Belt locking assembly for safety belt buckle

• US 3,888,541 A
• Filed: 07/01/1974
• Issued: 06/10/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert L. Stephenson
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Stephenson
• Inventors: Stephenson, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, James T.
• Application Number:
  US05/484,823
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 297/388,389,385,386 280/15SB 24/78,77,75
• US Class Current: 297/479
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 11/2557 with strap length adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3404 having separate material adjustment means

Abstract

The belt locking assembly is slidably mounted on a continuous length of safety belt, which forms a shoulder belt and a lap belt. The shoulder belt has a shoulder belt anchorage point and the lap belt has a lap belt anchorage point. The belt locking assembly includes a housing for the assembly, a buckle engaging means, a roller means, a lock bar and a biasing means. A portion of the safety belt moves upon the roller means to facilitate movement of the belt locking assembly with reference to the safety belt and adjustment of the length of the shoulder belt and lap belt. The lock bar is adapted to be moved from an unlocked position to a locked position when the assembly is engaged in a buckle. The lock bar in the locked position prevents the assembly from sliding with reference to the safety belt in the direction of the shoulder belt anchorage point, but allows the assembly to slide with reference to the safety belt in the direction of the lap belt anchorage point.

Claims

1. A belt locking assembly for a vehicle safety belt adapted to be engaged by a buckle, said vehicle safety belt including a continuous length which forms a shoulder belt and a lap belt, said shoulder belt having a shoulder belt anchorage point and said lap belt having a lap belt anchorage point, said belt locking assembly being adapted to be mounted on the safety belt and adapted to slide upon a portion of the safety belt to adjust the length of the lap belt and shoulder belt, said belt locking assembly comprising:

a housing for said assembly;

a buckle engaging means extending from said housing and adapted to be engaged in said buckle;

a roller means supported by said housing and adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller means to facilitate movement of said assembly with reference to said safety belt;

a lock bar mounted in said housing and having an unlocked position and a locked position, said lock bar adapted to be moved from said unlocked position to said locked position when said assembly is engaged in said buckle, said lock bar in said unlocked position allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt both in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point and in the direction of said lap belt anchorage point, said lock bar in said locked position preventing said assembly from sliding with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point, but allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt in the direction if said lap belt anchorage point; and

biasing means mounted in said housing to bias said lock bar in said unlocked position.

2. The belt locking assembly according to claim 1 wherein said lock bar has:

a buckle actuated portion adapted to be actuated by said buckle when said assembly is engaged by said buckle; and

a belt engaging portion adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when said assembly is engaged by said buckle to prevent said roller means from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position.

3. The belt locking assembly according to claim 2 wherein said buckle actuated portion is disposed at one end of said lock bar and said belt engaging portion is disposed at the opposite end of said lock bar.

4. The belt locking assembly according to claim 1 wherein said lock bar has a pivot edge upon which said lock bar is adapted to pivot between said unlocked position and said locked position.

5. The belt locking assembly according to claim 2 wherein said belt engaging portion of said lock bar has locking teeth disposed adjacent to said roller means and adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when the lock bar is in the locked position to prevent said belt locking assembly from sliding with reference to said safety belt in the direction of the shoulder belt anchorage point.

6. The belt locking assembly according to claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises at least one leaf spring attached to said lock bar.

7. The belt locking assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

said biasing means comprises a top leaf spring attached to the top of the buckle actuated portion of said lock bar; and

said lock bar further comprises a bottom leaf spring attached to the bottom of said bUckle actuated portion of said lock bar, said bottom leaf spring being adapted to be actuated by said buckle to move said lock bar into said locked position.

8. The belt locking assembly according to claim 1 wherein said roller means comprises:

a roller adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller; and

a roller shaft mounted in said housing, said roller being arranged concentrically around a portion of said roller shaft and being adapted to rotate upon said roller shaft to facilitate movement of said assembly with reference to said safety belt.

9. A belt locking assembly for a vehicle safety belt adapted to be engaged by a buckle, said vehicle safety belt including a continuous length which forms a shoulder belt and a lap belt, said shoulder belt having a shoulder belt anchorage point and said lap belt having a lap belt anchorage point, said belt locking assembly comprising:

a housing for said belt locking assembly;

a buckle engaging means extending from said housing and adapted to be engaged in said buckle;

a roller adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller;

a roller shaft mounted in said housing, said roller being arranged concentrically around a portion of said roller shaft and being adapted to rotate upon said roller shaft to facilitate movement of said assembly with reference to said safety belt;

a lock bar mounted in said housing and having an unlocked position and a locked position, said lock bar adapted to be moved from said unlocked position to said locked position when said assembly is engaged in said buckle, said lock bar in said unlocked position allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt both in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point and in the direction of said lap belt anchorage point, said lock bar in said locked position preventing said assembly from sliding with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point, said lock bar having a buckle actuated portion adapted to be actuated by said buckle when said tongue assembly is engaged by said buckle and a belt engaging portion adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when said assembly is engaged by said buckle to prevent said roller from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position, and said belt actuated portion being disposed at one end of said lock bar and said belt engaging portion being disposed at the opposite end of said lock bar, said lock bar having a pivot edge upon which said lock bar is adapted to pivot from said unlocked position to said locked position, said belt engaging portion of said lock bar having teeth disposed adjacent to said roller and adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt to prevent said roller from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position; and

at least one leaf spring attached to said lock bar to bias said lock bar in said unlocked position.

