Abstract: A seat belt system which incorporates a seat belt assembly including a buckle and mounting brackets, a tongue, a retractor, and webbed belting is disclosed in combination with a member for collecting a predetermined amount of slack in the system in lieu of its collection by the retractor. The member for collecting slack having a relatively retracted first position and a relatively extended second position and including a feature to urge the member to the first position. The application of an external force of sufficient magnitude causes the member to move to the second position, but when the force is withdrawn, the member returns to the first position. When used in a system which also incorporates a retractor assembly, the seat buckle assembly overcomes the tendency of the system to cinch down on the user.

Abstract: An automatic locking retractor for a vehicle seat belt has a pawl which is held for limited pivoting movement within a floating pawl retention cradle. The cradle is mounted within the frame of the retractor for limited sliding movement within a pair of aligned arcuate slots, the pawl and cradle combination sliding within the slots to permit limited retraction of the seat belt when the pawl is lockingly engaged.

Abstract: An anti-creep bar for holding a web. A seat belt buckle or tongue has a pivotally cam bar which receives a seat belt or web. The cam bar is positioned adjacent a web stop and pinches the web therebetween when in the locked position. A pair of wire springs urge the cam bar to the locked position, but are yieldable to allow the cam bar to pivot away from the web stop when the free end of the web is pulled outwardly.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle has a plastic outer body of a color and style suitable for the intended environment, with a formed steel inner frame having horizontally-spaced upturned sides having two parallel pairs of inturned flanges serving as crush inhibitors, release slide guides, and tongue receiver guides. An upturned frame front flange cooperates with the sides and flanges as a wrack resistor and tongue retainer. The body front has a trough-shaped entrance to admit a latchable tongue, one margin of the entrance being provided by the sloped front of an end-release operating slide. A removable slide front button is curved to assist finding for release. A pivoting latching pawl is spring-urged into latching position, and released by a cam on the slide, with a shallow ramp for ease of intentional release. A tongue ejector holds the pawl in unlatched position when the tongue is out of the buckle.

Abstract: A seat buckle assembly including a buckle and a mounting bracket, a pair of sliding members coupled with one another, and a webbed belt looped through the members and connecting the buckle with the bracket, the sliding members having a first position in which the buckle is in a relatively retracted position and a second position in which the buckle is in a relatively extended position, the assembly including a pair of springs urging the members to the first, retracted position, the application of an external pulling force on the buckle moving the connecting members and buckle against the spring force and into the second, relatively extended position, the connecting members and buckle returning to the first, retracted position upon release of the external force.

Abstract: A belt retraction cam lock having belt retraction locking means disposed between a pivotal top member and a bottom member to lockingly but releasably engage the belt to counterbalance the spring biased retraction spool of an emergency locking belt retractor, and having belt unlocking means also disposed between the top and bottom members for releasing the belt from the locking engagement of the belt retraction locking means when the belt is forcibly tensioned. The belt retraction locking means includes a latitudinally disposed ridge on the base member and a first cam latitudinally disposed on and pivotal about the axis of the pivotal top member, the belt being disposed therebetween, which define a belt locking position when the top member is pivoted to align the ridge and first cam, the belt being pinchingly arrested therebetween.

Abstract: A buckle for receiving a tongue. A pair of helical springs are positioned between a latch and a main body having first slots for receiving one edge of a reinforcement plate pivoted downward depressing the latch springs and snapping into place into a yieldable hook shaped portion. A push button is positioned between the reinforcement plate and the cover having a skirt interferingly extending between the plate and main body securing the assembly together. The plate includes a pair of legs extending on opposite of the tongue mouth and into the main body transferring plate load into the main body of the buckle. The push button includes two legs fitting adjacent and inward of two arms of the latch in turn limiting outward travel of the button legs. An alternate embodiment includes a third leg depending from the plate.

Abstract: A child restraining seat having a harness with an adjuster for controlling harness sizing. In the preferred embodiment, the harness includes a pair of belts fixedly secured to a pad having a downwardly extending tongue lockingly received by a belt buckle secured to the seat between the legs of the child. The opposite ends of the belts extend slidably through the seat back being attached to a moveable bar. A third belt attached to the moveable bar extends forwardly through a slot in the forward portion of the seat and is adjustably received by an adjuster mounted to the front of the seat. The adjuster includes a spring biased cam member for lockingly holding the third belt in place. Alternate embodiments include such a harness assembly having the buckle fixedly secured thereto with a tongue secured to the seat.

