Abstract: A vehicle passive seat belt restraint system comprising:a seat belt adapted for restraining an occupant positioned in a seat in the vehicle, the seat belt comprising a lap portion adapted to be secured around the lap of the occupant and a shoulder portion adapted to be secured around the upper torso of the occupant;the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt each having a first end connected to a door of the vehicle ajdacent to the seat and a second end connected to each other at a location spaced from the door;a seat belt retractor connecting at least one of the first ends of the lap and shoulder portions to the door;the seat belt further comprising a connecting portion having a first end connected to the vehicle at the side of the seat opposite the door and a second end connected to the second ends of the lap and shoulder portions;a movable ring slidably engaging the lap portion at a location intermediate its first and second ends and permitting the seat belt to move therethrough;a track mounted on the d

Abstract: An improved tension-relieving apparatus for a shoulder belt of a vehicle safety belt system includes: a housing, a shoulder belt support, a locking means, a force transmitting means and an actuating means. The housing has an approximately U-shape including a back wall and two sidewalls. The shoulder belt support extends between the sidewalls of the housing. The shoulder belt moves partially around the shoulder belt support as the shoulder belt is unwound from the retractor and rewound into the retractor. The locking means is disposed adjacent to the shoulder belt support. The locking means includes a clamp pivotably disposed within the housing and extending between the sidewalls of the housing. The clamp, in its locking position, prevents movement of the shoulder belt around the shoulder belt support. The force transmitting means is mounted in the housing adjacent to the locking means and moves the clamp between its locking position and its unlocking position.

Abstract: A passive seat belt restraint system including a seat belt having one end connected to a vehicle door and the other end connected to the vehicle on the opposite side of a seat adjacent the door. The seat belt is moved along a track which is located in the console and in the dashboard in front of the seat. A hook member is movable in the console track and supports the seat belt when the belt is in its forward position. A buckle is movable in both the console and the dashboard tracks and is attached to the belt to form shoulder and lap belts. The buckle is moved to a position closer to the door to permit easy entry to and exit from the seat.

Abstract: A passive seat belt system for a vehicle comprising a seat belt retractor mounted in the vehicle, seat belt webbing have one end attached to the retractor and another end attached to the vehicle, a thin elongated flexible element attached at one end to the vehicle and at a second end to a ring attached the webbing, and a button on the webbing for moving the ring and the webbing in response to motion of the vehicle door.

Abstract: An automobile retractor comprising: (a) a base (6); (b) a winding reel mounted for rotation on said base (6), said winding reel comprising a cylindrical hollow tube (12) having a slot (36) extending substantially along the length thereof, said slot having a first edge (34) and a second edge (35); (c) a locking dog (23) having teeth (39) and being mounted on the external peripheral surface of tube (12) for rotation relative thereto; (d) a locking ring (21) on base (6) disposed in potential mating relationship with locking dog (23); (e) locking dog (23) having an opening (28) therein and a projection (29) into opening (28), opening (28) fitting over one end of tube (12) with the projection (29) fitting into mating relationship with slot (36); (f) at least a significant portion (37) of the inner surface of said opening having a configuration that conforms with the outer peripheral surface of tube (12); (g) actuating ratchet wheel (43) rotatably mounted concentrically with respect to tube (12) and being connected

Abstract: A switch assembly is provided for use in sensing a seat belt spool condition in a seat belt retractor assembly. Features of the switch assembly are a switch housing in which is mounted a conductive member which forms both a fixed contact and a male terminal at its respective ends, a movable contact element which is supported for selective wiping contact with the fixed contact end of the conductive member, and actuating means which moves the movable contact element into wiping contact with the fixed contact end of the conductive member in response to a predetermined amount of seat belt webbing being stored on the spool of the seat belt retractor and which permits the movable contact element to move out of wiping contact in response to a predetermined amount of seat belt webbing being removed from the retractor.

Abstract: A safety belt retractor comprises a housing containing first and second tandem spools for storing, respectively, lap and shoulder belts in helical wrap. Each of the spools is secured to a ratchet wheel engageable by a pawl located in the housing between the spools. Pawl support openings formed in opposite sidewalls of the housing enable the pawl to float while pivoting. In an equilibrium position, clearance between one end of the floating pawl and the first ratchet wheel is less than the clearance between the opposite end of the pawl and the second ratchet wheel. In response to acceleration of the vehicle carrying the retractor housing, a pendulum-type inertia device pivots the pawl from equilibrium into engagement with the first ratchet wheel. During pay out of the belts, with one end pivoting on the first ratchet wheel, the floating pawl is guided into contact with the second ratchet wheel by a cam surface defining one of the sidewall openings to positively lock the two spools.

Abstract: A reel-type retractor for a vehicle safety belt designed for halting rotation of the reel in response to an inertial device, and having the added feature that the belt can be withdrawn from the retractor for buckling up without interference from the locking pawl. A clutch, rotating with the reel, is shaped to restrain a biased webbing follower, and to block the pawl from engaging a ratchet wheel serving as a flange for the reel, thus permitting any rate of withdrawal of the belt without locking the reel. When the user buckles up and the safety belt is retracted slightly as occurs in buckling, the clutch rotates to release the webbing follower which then moves toward the diminished roll of webbing and prevents the clutch from regaining its blocking position, thus allowing the pawl to engage the ratchet wheel in response to the inertial device.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle is provided with plural locking and ejecting features that increase its holding strength and decrease fastening and release effort. The buckle has a housing containing means for receiving the tongue of a seat belt. A latching means engages the tongue and cooperates with locking and ejecting means to hold it within and eject it from the housing. The buckle is small, light, strong, reliable, easy to fasten and unfasten, comfortable to wear and inexpensive to produce.

