Seat belt connector

Claim 2

A seat belt connecting means comprising: a fitting, a base member, a locking member pivotally mounted on the base member so as to be pivotal thereon between an open position to permit receiving and releasing the fitting and a closed position for locking said fitting to said base member, actuating means slidably mounted on said base member and normally disposed at an intermediate position with respect to said base member, said actuating means being operably connected to said locking member to pivot said locking member from said closed position when said actuating means is in said intermediate position to said open position of said locking member when said actuating means is moved in either direction from said intermediate position.

Claim 3

The connecting means as defined in claim 1 and including bias means carried by said base member and urging said locking member toward the closed position.

Claim 4

The combination as defined in claim 1 and in which said actuating means includes a cover member slidably carried by said baseplate, and a pin member carried by said cover and extending through elongated slots formed in said baseplate and said locking member.

Claim 5

In a seat belt connector, the combination comprising: a fitting, a base member, a pair of locking members pivotally mounted on the base member so as to be pivotal between an open position to permit receiving and releasing the fitting and a closed position for locking said fitting to said base member, actuating means slidably connected to said locking members to pivot them intermediate said open and closed positions upon sliding movement of said actuating means with respect to said base member.

Claim 6

In a seat belt connector, the combination comprising: a fitting, a base member, a pair of locking members pivotally mounted on the base member so as to be pivotal between an open position to permit receiving and releasing the fitting and a closed position for locking said fitting to said base member, actuating means slidably connected to said locking members to pivot them intermediate said open and closed positions upon sliding movement of said actuating means with respect to said base member.

Claim 7

The combination as defined in claim 4, including a bias member for urging the locking members toward the closed position.

Claim 8

The combination as defined in claim 4, in which the base member has a planar surface, and the locking members are pivotal about axes normal to said surface.

Claim 9

The combination as defined in claim 6, in which said actuating means is slidable along a path parallel to the base member.

Claim 10

The combination as defined in claim 4, and in which said actuating means comprises a cover member encompassing said locking members and a pin member extending through said base member, said locking members and said cover member, said base member and said locking members having elongated slots for receiving said pin.

Claim 11

The combination as defined in claim 8, and in which said locking member slots are C-shaped and face in opposite directions whereby movement of said pin into the end portions of said slots causes said locking members to pivot toward said open position.

Claim 12

The combination as defined in claim 4, in which each of the locking members has an opening for receiving a portion of the fitting in the closed position.

Claim 13

The combination as defined in claim 4, in which said fitting is elongated and is disposed when locked to said base member by said locking members generally perpendicular to said base member.

Claim 14

In a vehicle having a seat assembly, the combination comprising: a shoulder belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent one side of the seat assembly, a lap belt and means anchoring said lap belt to the vehicle adjacent the same side of the seat assembly as the shoulder belt, a connector ring anchored to the vehicle adjacent the opposite side of the seat assembly as said anchoring means, a baseplate connected to the lap belt, a stud mounted on the baseplate, hardware carried by the shoulder belt for engaging the stud to connect the belts together, a locking member carried on the baseplate so as to be pivotal thereon between a closed position for locking the connecting ring to the baseplate and an open position for receiving and releasing the connector ring from the baseplate, a bias member connected to the locking member for urging it towards its locking position, and actuating means movably carried on the baseplate, and connected to the locking member such that the locking member can be moved from its closed position toward its open position by disposing the locking member in contact with the connector ring, and then moving the actuating means toward the connector ring.

