Abstract: A web retractor including a spring biased spool upon which is mounted a web. The distal end of the web includes a connector to releasably engage a watercraft to hold the watercraft atop a boat trailer. A release lever is connected to the retractor pawl allowing the spool to rotate and web to be extended. A crank is attached to the spool axle and when engaged rotates the axle to tighten the web. The crank is normally positioned in an unengaged position allowing the spool to rotate without crank movement.

Abstract: A passenger restraining harness and support assembly for use with a bench seat mounted in a vehicle. The bench seat includes a frame having a seat support portion with a front portion and a rear portion, a seatback portion coupled to the seat support portion, and legs or supports anchoring the seat to the vehicle. A harness support assembly includes a tower member with a slotted bottom end pivotally coupled to the rear of the seat support portion, a connecting member having one end adapted to fit into the slot in the tower member and a second end connected to the front of the seat support portion, a belt guide connected to the top of the tower member, and an anchor wing connected to the connecting member. A belt or harness attaches to the support assembly.

Abstract: A clamp for adjusting the length of a seatbelt. The clamp is moveable along a track between first and second endstops. The clamp includes a slider coupled to the track and a housing that is slidable relative to the slider. Sliding the housing to the locked position results in the clamping of the seatbelt between a groove of the slider and the edge of a pivotal locking bar. The clamp is secured to the seatbelt at the first endstop. Subsequent movement by the passenger results in the clamp moving along the track. Upon reseating by the passenger, the clamp will be supported at a support position intermediate of the first and second endstops, resulting in increased slack in-the shoulder portion of the seatbelt, reduced tension in the shoulder portion, and increased comfort for the passenger.

Abstract: A rotary coupling to attach an infant seat to the passenger seat of a vehicle. This invention is a child-restraining device for mounting in the passenger seat of a vehicle that has at least one rigid member fixedly mounted in the bite between the passenger seat's seat portion and back portion. In particular, the child-restraining device of this invention has a child seat and at least one rotary coupling to attach the child seat to the rigid member. The rotary coupling is characterized by: a rigid hollow cylinder with two notches in one end, a piston that slides back and forth inside the cylinder, a spring to push the piston toward the notches; a means to prevent the piston from sliding out of the cylinder, and a means to attach the rotary coupling to the child seat. The coupling is operated by pushing the piston back within the cylinder and placing the rigid member in the cylinder's notches.

Abstract: A web retractor including a spring biased spool upon which is mounted a web. The distal end of the web includes a connector to releasably engage a watercraft to hold the watercraft atop a boat trailer. A release lever is connected to the retractor pawl allowing the spool to rotate and web to be extended. A crank is attached to the spool axle and when engaged rotates the axle to tighten the web. The crank is normally positioned in an unengaged position allowing the spool to rotate without crank movement.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant restraint having an adjustable web tether utilizes a first section of webbing that is tautly positioned between the vehicle floor and an upper mounting location. A second section of webbing extends from a floor-mounted (or wall- or seat-mounted) emergency locking retractor (ELR) and through a turning point at the upper mounting location, after which the second webbing section transitions to a shoulder belt for the occupant. In order to provide a pivot point for the shoulder belt, an adjustable web tether is mounted to the first webbing section and captures the second webbing section in sliding engagement by means of a ring. The ring of the web tether therefore provides a pivot point for the shoulder strap. The vertical position of the web tether upon the first webbing section is adjustable, so that the height of the shoulder strap pivot point, and therefore the trajectory of the shoulder strap across the occupant, is adjustable.

Abstract: A buckle tongue combination having a dual release for unlocking the tongue from the buckle. In the preferred embodiment, a spring bias slide cover mounted to the housing extends over a push button depressible to force a locking pawl apart from the tongue unlocking the tongue from the buckle. In an alternate embodiment, a button lock extends partially over and beneath the push button and between the pawl and housing bottom wall. A spring normally urges the button lock against the push button limiting movement of the button but is yieldable to allow the button lock to be moved apart from the button.

Abstract: A seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant includes a left webbing having a shoulder portion and a lap portion separated by a tongue assembly, a right webbing having a shoulder portion and a lap portion separated by a right tongue assembly, and a buckle for receiving each of the tongue assemblies. Each tongue assembly includes a tongue defining a latch plate and a webbing slot. In addition, the tongue assemblies include a webbing guide having a channel extending from the top of the webbing assembly to adjacent the slot, the channel maintaining the tongue in substantial alignment with the shoulder portion of the webbing.

