally inaccessible location relative to a child seated in the child safety seat. The buckle-receiving cavity is formed integrally of a pedestal-type base with a forwardly opening aperture having a guide fitting for guiding a crotch strap to the cavity and maintaining one of the buckling parts thereunder and a rear webbing slot for introduction of a strap associated with harness shoulder straps which is connected to a mating buckling part also positioned and maintained within the cavity.

Abstract: A reel on which seat belts are stored about a rotatable shaft. The reel includes spring means for retracting the belt and a ratchet tooth gear fixed for rotation with the shaft. Upon rapid unreeling of the belt off of the shaft, means which may be inertia responsive activates a pair of lockbars to engage the ratchet tooth gear and stop its rotation. Each lockbar includes a pawl tip and when one of the pawl tips is radially aligned with one of the tooth tips on the gear, the other of the pawl tips is aligned midway between a pair of adjacent gear teeth. When the lockbars are moved into engagement with the ratchet tooth gear, the combination of the two pawl tips and their orientation with respect to the teeth of the gear assures that at least one of the tips will be in proper position to engage the tooth gear should the other tip break off or not engage upon contact with the gear. Differential lever means may be provided for moving the pawl tips into engagement with the gear.

Abstract: In an emergency locking safety belt retractor, a locking bar is operated by inertia responsive means which includes an inertia responsive mass and a locking bar for locking with teeth of the ratchet wheel associated with the belt winding wheel of the retractor. The inertia responsive means has been improved by the provision of having resilient means in force transmitting relation between the lock bar and the mass for receiving and storing energy imparted thereto by movement of the mass and for thereby urging the lock bar toward locking engagement with the ratchet wheel through a pawl bounce condition. The pawl bounce condition is defined as the condition that occurs when the lock bar initially bounces off the tooth of the lock wheel before attaining a locking engagement with the wheel. The resilient means may take the form of several different embodiments. In one embodiment, an actuator is mounted between the mass and the lock bar.