Claim 15

In a vehicle having a seat assembly, the combination comprising: a shoulder belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent one side of the seat assembly, a lap belt and means anchoring said lap belt to the vehicle adjacent the same side of the seat assembly as the shoulder belt, a connector ring anchored to the vehicle adjacent the opposite side of the seat assembly as said anchoring means, a baseplate connected to the lap belt, a stud mounted on the baseplate, hardware carried by the shoulder belt for engaging the stud to connect the belts together, a locking member carried on the baseplate so as to be pivotal thereon between a closed position for locking the connecting ring to the baseplate and an open position for receiving and releasing the connector ring from the baseplate, a bias member connected to the locking member for urging it towards its locking position, and actuating means movably carried on the baseplate, and connected to the locking member such that the locking member can be moved from its closed position toward its open position by disposing the locking member in contact with the connector ring, and then moving the actuating means toward the connector ring.

Claim 16

The combination as defined in claim 12, in which the actuating means is mounted on the baseplate so as to be movable thereon in opposite directions from an intermediate position, and is connected to the locking member to move it toward its open position from its closed position as the actuating means is moved in either of said directions from said intermediate position.

Claim 17

The combination as defined in claim 12, in which the hardware carried by the shoulder belt has an opening for receiving the stud and is movable to a position in which it forms a locking connection between the two belts.

Claim 18

The combination as defined in claim 12, including a second locking member carried on the baseplate so as to be pivotal with respect to the baseplate between an open position and a closed position and each of said locking members having an opening for receiving the connector ring in the closed position of said locking member.

Claim 19

The combination as defined in claim 15, in which the locking members have cam surfaces formed such that as the baseplate and the connector ring are moved toward one another with the cam surfaces in contact with the connector ring, the locking members are cammed by the connector ring toward their open positions.

Claim 20

The combination as defined in claim 15, in which the connector ring has an opening, and the two locking members are receivable into the opening of the ring in opposite directions as the locking members are moved toward their closed positions.

Claim 21

In a vehicle having a seat assembly, the combination comprising: a shoulder belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent one side of the seat assembly, a lap belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent the same side of the seat assembly as the shoulder belt, a connector ring anchored to the vehicle adjacent the opposite lateral side of the seat assembly as said anchoring means, a baseplate connected to the lap belt, means carried by said baseplate and said shoulder belt for releasably locking said baseplate to said shoulder and means carried by said baseplate for releasably locking said baseplate to said connector ring, said last-mentioned means comprising a pair of locking members each pivotally mounted to said baseplate, said locking means each having an opening for receiving said connector ring and only pivotal intermediate an open position wherein said openings are separated and closed position wherein said connector ring can be locked in place in said openings, said locking members having portions overlying one another and elongated slots being formed in said portions, an elongated slot formed in said base member and pin member extending through said slots, said slots being formed such that movement of said pin with respect to said slots cam said locking members intermediate the closed and the open positions, and a cover member covering a portion of said locking members and carrying said pin.

Claim 22

In a vehicle having a seat assembly, the combination comprising: a shoulder belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent one side of the seat assembly, a lap belt and means anchoring said shoulder belt to the vehicle adjacent the same side of the seat assembly as the shoulder belt, a connector ring anchored to the vehicle adjacent the opposite lateral side of the seat assembly as said anchoring means, a baseplate connected to the lap belt, means carried by said baseplate and said shoulder belt for releasably locking said baseplate to said shoulder and means carried by said baseplate for releasably locking said baseplate to said connector ring, said last-mentioned means comprising a pair of locking members each pivotally mounted to said baseplate, said locking means each having an opening for receiving said connector ring and only pivotal intermediate an open position wherein said openings are separated and closed position wherein said connector ring can be locked in place in said openings, said locking members having portions overlying one another and elongated slots being formed in said portions, an elongated slot formed in said base member and pin member extending through said slots, said slots being formed such that movement of said pin with respect to said slots cam said locking members intermediate the closed and the open positions, and a cover member covering a portion of said locking members and carrying said pin.

Claim 23

The combination as defined in claim 18, and in which said locking member slots are substantially C-shaped and face in opposite directions whereby movement of said pin into either end portion of said slots causes said locking member to pivot toward said open position.

Claim 24

The combination as defined in claim 18 and including biasing means urging said locking member toward said closed position.