Abstract: A quick disconnect connector mountable to a pair of shoulder webs on a child seat. The connectors each include a pair of aligned slots slidably receiving a shoulder web. The first connector has three cantilevered arms extendable into a cavity in the second connector. Two of the arms are contactable against a cantilevered movable web lock on the second connector. The third arm includes a ledge lockable against a stop edge on the second connector. The web lock has a distal end movable downwardly beneath the other two arms locking the second web in place when the connectors are mated and locked together.

Abstract: A child restraint system for use in a vehicle. The restraint includes a harness having a pair of webs extending over and adjacent the child's chest and through a pair of soft socks adjustable along the length of each web. The bottom of each sock includes a rigid base having a slot through which the web extends limiting twisting movement of each web. A quick disconnect connector is pivotally connected to each base allowing the webs extending through the socks to conformingly fit against the child while lateral movement of the webs is limited.

Abstract: A dual tongue buckle includes a single latch member and a single ejection member housed within a buckle main body, and a pair of tongue members that are slidable relative to each other. When the first tongue is advanced sufficiently into the buckle main body over the latch member, the tongue forces the ejection member to rotate away from that side of the latch member allowing the latch member to lock to the first tongue, while the opposite end of the ejection member maintains the opposite end of the latch member in a pre-latched position. When the second tongue is advanced sufficiently into the buckle main body, it forces the opposite end of the ejection member away from the latching member to thereby lock the second tongue thereto. A releasing member depresses the latch member so that the ejection member at least partially ejects any of the tongue members latched therein from the buckle main body.

Abstract: A retractor for controlling the withdrawal of a belt therefrom actuated by movement of a locking bar extension. The retractor frame having a spring biased rotatably mounted spool wrappingly receives one end of the belt harness, the opposite end of the belt harness having fixed thereto either a buckle or a buckle tongue. Attached to a seat is a pivoting crotch stalk including either a buckle or a buckle tongue that receives the corresponding mating part of the buckle tongue combination which is attached to the buckle harness. A locking bar with attached extension is engageable with the ratchet shaped end plates of the spool to prevent further withdrawal of the belt harness. The pivoting crotch stalk engages the extension causing movement of the locking bar into contact with the ratchet shaped end placed, thereby preventing the spool from rotating to allow any further withdrawal of the belt harness.

Abstract: A restraint system for use in a vehicle for the restraint of an occupant. The system is comprised of a three point belt assembly wherein the anchor for the shoulder strap is pivotably mounted and laterally adjustable. The system includes a housing mounted atop a vehicle seat with a drive shaft rotatably mounted to the housing and threadably engaged with a post. A belt guide is pivotable mounted to the post.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for securing a child seat to a vehicle passenger seat. A web has opposite ends with buckles mounted thereto lockingly engageable with tongues extending from the vehicle passenger seat. The web extends into a tube rotatably mounted to the child seat preventing twisting of the web. The child seat may face forward or rearward with the webs attached to the child seat being pivotable to accommodate same. Alternate embodiments include the mounting of the web to the child seat by a plate, by pivoting brackets and by extending the web through holes provided in the child seat side walls.

Abstract: An anti-cinch automatic locking retractor. A web spool is rotatably mounted between a pair of upstanding walls. The spool includes a pair of flanges each having a plurality of locking teeth with the teeth spaced apart by an included angle. A pawl is pivotally mounted to the walls and is lockingly engagable with the teeth. A cam plate mounted adjacent the spool and rotatable therewith includes a cam surface extending through an angle greater than the teeth included angle to limit cinching of the web spool as the spool rotates to and from the locking position and through the included angle. A cam release rotatably mounted to the upstanding walls limits movement of the cam plate.

Abstract: A restraint system for moving a vehicle seat and occupant toward the vehicle floor. A fluid cylinder pivotally mounted to the floor has an extendable piston rod connected to a linkage mounted to the vehicle seat. A three point belt assembly mounted to the seat is connected to the cylinder rod. Retraction of the cylinder rod pretensions or tightens the three point buckle assembly and subsequently moves the seat towards the vehicle floor.