Abstract: An adjustable shoulder anchorage for a vehicle seat belt system comprises a length of webbing secured in the vehicle to extend generally upright in the region of the shoulder of the user of the system, and a connector having a running loop for the belt integrally formed therewith or secured thereto and movable to a selected position along the webbing. The webbing extends through a slot in the connector and reverses its direction around fixed and movable transverse bars of the connector between which the webbing is snubbed to securely hold the connector in the selected position.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt buckle has a socket part with a socket and a latch member for latching a tongue part within the socket. The latch member is held in the latching position by a catch element movable manually to release the latch member by means of a push button to which the catch element is connected either directly or by a lost motion connection. The latch member then rotates to a release position for the tongue under a spring bias, a portion of the latch member positively ejecting the tongue.Instead, the latch member is rotated by the tongue to a release position in which the catch element applies a holding bias overcome by the tongue on reinsertion. In a third arrangement, the catch element is rolled against bias on a profiled surface of the latch member to tilt this to a release position in which it is held by an ejector until the tongue is reinserted.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt retractor has a spool fitted around the shaft of the reel, the spool having a slot formed at a radial step through which the belt extends from a securement to the shaft. The outer surface of the spool otherwise comprises two or three part circular cylindrical portions which smoothly merge. The step approximates to the thickness of the belt so a smooth spiral configuration is obtained for the coiled belt but only cylindrical surfaces, and not a spiral surface, have to be produced, with manufacturing advantages. The spool can be of a size to accommodate any doubled portion of the belt required to form a securement loop. The spool increases the effective diameter of the reel and so reduces spring tension on the belt in use.

Abstract: A large road vehicle has a cabin subject to accelerations in normal driving conditions in excess of accelerations experienced by the vehicle as a whole and which are sufficient to lock the acceleration responsive retractor of the driver's seat belt system unnecessarily. To prevent such locking except under genuine emergency conditions, a solenoid in the retractor holds inoperative a locking mechanism responsive to retractor acceleration, until an inertia switch located on the vehicle chassis (and thus less exposed to acceleration than the cabin mounted retractor) senses a predetermined vehicle acceleration, when the switch de-energizes the solenoid to permit the retractor acceleration sensing mechanism to operate. The seat belt system is passive and a switch operated by the handle of the door adjacent the seat is open when the door is closed but closed when the door is opened so as to energize the solenoid and thereby prevent inadvertent locking during door opening movement.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt system includes a release mechanism rendering the system ineffective to retain the user in his seat. The mechanism is operable to move the locking mechanism of an acceleration responsive retractor to the unlocked position in response to the opening of a vehicle door, so that where the seat belt system is passive, the occupant is automatically released when the door is opened regardless of whether or not the retractor is locked. In a passive seat belt system, another emergency release mechanism permits manual release of the belt from an anchorage position in an emergency, either by the occupant or from outside the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt retractor has a belt sensitive mechanism with a pawl which is thrown outwardly when a flywheel lags relative to the main shaft to engage an internally toothed wheel. The toothed wheel is received in a coaxial cup member having arms for engaging a lockbar which can engage ratchet wheels fast with the shaft to lock the reel. A spring between radial projections on the toothed wheel and the cup member maintains this in a predetermined angular relation and absorbs movement of the toothed wheel in excess of what is required to operate the lockbar. A pendulum can engage an externally toothed wheel on excessive retractor acceleration to hold this against rotation with the shaft and a resiliently flexible arm extending between this wheel and the flywheel then effects locking by retarding the flywheel. The arm permits the rotation of the flywheel to exceed that of the rotation of the externally toothed wheel.

Abstract: Means are disclosed for adjusting the effective position from which the shoulder or diagonal belt of a vehicle seat belt system downwardly extends. A strap is secured to extend around the seat back portion in an upright direction and slidably carries a connector to which the belt can be connected. Alternatively the upper part of the seat back portion is clamped between limbs of a U-shaped member, the front limb mounting a connector for the belt, preferably a position which can be selectively adjusted. A third embodiment comprises a strap arranged to extend upright adjacent the seat as on a door pillar, a connector for the belt being slidable along the strap. Where the system includes a running loop for guiding the belt from a retractor, one end of the strap with the connection can be connected to a second loop secured to the running loop or both loops can be mounted for swivelling independently.

Abstract: In a vehicle seat belt system in which the belt has a diagonal or shoulder portion and a lap or pelvis portion, the diagonal portion is connectable at a desired position to an extension of the lap portion which is stretched diagonally upright over the front of the back of the seat. A snubber device isolates the portions of the belt providing the lap portion and the extension, the upper end of which is connected to an anchorage for a retractor from which the diagonal portion downwardly extends. The diagonal portion and the extension are connected by a device such that tension in the belt as it extends forwardly over the users shoulder, tilts the device into engagement with the seat back to enhance frictional engagement therewith against inadvertent movement of the device.

Abstract: In a vehicle seat belt system having a shoulder or diagonal belt or belt portion, an auxiliary strap is positioned to extend generally upright on the front of the back portion of the seat, on the side from which the belt or belt portion extends downwardly. A connector for the belt or belt portion can be moved to a selected position along the strap to determine the effective position from which the upper end of the belt or belt portion extends. The auxiliary strap can be connected to the vehicle anchorages for the seat belt system where this is a three point or lap and diagonal system.

Abstract: The inertia-actuated acceleration-sensing mechanism for an inertia reel for a vehicle safety belt comprises a pendulum that includes a circular plate that is mounted on a tubular support member for tilting movement at the edge of the plate. The mechanism also comprises an output member that is slidable on the tubular member in response to tilting of the plate, to provide a mechanical output of the mechanism. The tilting movement is arranged to take place about any position on a circle around a vertical line through the normal position of the center of gravity of the pendulum, the circle being centered on the vertical through the normal position of the center of gravity of the pendulum. When fitted to an inertia reel, the mechanical output of the mechanism is arranged to lock the reel against rotation.

Abstract: An inertial device is provided for location in a road vehicle independently of a seat belt retractor, and is arranged to actuate the locking mechanism of the retractor in response to a predetermined acceleration. The device may be operable in response to application of the vehicle brakes. The device may be associated with more than one seat belt and may be held electrically against a spring bias in the locked position, for release on sensing the predetermined acceleration.

Abstract: A vehicle seat belt system includes a release mechanism rendering the system ineffective to retain the user in his seat. The mechanism is operable to move the locking mechanism of an acceleration responsive retractor to the unlocked position in response to the opening of a vehicle door, so that where the seat belt system is passive, the occupant is automatically released when the door is opened regardless of whether or not the retractor is locked. In a passive seat belt system, another emergency release mechanism permits manual release of the belt from an anchorage position in an emergency, either by the occupant or from outside the vehicle.

Abstract: A two-part vehicle safety buckle has an integral metal pressing with a flat base and overturned side walls defining a socket. A latch assembly extends around the pressing and is guided in cut-outs in the side walls and base for manual release movement generally at right angles to the base from a latch position in which a latch portion protrudes through an aperture in the base to engage a latching edge in a flat tongue received in the socket. One or more springs act between the latch assembly and the pressing or a housing. Release movement may be by direct actuation or through a pivotable or slidable release member acting on the latch assembly. A spring urged ejection member may oppose entry and assist withdrawal of the tongue, and may actuate a microswitch to indicate that an associated seat belt is in use.