Abstract: An assembly for retracting a seat belt having a support and an elongate shaft mounted substantially vertically thereon. The seat belt is windable about the shaft, the arrangement being such that the seat belt forms a reel about the shaft. A selectively operable device is provided to prevent withdrawal of the seat belt from the assembly. The shaft has an exposed region about which the reel may be formed, the length of this exposed region being significantly greater than the width of the seat belt so that the part of the belt emerging from the reel may be positioned vertically at any selected position along the exposed region of the shaft.

Abstract: An emergency locking vehicle seat belt retractor includes a flywheel supported for rotation with the reel and normally urged into rotation with the reel by a spring supported between the reel and the flywheel; when the reel accelerates rapidly in the belt extending direction, as in an accident when the occupant moves forward quickly, the inertia of the flywheel causes it to resist the spring pressure and slip relative to the reel. A dog is supported between the flywheel and the reel in such a manner that it extends in a radial direction in response to this slippage and engages an internal ratchet formed on an actuating arm rotatably supported relative to the reel axis. The dog transfers the rotational motion of the reel to the arm causing it to contact and force the pawl to engage a circular ratchet formed on the reel to lock the reel against further extending rotation.

Abstract: A belt winder with a quick-locking vehicle inertia sensitive action including a ball and tipping member which can be brought into operative position in any mounting position in space.

Abstract: A belt winder with a quick-locking vehicle inertia sensitive action comprising an inert mass actuated to lock the belt winder shaft when the vehicle is accelerated and which can be brought into operative position in any mounting position in space.

Abstract: The safety belt retractor of this invention has a belt-sensitive mechanism and a vehicle-sensitive mechanism, both mounted on an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism includes a mounting plate slidably mounted on the reel shaft for limited rotation and a flywheel having ratchet teeth. The vehicle-sensitive mechanism includes a pendulum assembly and an actuating pawl. When the pendulum assembly oscillates, it lifts the actuating pawl which engages the ratchet flywheel, causing the mounting plate to rotate and actuate a locking pawl. The belt-sensitive mechanism includes a pinion gear and a spur gear which is driven by the reel shaft. When withdrawal of the safety belt exceeds a predetermined level of acceleration, the flywheel lags in rotation and causes the pinion gear to move along an arc of the spur gear, causing the mounting plate to rotate and actuate the locking pawl.

Abstract: Passive seat belt for deployment about an occupant with the hip belt anchored to vehicle structure at both ends thereof.

Abstract: A belt winder for safety for belts with at least one locking member engaging a fixed outer surface and responsive to movement of an inertia member which indicates sudden acceleration of the belt as a result of its relative motion to the shaft on which the belt is wound and unwound.

Abstract: A vehicle sensitive safety belt retractor is provided with actuating means responsive to acceleration of the vehicle for directly engaging with ratchet means mounted for interaction with a belt strap reel of the retractor, and thereby preventing protraction of the belt. The actuating means includes a unitary tipping inertia and locking member which is tippable from its position of rest so as to engage the ratchet means. The center of gravity of the unitary member passes over its pivot point on tipping of the member into locked position, so that it can only be returned to its stable, non-tipped position on movement of the ratchet means which it has engaged in a belt retraction direction. In one embodiment, a plurality of such unitary members are used in association with the single ratchet.