Abstract: A safety buckle and tongue in combination wherein pressure on the tongue release push button is employed at a mechanical advantage, hence the buckle is unlatched with a minimum of effort even under conditions of stress. A ferrule provides a continuous link between the members of the restraint system to be connected, providing great strength and reliability.A pin, biased downwardly, latches the inserted tongue securely by entering an opening in the tongue. In inserting the tongue, an ejection member within the slot is forced back against its bias. When the pin is extracted from the tongue by the pressing of a push button, the tongue is ejected and the ejection member comes to rest directly beneath the pin, restraining it above the slot until displaced by the reinsertion of the tongue.

Abstract: The vehicle-sensitive retractor has an improved universal support assembly and pendulum assembly. The support is a gimbal assembly which includes: a pivot ring, a swivel axis for the pivot ring, a trunnion, a swivel axis for the trunnion, and a support member for the trunnion. The pivot ring has an aperture in its bottom central portion through which a pendulum rod extends and a circular support edge upon which a pendulum head is disposed for pivoting movement. The pivot ring is supported by the trunnion, which in turn is supported by the support member for the trunnion. The pivot ring is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the trunnion. The trunnion is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the support member for the trunnion. The swivel axis of the pivot ring is disposed approximately perpendicular to the swivel axis for the trunnion.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle is provided with a laminated housing formed of top, center and bottom plates. The top and bottom plates have an opening in the central portion thereof. The center plate has an opening extending from an edge of the plate into the center portion thereof, and is made of polymeric material. A guide means, formed by a portion of the center plate, extends from the interior of the buckle to a point of termination on the exterior surface of the housing, for guiding the tongue of a seat belt into the housing. The buckle is small, light, strong, reliable, easy to fasten, comfortable to wear and inexpensive to produce.

Abstract: The vehicle sensitive retractor has an inertia mechanism which includes a bell. A support post is provided upon which the bell rests. Prior to actuation, the bell has an infinite variety of operable static positions to which the bell is adjustable according to the position in which the retractor is oriented by virtue of installation in the vehicle. As a result, the retractor may be tilted for installation without having to redesign the inertia mechanism. An actuating means is disposed on top of the bell and is connected to a reel locking means. The actuating means is disposed in an unlocked position when the bell is in any one of its infinite variety of operable static positions. The actuating means is moved to a locked position by the bell during emergency situations to lock a reel and prevent further unwinding of a safety belt from the reel.

Abstract: The vehicle-sensitive retractor has an improved universal support assembly and inertia mechanism. The inertia mechanism is a pendulum assembly which includes a pendulum head in contact with an actuating means. The support assembly for the pendulum assembly includes a flywheel, a pendulum support, an axle for the flywheel and a flywheel support. The pendulum support upon which the pendulum head is disposed is mounted on the flywheel. The flywheel and pendulum assembly are adapted to pivot to a variety of operable static positions to which the pendulum assembly is automatically adjustable according to the position in which the retractor is oriented by virtue of installation in the vehicle. The axle for the flywheel is adapted to allow the flywheel to pivot. The flywheel support is mounted on the retractor and is adapted to support the flywheel and the flywheel axle. The retractor may be tilted for installation without having to redesign the pendulum assembly and support assembly.

Abstract: The vehicle-sensitive retractor has an upper pendulum assembly and a lower pendulum assembly. The upper pendulum assembly includes a trunnion, a swivel axis for the trunnion, a support member for the trunnion, and a pendulum housing which is attached to the trunnion and is part of the upper pendulum assembly. The lower pendulum assembly includes a pendulum head, a pendulum rod and a pendulum weight. The trunnion of the upper pendulum assembly has an aperture in its bottom central portion through which the pendulum rod of the lower pendulum assembly extends. The trunnion has a circular support edge upon which the pendulum head of the lower pendulum assembly is disposed for pivoting movement. The trunnion is adapted to pivot in two directions upon its swivel axis with reference to the support member. The lower pendulum assembly and the upper pendulum assembly form a double pendulum mechanism.

Abstract: a seat belt retractor comprising a generally U-shaped frame comprising a central base portion and two upstanding flange portions attached to the sides of the base portion, each of the flange portions including an upper surface connecting two side surfaces, the upper surface being substantially flat; a shaft journalled for rotation in the flange portions; at least one ratchet wheel mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and having a plurality of ratchet teeth along its outer circumference, the ratchet wheel being located adjacent to one of the flange portions and being positioned such that its outer circumference is above the height of the upper surface of the one flange portion, and cover means forming a protective cover at least around the upstanding flanges of the frame, the cover having inner and outer surfaces, the inner surfaces being provided with spacing means in contact with a portion of at least the upper surface of the one flange portion for spacing the inner surface of the cover from the outer