10. A safety belt system adapted for use in a vehicle comprising:

a continuous length of safety belt which forms a shoulder belt and a lap belt, said shoulder belt having a shoulder belt anchorage point and said lap belt having a lap belt anchorage point;

a safety belt inertia retractor located at said shoulder belt anchorage point to which retractor said shoulder belt is connected;

a non-adjustable lap belt anchorage means located at said lap belt anchorage point;

a belt locking assembly mounted on said safety belt and being adapted to slide upon a portion of said safety belt to adjust the length of said lap belt and said shoulder belt; and

a buckle adapted to engage said belt locking assembly;

said belt locking assembly comprising;

a housing for said belt locking assembly;

a buckle engaging means extending from said housing and adapted to be engaged in said buckle;

a roller means supported by said housing and adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller means;

a lock bar disposed in said belt locking assembly, said lock bar having an unlocked position and a locked position, said lock bar adapted to be moved from said unlocked position to said locked position when said assembly is engaged in said buckle, said lock bar in said unlocked position allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt both in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point and in the direction of said lap belt anchorage point, said lock bar in said locked position preventing said assembly from sliding with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point, but allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said lap belt anchorage point; and

biasing means disposed in said belt locking assembly to bias said lock bar in said unlocked position.

11. The safety belt system according to claim 10 wherein said lock bar of said belt locking assembly has:

a buckle actuated portion adapted to be actuated by said buckle when said assembly is engaged by said buckle; and

a belt engaging portion adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when said assembly is engaged by said buckle to prevent said roller means from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position.

12. The safety belt system according to claim 11 wherein said buckle actuated portion is disposed at one end of said lock bar and said belt engaging portion is disposed at the opposite end of said lock bar.

13. The safety belt system according to claim 10 wherein said lock bar of said belt locking assembly has a pivot edge upon which said lock bar is adapted to pivot between said unlocked position and said locked position.

14. The safety belt system according to claim 11 wherein said belt engaging portion of said lock bar has locking teeth disposed adjacent to said roller means and adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when the lock bar is in the locked position.

15. The safety belt system according to claim 10 wherein said biasing means of said belt locking assembly comprises at least one leaf spring attached to said lock bar.

16. The safety belt system according to claim 10 wherein:

said biasing means of said belt locking assembly comprises a top leaf spring attached to the top of the buckle actuated portion of said lock bar; and

said lock bar further comprises a bottom leaf spring attached to the bottom of said buckle actuated portion of said lock bar, said bottom leaf spring being adapted to be actuated by said buckle to move said lock bar into said locked position.

17. The safety belt system according to claim 10 wherein said roller means of said belt locking assembly comprises:

a roller adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller; and

a roller shaft mounted in said housing, said roller being arranged concentrically around a portion of said roller shaft and being adapted to roll upon said roller shaft to facilitate movement of said assembly with reference to said safety belt.

18. A safety belt system adapted for use in a vehicle comprising:

a continuous length of safety belt which forms a shoulder belt and a lap belt, said shoulder belt having a shoulder belt anchorage point and said lap belt having a lap belt anchorage point;

a safety belt retractor located at said shoulder belt anchorage point to which retractor said shoulder belt is connected;

a non-adjustable lap belt anchorage means located at said lap belt anchorage point;

a belt locking assembly mounted on said safety belt and being adapted to slide upon a portion of said safety belt to adjust the length of said lap belt and said shoulder belt; and

a bUckle adapted to engage said belt locking assembly;

said belt locking assembly comprising;

a housing for said belt locking assembly;

a buckle engaging means extending from said housing and adapted to be engaged in said buckle;

a roller adapted to allow a portion of said safety belt to move upon said roller;

a roller shaft mounted in said housing, said roller being arranged concentrically around a portion of said roller shaft and being adapted to rotate upon said roller shaft to facilitate movement of said assembly with reference to said safety belt;

a lock bar mounted in said housing and having an unlocked position and a locked position, said lock bar adapted to be moved from said unlocked position to said locked position when said assembly is engaged in said buckle, said lock bar in said unlocked position allowing said assembly to slide with reference to said safety belt both in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point and in the direction of said lap belt anchorage point, said lock bar in said locked position preventing said assembly from sliding with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point, said lock bar having a buckle actuated portion adapted to be actuated by said buckle when said tongue assembly is engaged by said buckle and a belt engaging portion adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt when said assembly is engaged by said buckle to prevent said roller from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position, and said belt actuated portion being disposed at one end of said lock bar and said belt engaging portion being disposed at the opposite end of said lock bar, said lock bar having a pivot edge upon which said lock bar is adapted to pivot from said unlocked position to said locked position, said belt engaging portion of said lock bar having teeth disposed adjacent to said roller and adapted to clamp against a portion of said safety belt to prevent said roller from moving with reference to said safety belt in the direction of said shoulder belt anchorage point when said lock bar is in said locked position; and

at least one leaf spring attached to said lock bar to bias said lock bar in said unlocked position.