Abstract: A seat belt clamp comprises a U-shaped frame, a fixed clamping jaw mounted on the frame base portion, and a lever member having two arms, one pivotably mounted on each frame side portion. A movable clamping jaw affixed to the lever member is engageable with the fixed clamping jaw upon pivoting of the lever member and has a corrugated cam surface. An operating roll having a corrugated surface is mounted for rotation and for movement relative to the lever member between a clamping position in which the roll surface engages the cam surface of the movable clamping jaw and urges the movable clamping jaw toward the fixing clamping jaw and a release position in which the operating roll can rotate without engaging the movable clamping jaw. A spring urges the operating roll toward its release position. The belt clamp is adapted to receive the seat belt along a path such that it runs from the retractor, passes between the clamping jaws, turns part way around the operating roll and leads to the vehicle occupant.

Abstract: A seat belt anchor assembly comprises a rail having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart stepped holes, a tubular slider slidably received on the rail and surrounding it, an anchor ring for guiding the belt and a latch assembly carried by the slider and having a pin selectively engageable with and disengageable from each of the holes in the rail by operation of an element of the pin projecting out from the slider.

Abstract: A seat belt latch buckle includes a buckle body that releasably accepts and latches a buckle tongue. The buckle body includes a frame, a latch plate having a latching projection and pivotable in the frame, a release member to release the tongue, and an ejector to eject the released tongue. A control member is slidable on the latch plate between first and second positions. In the first position the control member is engaged between a portion of frame and the latch plate to positively lock the latch plate in the latched position. The release member slides the control member to the second position, in which it no longer prevents the latch plate from moving to the release position, before it engages the latch plate to pivot it and release the tongue.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor comprises a belt reel rotatably mounted in a frame, a ratchet wheel coupled to the belt reel for rotation therewith, and a pawl supported on the frame for movement between locking and unlocking positions with the ratchet wheel. A mechanism responsive to rotational acceleration of the belt reel above a selected level moves the pawl to the locking position. A mechanism responsive to a selected amount of rotation of the belt reel in the belt-unwinding direction automatically urges the pawl resiliently to the locked position. This mechanism also responds to a selected amount of rewinding of the belt by automatically urging the pawl resiliently to the unlocked position.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor comprises a takeup shaft rotatably journalled on a frame and normally biased to wind a safety belt therearound. The shaft carries a coaxial, fixed ratchet wheel, a coaxial, rotatable inertia member, and a clutch mechanism composed of a lock ring coaxially and rotatably mounted on the takeup shaft and normally spring-biased to rotate in a belt-winding direction, the lock ring having internal teeth and a cam slot. A clutch engagement mechanism engages the internal teeth of the lock ring to couple the lock ring with the takeup shaft when there is a difference between the speeds of rotation of the takeup shaft and the inertia member. A pawl is pivotably supported on the frame and includes a cam follower received in the cam slot in the lock ring.

Abstract: A seatbelt clamp for locking a seatbelt to restrain a vehicle occupant and prevent elongation of the seatbelt due to tightening of loops remaining on a seatbelt retractor is provided. The clamp comprises two operation plates, adjustable relative to each other, which are slidably mounted on a base plate. The base plate has a case on its lower end housing a fixed clamping jaw and a movable clamping jaw, the latter being biased by a spring into a non-clamping position. The two plates also are normally biased by a spring into a non-clamping position. If an emergency results, which throws the passenger against the seatbelt, causing the tension in the seatbelt to exceed a predetermined level of force, the two plates are urged against the biasing force, and a cam provided on the lower end of the lower operation plate drives the movable clamping jaw into the fixed jaw to clamp the seatbelt therebetween.

Abstract: A passive vehicle occupant restraint belt system comprises a movable anchor which is moved by a driven transfer element along a guide rail between a release location corresponding to the occupant-releasing configuration of the belt and a restraint location corresponding to the occupant-restraining configuration of the belt. The movable anchor is releasably locked to a fixed anchor at the restraint location by a cam-released pawl, an inertia device, or other suitable releasable locking means.

Abstract: A passive vehicle occupant restraint belt system comprises a movable anchor which is moved by a driven transfer element along a guide rail between a release location corresponding to the occupant-releasing configuration of the belt and a restraint location corresponding to the occupant-restraining configuration of the belt. The movable anchor is releasably locked to a fixed anchor at the restraint location by a cam-released pawl, an inertia device, or other suitable releasable locking means.

