ATTACHMENT OF A SAFETY BELT FOR AN ADJUSTABLE SEAT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 3,727,977 A
• Filed: 03/23/1971
• Issued: 04/17/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gunter Gmeiner
• Original Assignee: Gunter Gmeiner
• Inventors: Gmeiner, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US05/127,306
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344,385,387,216 248/429
• US Class Current: 297/344.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A seat of a motor vehicle is longitudinally displaceable along guide rails at opposite sides of the seat and a clamping device is provided between the seat and guide rails to lock the seat in an adjusted position. The clamping device includes, on opposite sides of the seat, a pivotal plate on the seat frame with openings facing teeth on a flange of a guide rail. By operation of a lever, the plates are pivoted to release the clamping device, whereupon the seat can be adjusted after which the lever is released and the teeth are again engaged in the openings to lock the seat and rails. A safety belt is attached to the upper ends of the pivotal plates such that tensioning of the belt acts to engage the teeth in the openings.

Claims

1. Attachment apparatus for a seat belt on a seat which is longitudinally displaceable on a guide rail, said apparatus comprising clamping means for locking the seat to the rail and including a first part secured to the seat and a second part secured to the rail, said parts being engaged when the seat is locked to the rail, and means connecting the belt to said first part in a position such that tension in the belt acts to engage said first and second parts, said second part comprising a flange on said rail and a plurality of teeth on said flange, said first part comprising a pivotal plate provided with a succession of openings in facing relation with said teeth for being engaged therewith upon pivotal movement of said of said plate to lock the seat to the rail, said rail being of C-shape and said plate including an outwardly projecting leg with said openings therein, said leg fitting in said rail for free passage during displacement of the seat, said plate including a downward projection and means engaging said projection for pivotably moving said plate to engage and disengage the teeth in said openings, a pivotal spring-loaded cam means between the rail and frame holding the same together to prevent rattling, and a hook portion on said plate facing said cam means to release the same when the clamping means is unlocked.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said openings in said first part are constituted as completely surrounded holes.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said teeth protrude downwardly from said flange and said openings in the plate are below the teeth, said plate including an attachment portion for said belt which under tension in the belt produces pivotal movement of the plate to cause the teeth to engage in the openings.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plate includes an outwardly projecting leg with said openings therein, said leg having a free edge with an upturned lip thereon extending parallel to said plate and having an edge lying in spaced relation from said rail when the teeth are engaged in said openings.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a guide rail is provided an opposite sides of the seat, and a clamping means is provided between each rail and the seat, said means for pivotably moving said plate comprising a connecting shaft joined to the projection on the plates of both clamping means, and a lever connected to and extending perpendicularly to said connecting shaft and projecting forwardly of the seat at the bottom thereof for being pivotably moved to pivotably move the plates.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 comprising a spring means acting on said lever to bias the same and urge the plates to positions in which the teeth engage in the openings.

7. Attachment apparatus for a seat belt on a seat which is longitudinally displaceable on a guide rail, said seat including a frame, a back, and a swivel pin pivotably connecting the back to the frame, said apparatus comprising clamping means for locking the seat to the rail and including a first part pivotably connected to said frame and having a slot in which the swivel pin is engaged and a second part secured to the rail, said parts being enGaged when the seat is locked to the rail, and means connecting the belt to said first part in a position such that tension in the belt acts to engage said first and second parts.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first part comprises a plate including a portion extending upwardly of said swivel pin and connected to said belt.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said plate has a pivot axis to said frame at a level below said swivel pin, said plate including an outwardly projecting leg rearward of the swivel pin approximately at the level of said pivot axis.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plate includes a downward projection below said pivot axis and forward of said outwardly projecting leg by which pivotal movement can be imparted to said plate.