Abstract: A child restraining seat having a harness with an adjuster for controlling harness sizing. In the preferred embodiment, the harness includes a pair of belts fixedly secured to a pad having a downwardly extending tongue lockingly received by a belt buckle secured to the seat between the legs of the child. The opposite ends of the belts extend slidably through the seat back being attached to a moveable bar. A third belt attached to the moveable bar extends forwardly through a slot in the forward portion of the seat and is adjustably received by an adjuster mounted to the front of the seat. The adjuster includes a spring biased cam bar for lockingly holding the third belt in place. Alternate embodiments include such a harness assembly having the buckle fixedly secured thereto with a tongue secured to the seat.

Abstract: An automatic belt retractor mounted within a boot having belt retraction locking means mounted within the boot to lockingly but releasably engage the belt to counterbalance the spring bias retraction of the retractor spool. The belt locking means includes a base member with a tongue disposed toward the belt and a moveable member slideably received by the base member also with a tongue disposed toward the belt, the belt being disposed between the base and moveable members. Such members define a belt locking position when their respective tongues are aligned to arrest the belt therebetween, preventing the retractor from cinching up the belt upon repeated momentary loosenings of the tension upon the belt. Concurrently, such moveable member's rigid rod engages the retractor's rotatable cam plate and is operable to rotate such cam plate manually to lock the retractor during all times when the belt locking means are engaged.

Abstract: A buckle for receiving a tongue. A pair of helical springs are positioned between a latch and a main body having first slots for receiving one edge of a reinforcement plate pivoted downward depressing the latch springs and snapping into place into a yieldable hook shaped portion. A push button is positioned between the reinforcement plate and the cover having a skirt interferingly extending between the plate and main body securing the assembly together. The plate includes a pair of legs extending on opposite of the tongue mouth and into the main body transferring plate load into the main body of the buckle. The push button includes two legs fitting adjacent and inward of two arms of the latch in turn limiting outward travel of the button legs. An alternate embodiment includes a third leg depending from the plate.

Abstract: A buckle for receiving a tongue. A pair of helical springs are positioned between the latch and a main body having first slots for receiving one edge of a reinforcement plate which is pivoted downward depressing the latch springs and snapping into place into a yieldable hook shaped portion. A push button is positioned between the reinforcement plate and the cover which has a plurality of downwardly extending hook shaped fingers engaging the plate which secures the cover and main body together.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle having a laminated or reinforcing plate construction. A main body has a cavity in which a spring is positioned. A latch plate located in the cavity has a pair of outwardly extending arms slidably mounted in pair of mutually opposed upright channels mounted in the cavity. The spring abuts the bottom surface of the latch plate forcing the latch plate upwardly to releasably lock in place a seat belt tongue extending through inlet means into the cavity atop the latch plae. A push button is mounted between the main body and a cover fixedly secured to the main body. The push button has outwardly extending legs slidably received in the channels and abutting the arms on the latch plate whereby the push button may be depressed to move the latch plate and spring downwardly releasing the tongue from the buckle. A plate or block is mounted in a recess on the main body with a second plate mounted thereatop.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle and tongue combination with means limiting relative motion between the combination frame and the belt or web attached thereto. A roller bar is slidably mounted to the combination frame with the opposite ends of the bar extending into slots on the frame. A pair of helical springs are positioned in the slots to urge the roller bar toward a stop edge on the frame to secure the web against the stop edge and limit relative motion between the web and the roller bar. A pair of clips secure the springs within the slots.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle having a laminated construction. A main body has a cavity in which a double leaf spring is positioned. A latch plate located in the cavity has a pair of outwardly extending arms slidably mounted in a pair of mutually-opposed upright channels mounted in the cavity. The leaf spring abuts the bottom surface of the latch plate forcing the latch plate upwardly to releasably lock in place a seat belt tongue extending through inlet means into the cavity atop the latch plate. A push button is mounted between the main body and a cover fixedly secured to the main body. The push button has outwardly extending legs slidably received in the channels and abutting the arms on the latch plate whereby the push button may be depressed to move the latch plate and leaf or coil spring downwardly releasing the tongue from the buckle. A first reinforcing plate is mounted in a recess on the main body whereas a second reinforcing plate is mounted in a recess within the cover.