Abstract: A retractor reel for a vehicle safety belt has a sensor responsive to the speed or acceleration of belt withdrawal to actuate a reel locking mechanism and also has a sensor responsive to vehicle acceleration or deceleration to actuate the locking mechanism. A solenoid actuated device is provided to retain both the sensors in the inoperative position. The reel can thus safely be used in an automatic seat belt arrangement of the type in which a carriage moves withdrawing belt from the reel to locate the belt in the operative position.

Abstract: A retractor reel assembly for vehicle safety belt has a rotatable reel which automatically winds in the safety belt when it is not in use, and has a locking arrangement, which is normally in the locked condition. A sensor senses the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle and the locking means are adapted to be released in response to the withdrawal or attempted withdrawal of a length of safety belt when the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is within a predetermined limit. If the acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle is outside the predetermined limit the reel is retained in the locked condition.

Abstract: A device for sensing the position of a movable inertia body in a vehicle safety system comprises a radiation emitting means (20) and a radiation detecting means (21) adapted to receive at least a portion of the emitted radiation. The inertia body (23) can be either in a neutral position in which the body does not activate the safety system, or in at least one working position in which the body activates the safety system, and is adapted to influence the radiation received by the detecting means (21) depending on its position, so that the radiation received by the detecting means indicates the position of the inertia body. The radiation emitting means (20) and the radiation detecting means (21) are positioned on opposite sides of the inertia means, and the radiation can be, for example, light passing through a hole (22) in the inertia body. Due to the fact that the radiation passes through a hole in the inertia body, a reliable indication of the position of the inertia body is obtained.

Abstract: A retractor reel for vehicle safety belts of the type in which the belt is automatically wound onto a rotatably supported shaft, when the belt is not used, comprises a first locking means and a second locking means, one of which being attached to the support and the other being attached to the rotatable shaft. One of the locking means is movable and arranged to be moved between an idle position, in which it does not engage with the other locking means, and an operative position, in which it engages with the other locking means for locking the shaft. The two locking means are positioned at one end of the rotatable shaft, and two further locking means are positioned at the opposite end of the shaft, where the shaft is supported by a bearing which is arranged to yield, when the shaft is heavily loaded. When the bearing yields, the two further locking means will engage with each other to lock the end of the shaft, so that the shaft will be locked at both ends when heavily loaded.

Abstract: A locking device for vehicle safety belts of the type in which a band of the belt is automatically wound onto a shaft (14) rotatably mounted between two side walls (12, 13) of a support, when the belt is not used, comprises two notched wheels (22, 23) attached to the shaft, and at least one moveable locking bar (32, 33). The locking bar is adapted to cooperate with the notched wheels (22, 23) for locking the shaft and to be moved between a passive position in which it is positioned outside the rotation paths of the notches, and an active position in which it runs into the rotation paths of the notches, so that the rotation of the notched wheels and thus of the shaft is prevented and further band cannot be withdrawn from the shaft. The notched wheels (22, 23) are positioned adjacent one side wall (13) on either side of the wall and the locking bar (32, 33) is adapted to pass through an aperture in the wall.

Abstract: A retractor reel for a vehicle safety belt comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on a support adapted automatically to wind a safety belt when the belt is not in use and incorporating means for locking the shaft to prevent the belt being withdrawn from the retractor reel under certain conditions, said locking means comprising stop abutment means on said support and at least one locking pin which extends through an aperture in the shaft, substantially diametrically across the shaft, substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the locking pin being axially movable between a retracted position and an extended locking position, the locking pin, when in the locking position, having an engagement end extending out of the shaft on one side thereof to cooperate with a stop abutment means provided on the support to prevent rotation of the shaft, the opposite end of the locking pin engaging the shaft on the other side of the axis of the shaft that is remote from the engagement end of the locking