Abstract: A drive device for a movable belt guide in a passive vehicle occupant restraint belt system comprises a rotatable sprocket wheel having a multiplicity of sprocket teeth that provide positive winding and unwinding of a flexible drive tape having holes that receive the sprocket teeth. A guide member that keeps the tape from loosening on the sprocket wheel is engaged by a guide control member that controls the guide member in relation to the number of turns of the belt on the sprocket wheel.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor includes a mechanism for keeping the belt reel from rotating in the winding direction at the urging of the winding spring when the reel is at an automatically memorized rotational position. The mechanism comprises an internal toothed gear wheel affixed to the reel shaft and which carries a hook adjacent the perimeter that is biased toward the reel shaft. A clutch ring is frictionally coupled to the gear wheel by a clutch spring and has an abutment. A gear carrier is rotatably received by the gear wheel and has external teeth. An idler gear rotatably carried by the gear carrier meshes with the internal gear teeth on the gear wheel. A protrusion on the idler gear engages the hook when the idler gear is in a memorized position relative to the hook, which position is dependent upon the relative rotational positions of the gear wheel and gear carrier.

Abstract: The winding mechanism of a seat belt retractor includes a planetary gear train between the winding spring and the belt reel shaft, whereby the tensile force acting on the belt when it is done up is low and the belt is more comfortable to the wearer.

Abstract: A seat belt anchor assembly comprising an elongated rail of C-shape in cross-section having spaced-apart holes in the base wall portion and a belt anchor having a retainer within the rail that is locked in a selected position along the rail by a spring-loaded lock pin. The lock pin fits into any of the holes and can be released from the holes to enable the anchor to be moved to another position.

Abstract: A seat belt retractor having a tension eliminator comprises a belt take up shaft, a return spring, a first rotatable member rotatable together with the belt take up shaft, a second rotatable member rotatable about the first rotatable member, the relative rotation between the first and second rotatable members being restricted, a spiral spring for biasing the first and second rotatable members to rotate in opposite directions, a stopper device for causing the second rotatable member to take a one-way rotatable condition, a completely locked condition and a released condition, a control device for controlling the stopper device so that when the first rotatable member rotates in one direction, the second rotatable member under the first condition is brought into the third condition and when the first rotatable member rotates in the other direction, the second rotatable member under the third condition is brought into the second condition, and a buckle switch for controlling the stopper device so that when the be

Abstract: An emergency locking retractor of the type that has a cam wheel and an inertia wheel having coacting cam elements that cause either the cam wheel or the inertia wheel to shift axially and thereby engage locking ratchet teeth to lock the wheel from rotation includes a brake member carried by the cam wheel and activated by the centrifugal reaction force due to rotation of the cam wheel at high velocity to move outwardly into engagement with a circumferential cylindrical wall portion of the casing for the locking device and thereby retard the velocity of rotation of the belt reel in the winding direction. By so limiting the rotational velocity of the cam wheel, the inertia wheel is kept from running ahead of the cam wheel in the winding direction, thereby preventing the camming action of the cam elements and any possibility of damaging, interfering contact between the locking ratchet teeth.

Abstract: A belt transfer arrangement for a passive vehicle restraint belt system includes a pivoting arm mounted on the inboard side of the vehicle seat and carrying a guide ring at its upper end through which a restraint belt freely passes. A motion transfer device coupled between the arm and the vehicle door shifts the arm between a rearward, restraint position and a forward, release position in response to movement of the door between the closed and partly open positions. The transfer device includes a drive wire contained within a wire sheath that is fastened at both ends and constrains the wire for motion transfer. A lost-motion coupling that enables the door to be moved between the partly open and fully open positions without substantial movement of the arm is interposed between the door and the pivoting arm.

Abstract: A belt transfer ring that can be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from a slider comprises a body having a slot that receives a coupling portion of the slider and a pair of holes, one on either side of the slot. A coupling pin is received through an opening in one side of the body and extends through one of the holes in the body and a hole in the coupling portion of the slider and into or through the other of the holes in the body. The pin is retained in the coupling position by a device that is accessible from outside the body to enable the pin to be moved out of the coupling position.

Abstract: A belt clamp for vehicle safety belt systems comprises a fixed clamping jaw mounted on a frame and a movable clamping jaw engaged by the belt and carried by the frame in a manner such that it moves toward the fixed clamping jaw in response to tension in the belt. Spacers on the frame limit the extent of movement of the movable clamping jaw toward the fixed clamping jaw. A deformable member interposed between the fixed clamping jaw and the frame deforms in response to a predetermined tensile load on the belt so that the belt is allowed to slip through the clamping jaws and absorb the kinetic energy of the occupant.