Abstract: A retractable tie-down assembly that enables a transportable item to be secured on a trailer. The retractable tie-down assembly is assembled about a frame that is permanently attached to the trailer. Webbing or other strap material has one end which is attached to a spool that is rotatably mounted to the frame. The spool includes a pair of side walls which are formed in the shape of ratchet wheels. A handle is movably mounted on the frame and includes a pawl that is engageable with the ratchet wheels and capable of rotating the ratchet wheels and spool in its retracting direction to take up webbing onto the spool and tighten the same. The retractable tie-down assembly also includes a lock that is capable of locking the spool against rotation in its pay out direction.

Abstract: A passenger restraint with an automatic locking tether. A three point belt assembly includes a retractor mounted to the vehicle with the belt extendable therefrom having an outer end attached to a bracket movably mounted to a first automatic locking tether. A buckle mounted to the opposite side of the seat is movably mounted to a second automatic locking tether secured to the seat. Both tethers include a cam member pivotally mounted thereto having a locking pad movable against a web extending into the tether. One end of the web is fastened to the vehicle whereas the opposite end of the web is attached to a spring biased reel. A spring urges the pad apart from the web allowing for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the seat. Passenger loading during a crash moves the cam member with pad against the web anchoring the tether and seat to the vehicle floor via the web.

Abstract: A passenger restraint with an automatic locking tether. A three point belt assembly includes a retractor mounted to the vehicle with the belt extendable therefrom having an outer end attached to a bracket movably mounted to a first automatic locking tether. A buckle mounted to the opposite side of the seat is movably mounted to a second automatic locking tether secured to the seat. Both tethers include a cam member pivotally mounted thereto having a locking pad movable against a web extending into the tether. One end of the web is fastened to the vehicle floor whereas the opposite end of the web is attached to a spring biased reel. A spring urges the pad apart from the web allowing for vertical and horizontal adjustment of the seat. Passenger loading during a crash moves the cam member with pad against the web anchoring the tether and seat to the vehicle floor via the web.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle with ejector module and tongue stop. The buckle includes a ejector module assembly including a pair of ejector members or a single ejector member spring biased outwardly atop a pawl preventing the pawl from engaging the tongue. The buckle includes an opening through which the tongue is inserted contacting the ejector member or ejector members moving the members apart from the pawl allowing the pawl to latch to the tongue. The ejector module assembly includes a housing containing the ejector members and further includes a pair of helical springs urging the members outwardly. The ejector module assembly is mounted as a unit atop pegs extending upwardly from the buckle main body cavity. A pair of legs extend downwardly from a reinforcement plate located between the buckle main body and cover forming a pair of guides and stop surfaces for limiting movement of the tongue relative to the buckle.

Abstract: A three-point belt assembly is mounted to the seat frame removably mounted to a vehicle. The upper portion of the belt extends through a guide having a tongue thereon releasably lockable with a buckle mounted to the vehicle frame above the seat. In one embodiment, the guide tongue is pivotally constructed to facilitate swinging movement of the belt whereas in an alternate embodiment, the buckle is pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame above the seat facilitating pivotal web movement.

Abstract: A low profile web adjuster for securing a web. A seat includes a harness, one end of which extends through a web adjuster mounted to the seat. A pivot cam on the adjuster is operable to lockingly engage one end of the harness. In the preferred embodiment, the cam is moved by pulling a control member having a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam member at a location to force the cam member apart from the web. Under normal loading, the cam member contacts and holds the web against the base wall of the adjuster and under high loading also holds the web against an upraised rib on the base wall.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle with a pair of buckle tongues. The buckle includes a spring mechanism movable within the buckle housing from a position blocking engagement of a latch when a single tongue is inserted to a position away from the latch when both tongues are inserted allowing the latch to engage the tongues. In one embodiment, a latch indicator is slidably mounted to the buckle push button in the buckle cover and includes a lower end contacting the latch. The indicator is movable from a position flush with the buckle push button when the latch is not engaged with the tongues to an upraised position over the button when the latch moves up and engages the tongues. The tongues have mating portions, but are separable.

