Abstract: This invention is directed to a useful improvement in a seat belt mount mechanism of a seat belt for use in an automotive vehicle of the type that an anchor plate adapted to support the seat belt at the middle portion thereof is fixed securely to a door sash element of a vehicle body by way of a fixing bracket, and in which one end of the anchor plate is operatively introduced into an opening formed in a center pillar of a vehicle body in a state that a door is closed, wherein there is provided a latch engagement of a substantially T-shaped cross section at the leading of one end of the anchor plate. With this arrangement, the latch engagement of the anchor plate may positively be held from disengagement with the opening in the center pillar, when the door sash element of the vehicle body is deformed from a shock load, and also this possible deformation of the door sash element of the vehicle body from such a shock load may be prevented to a minimum.

Abstract: An improved lift mechanism is provided in an air spring trailing arm suspension comprising control arms pivotally mounted to a frame and adapted to carry ground-engaging wheels. An air spring is mounted between the control arms and the frame. A plate member mounted for vertical displacement on guide rods secured to the frame carries an upper portion of the air spacing so that the air spring can be vertically displaced relative to the frame. A lower portion of the air spring engages a piston which is kept in a generally upwardly facing orientation by a parallelogram linkage. A ratchet and pawl mechanism locks the control arms in the retracted position, and a latch mechanism locks the plate member to the frame when the plate member is vertically displaced to a lower limit of vertical movement.

Abstract: An improved trailer hitch assembly to be attached to a drawbar for towing a trailer, the assembly including an upright elongated hitch post threaded at the lower end by which it is attached to a drawbar, the upper end being of cylindrical external configuration and the post having a central passageway therein communicating with the bottom end, a grease fitting threadably received in an opening in the bottom end communicating with the passageway and the upper end of the passageway communicating with the external cylinder surface, and a ball having an opening therethrough rotatably received on the hitch post and a keeper ring secured to the upper end of the hitch post to retain the ball in position, grease being deposited from the grease fitting through the passageway to lubricate the cylindrical surface between the hitch post and the ball.

Abstract: An axle suspension system for a wheeled vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a frame, a frame connection member, a beam assembly, a torque box and an air bag connection. The beam assembly is lightweight, cost effective, and efficient because the beam assembly utilizes a box beam structure in conjunction with the torque box structure which provides for substantially even distribution of axle deflections throughout the entire beam assembly.

Abstract: A trailer coupling which receives the annular eye of a drawbar over a rearwardly and upwardly-projecting pintle, has a latch which engages the pintle and overlies the drawbar to prevent the drawbar from becoming dislodged during use. The latch is rotatable forwardly toward the body of the hitch, which is attached to the towing vehicle, to uncover the drawbar and permit its installation onto and removal from the pintle. A pawl mounted on the body of the coupling engages a tang on the latch when the latch is in its latched position to prevent rotation of the latch to its unlatched position. Thus the latch cannot inadvertently open during use. The pawl can be rotated away from the latch when it is desired to install or remove the drawbar.

Abstract: An airbag restraint system for protecting a vehicle passenger in the event of a serious vehicle collision. The airbag is comprised of an airbag which is adapted to inflate upon being supplied with gas from a gas generator. The airbag includes a bag-shaped section which has generally circular rear and front side sheet members which are joined together at their peripheral portions to define a gas chamber to be filled with the gas from the gas generator. A plurality of suspension belts are disposed inside the bag-shaped section. One end of each suspension belt is sewed to a belt catch member which is in turn sewed to the central part of the rear side sheet member, thereby forming a sewed section. The sewed section extends linearly and includes a straightly extending portion which is generally perpendicular to a lenghwise direction of each suspension belt.

Abstract: A traction control device comprising a subthrottle valve arranged upstream of the main throttle valve. When the speed difference between the rotating speed of the free running wheel and the rotating speed of the driven wheel exceeds a predetermined value, the subthrottle valve is closed to reduce the output torque of the engine, and the supply of EGR gas into the intake passage and the supply of fuel vapor from the charcoal canister into the intake passage are stopped when the subthrottle valve is closed.

Abstract: An automatic fifth wheel having a power operated jaw unlocking mechanism for non-highway use and a manual safety lock operative to immobilize the automatic unlocking mechanism so as to also enable safe over the road operation.

Abstract: A cab locking apparatus engages a striker on a chassis of a truck and holds a cab in a normal standing position, without allowing the cab to be forwardly inclined. To minimize the entire size of the apparatus and the total number of component elements, an input lever is located between a latch member, for engaging and disengaging the striker, and a locking plate, for retaining the latch member in a locking position. When the input lever is moved to a releasing operative position, the input lever is retained in a restricting/releasing holding groove in a base plate so that the latch member can be removed from the striker. When the latch member is engaged with the striker, the input lever is removed from the restricting/releasing holding groove so that the latch member is restricted in the locking position.

Abstract: A power take-off is configured for use on four wheel drive trucks with automatic transmissions and chain driven transfer cases. This power take-off replaces the conventional adapter used between the transmission and the transfer case, and requires no modification of either the transmission or the transfer case. It is driven from the transmission output shaft and can provide power for the operation of an item of auxiliary equipment such as a hydraulic pump or air compressor either with the truck moving, or while the truck is stationary by placing the transfer case in neutral. Since this power take-off requires no modification to the vehicle other than the addition of a shift-wire to a control knob in the cab, it can be readily added to trucks already in use, or offered as a dealer option on new trucks.

Abstract: An automobile suspension system includes a suspending hydraulic cylinder interposed between the automobile body and an automobile wheel, a tensing hydraulic cylinder attached to the automobile body, an absorbing hydraulic cylinder attached to the automobile body, a hydraulic piping system intercommunicating these hydraulic cylinders, and a processing system sensing road conditions and driving situations to independently adjust the height of the corners of the automobile body, so as to offer shock-absorbing and anti-sway effects.