Dual actuation safety belt buckle mechanism

Claim 2

A safety belt buckle including a tongue plate adapted to receive a first belt section; a frame; a belt bar movably mounted in said frame between jamming and releasing positions, and adapted to receive and adjustably secure a second belt section; laterally interengageable means on said frame and plate adapted to transfer belt tension forces when said frame and plate means are interengaged; a slide member mounted in said frame for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of belt tension established by the position of said plate and belt bar with said frame and plate means are interengaged, said slide member being movable from locking position maintaining the engagement of said frame and plate means to a position releasing said frame and plate means for lateral separation; biasing means urging said slide member to locking position; and handle means slideably mounted on said frame for movement in a direction parallel to said axis, said handle having means disposed to intercept said belt bar on movement of said handle in a direction to move said belt bar to release position, wherein the improvement comprises: a push button mounted in said handle for movement transverse to the direction of sliding movement of said handle; means on said slide member forming an inclined cam surface with respect to the direction of movement of said push button, said push button having a portion disposed to engage said cam surface on application of exterior pushing force against said push button, said inclined cam surface being oriented to induce movement of said slide member to release position on actuation of said push button; and means providing resistance of said handle to sliding movement with respect to said frame, said resistance being of a magnitude in excess of the force required to move said slide member to release position.

Claim 3

A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said push button and slide member have interengageable abutment surfaces limiting the travel of said push button.

Claim 4

A buckle as defined in claim 2, wherein said abutment surfaces include the end portion of said slide member means forming an inclined cam surface.

Claim 5

A buckle as defined in claim 1, wherein said handle has means forming a guideway for the movement of said push button, said push button having a cantilever extension constituting said portion thereof disposed to engage said slide member cam surface.

Claim 6

A safety belt buckle including a tongue plate adapted to receive a first belt section; a frame; a belt bar movably mounted in said frame between jamming and releasing positions, and adapted to receive and adjustably secure a second belt section; laterally interengageable means on said frame and plate adapted to transfer belt tension forces when said frame and plate means are interengaged; a slide member mounted in said frame for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of belt tension established by the position of said plate and belt bar with said frame and plate means are interengaged, said slide member being movable from locking position maintaining the engagement of said frame and plate means to a position releasing said frame and plate means for lateral separation; and biasing means urging said slide member to locking position, wherein the improvement comprises: a push button mounted in said handle for movement transverse to said axis of belt tension; and means on said slide member forming an inclined cam surface with respect to the direction of movement of said push button, said push button having a portion disposed to engage said cam surface on application of exterior pushing force against said push button, said inclined cam surface being oriented to induce movement of said slide member to release position on actuation of said push button.

Claim 7

A safety belt buckle including a tongue plate adapted to receive a first belt section; a frame; a belt bar movably mounted in said frame between jamming and releasing positions, and adapted to receive and adjustably secure a second belt section; laterally interengageable means on said frame and plate adapted to transfer belt tension forces when said frame and plate means are interengaged; a slide member mounted in said frame for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of belt tension established by the position of said plate and belt bar with said frame and plate means are interengaged, said slide member being movable from locking position maintaining the engagement of said frame and plate means to a position releasing said frame and plate means for lateral separation; and biasing means urging said slide member to locking position, wherein the improvement comprises: a push button mounted in said handle for movement transverse to said axis of belt tension; and means on said slide member forming an inclined cam surface with respect to the direction of movement of said push button, said push button having a portion disposed to engage said cam surface on application of exterior pushing force against said push button, said inclined cam surface being oriented to induce movement of said slide member to release position on actuation of said push button.

Claim 8

A buckle as defined in claim 5, wherein said push button and slide member have interengageable abutment surfaces limiting the travel of said push button.

Claim 9

A buckle as defined in claim 6, wherein said abutment surfaces include the end portion of said slide member means forming an inclined cam surface.

Claim 10

A buckle as defined in claim 5, wherein said handle has means forming a guideway for the movement of said push button, said push button having a cantilever extension constituting said portion thereof disposed to engage said slide member cam surface.

Claim 11

A safety belt buckle including a tongue plate adapted to receive a first belt section; a frame; a belt bar movably mounted in said frame between jamming and releasing positions, and adapted to receive and adjustably secure a second belt section; laterally interengageable means on said frame and plate adapted to transfer belt tension forces when said frame and plate means are interengaged; a slide member mounted in said frame for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of belt tension established by the position of said plate and belt bar with said frame and plate means are interengaged, said slide member being movable from locking position maintaining the engagement of said frame and plate means to a position releasing said frame and plate means for lateral separation; biasing means urging said slide member to locking position; and handle means slideably mounted on said frame for movement in a direction parallel to said axis, said handle having means disposed to intercept said belt bar on movement of said handle in a direction to move said belt bar to release position, said handle also having means disposed to intercept said slide member to induce movement thereof to release position, said latter movement being in the opposite direction to that required to move said belt bar to release position, wherein the improvement comprises: a bush button mounted in said handle for movement transverse to the direction of sliding movement of said handle; means on said slide member forming an inclined cam surface with respect to the direction of movement of said push button, said push button having a portion disposed to engage said cam surface on application of exterior pushing force against said push button, said inclined cam surface being oriented to induce movement of said slide member to release position on actuation of said push button; and means providing resistance of said handle to sliding movement with respect to said frame, said resistance being of a magnitude in excess of the force required to move said slide member to release position.

Claim 12

A safety belt buckle including a tongue plate adapted to receive a first belt section; a frame; a belt bar movably mounted in said frame between jamming and releasing positions, and adapted to receive and adjustably secure a second belt section; laterally interengageable means on said frame and plate adapted to transfer belt tension forces when said frame and plate means are interengaged; a slide member mounted in said frame for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of belt tension established by the position of said plate and belt bar with said frame and plate means are interengaged, said slide member being movable from locking position maintaining the engagement of said frame and plate means to a position releasing said frame and plate means for lateral separation; biasing means urging said slide member to locking position; and handle means slideably mounted on said frame for movement in a direction parallel to said axis, said handle having means disposed to intercept said belt bar on movement of said handle in a direction to move said belt bar to release position, said handle also having means disposed to intercept said slide member to induce movement thereof to release position, said latter movement being in the opposite direction to that required to move said belt bar to release position, wherein the improvement comprises: a bush button mounted in said handle for movement transverse to the direction of sliding movement of said handle; means on said slide member forming an inclined cam surface with respect to the direction of movement of said push button, said push button having a portion disposed to engage said cam surface on application of exterior pushing force against said push button, said inclined cam surface being oriented to induce movement of said slide member to release position on actuation of said push button; and means providing resistance of said handle to sliding movement with respect to said frame, said resistance being of a magnitude in excess of the force required to move said slide member to release position.

Claim 13

A buckle as defined in claim 9, wherein said push button and slide member have interengageable abutment surfaces limiting the travel of said push button.

Claim 14

A buckle as defined in claim 10, wherein said abutment surfaces include the end portion of said slide member means forming an inclined cam surface.

Claim 15

A buckle as defined in claim 9, wherein said handle has means forming a guideway for the movement of said push button, said push button having a cantilever extension constituting said portion thereof disposed to engage said slide member cam surface.