Abstract: A quick disconnect connector. A female member includes an outwardly opening cavity formed by four integrally formed sidwalls. A male member is insertable into the cavity and includes a pair of flexible spring biased arms releasably lockable and extendable into a pair of slots formed in the sidewalls of the female member. Ramps formed on the flexible arms are arranged relative to the slot edges to force the arms inwardly apart from the sidewalls to unlock therefrom when oppositely directed forces are applied to the opposite ends of the male member and female member. Cooperating guide means formed internally on the sidewalls and on a center post cantileveredly mounted to the male member guide the male member relative to the female member. Slots formed in the opposite ends of the male member and female member mountingly receive belts arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the male member and female member.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle with a pair of buckle tongues. The buckle includes a spring mechanism slidably movable within the buckle housing from a position blocking engagement of a latch when a single tongue is inserted to a position away from the latch when both tongues are inserted allowing the latch to engage the tongues. In one embodiment, a latch indicator is slidably mounted to the buckle push button in the buckle cover and includes a lower end contacting the latch. The indicator is movable from a position flush with the buckle push button when the latch is not engaged with the tongues to an upraised position over the button when the latch moves up and engages the tongues. The tongues have mating portions, but are separable.

Abstract: An adjustable lock infant seat. An infant seat positionable atop an automobile seat, includes a seat belt buckle mounted to the bottom or seat portion of the infant seat. The buckle is lockingly engageable with a tongue slidably mounted to a belt having opposite ends extending through a lower pair of slots or an upper pair of slots extending through the back support of the infant seat. One belt end is fastened to a buckle located on the rearward surface of the back support whereas the opposite belt end extends through a releasably lockable adjuster mounted to the back support. By extending the belt either through the upper or lower slots and by operation of the adjuster, the belt may be sized to fit the infant.

Abstract: A low profile web adjuster for securing a web. An infant seat includes a harness, one end of which extends through a web adjuster mounted to the seat. A pivot cam on the adjuster is operable to lockingly engage one end of the harness. In the preferred embodiment, the cam is moved by pushing a control member having a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam member at a location to force the cam member apart from the web. In an alternate embodiment, a fabric strap attached to a pull control in turn has a pair of arms pivotally mounted to the cam at a location to force the cam apart from the web when the strap is pulled.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle with a pair of buckle tongues. The buckle includes a spring mechanism slidably movable within the buckle housing from a position blocking engagement of a latch when a single tongue is inserted to a position away from the latch when both tongues are inserted allowing the latch to engage the tongues. An indicator is slidably mounted to the buckle push button in the buckle cover and includes a lower end contacting the latch. The indicator is movable from a position flush with the buckle push button when the latch is not engaged with the tongues to an upraised position over the button when the latch moves up and engages the tongues. The tongues have mating portions, but are separable.

Abstract: A seat integrated seat belt system. A three point seat belt system includes a belt having one end affixed to the seat and an opposite end mounted to a retractor secured to the seat. A seat belt tongue is mounted to the belt intermediate the belt ends and is releasably lockable with a belt buckle on the opposite side of the seat thereby pulling one portion of the belt across the passenger lap and another portion of the belt across the passenger upper torso. The belt extends through a guide located at the top of the seat. A seat tether includes a second belt having one end attached to the seat at the location of the guide and a second end mounted to a second retractor located beneath the seat. The second retractor is operable to limit motion of the seat thereby minimizing the impact of vehicle motion on the first belt securing the passenger to the seat.

Abstract: A seat belt buckle with a pair of buckle tongues. The buckle includes a spring mechanism slidably movable within the buckle housing from a position blocking engagement of a latch when a single tongue is inserted to a position away from the latch when both tongues are inserted allowing the latch to engage the tongues. An indicator is slidably mounted to the buckle push botton in the buckle cover and includes a lower end contacting the latch. The indicator is movable from a position flush with the buckle push botton when the latch is not engaged with the tongues to an upraised position over the button when the latch moves up and engages the tongues. The tongues have mating portions, but are separable.

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 in-turned 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 member with a latching pawl thereon is spring-urged into position latching the pawl with the tongue, 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 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.