Dual function seat belt retractor

Claim 1

A rotary lock assembly comprising a base including first stationary abutment means, shaft means journaled from said base for rotation in one direction from a first position toward a second position, through an intermediate position a predetermineD number of degrees from said first position and then rotatable in the opposite direction back toward said first position, a movable locking component defining second abutment means mounted on said shaft means for rotation therewith and supported therefrom for guided limited shifting transversely of the axis of rotation of the shaft means relative to the latter and between first and second positions with a portion of the second abutment means positioned out of and in position, respectively, in direct engagement with the first abutment means to lock said shaft means against rotation relative to said base, said shaft means and said movable component including cam surface means engageable with each other and operative, in response to torque above a predetermined value being applied to said component through said shaft means in one direction of rotation of the component thereof and substantially independent of rotation of the component with said shaft means relative to said base, to shift said component from said first position toward said second position, and lockout means responsive to positioning of said shaft means in a position between said first and intermediate positions for positively preventing movement of said component to its second position of movement, said locking component including concave abutment surface means spacing radially inwardly toward the axis of rotation of said shaft means, said lockout means including a lockout member supported from said base for limited shifting axially of said shaft means and threaded on said shaft and held against rotation relative to said base for travelling along said shaft means in response to rotation of the latter relative to said base, said lockout means including a generally cylindrical surface concentric with the axis of rotation of said shaft means and disposed in radial registry with and immediately inwardly of said abutment surface means for abutment of the latter with said cylindrical surface when said shaft is positioned between said first and intermediate positions, said lock member, when said shaft means is positioned between said intermediate and second positions, being shifted along said shaft member to a position with said cylindrical surface out of radial registry with said abutment surface, said abutment surface, during shifting of said second abutment means between said first and second positions thereof, being shifted generally radially inwardly relative to said axis for a position spaced a greater distance from said axis than said cylindrical surface to a position spaced a lesser distance from said axis than said cylindrical surface.