Safety belt buckle

Claim 2

A vehicle safety belt buckle comprising a receptacle having a first opening and a passageway to receive a tongue having a recess therein; mounting means for attaching said buckle to a vehicle; a lock lever pivotally supported between the ends thereof, said receptacle having a second opening through which a first portion of said lock lever is accessible, first resilient means biasing said lock lever toward a position wherein a second portion of said lock lever resides within said passageway, an ejection lever pivotally mounted and extending within said receptacle, said ejection lever being movable between a first position wherein said ejection lever is within said passageway and spaced from said first opening less than the length of said tongue and a second position which is further from said first opening than said first position; second resilient means biasing said ejection lever toward said first position, an electrical switch within said buckle, said ejection lever being in contact with said switch when in said first position, said switch being connected to a signal circuit to indicate when said ejection lever is in said first position.

Claim 3

A buckle as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal circuit comprises in series, the chassis of said vehicle, said mounting means, said receptacle, said ejection lever, said switch and a cable leading from said switch to an electrical power source and signal means.

Claim 4

In combination a vehicle safety belt buckle and tongue, a. said tongue being connected at one end to a safety belt and having a recess adjacent the opposite end thereof, b. said buckle including a receptacle having a first opening and elongated passageway to receive said tongue, mounting means for attaching said buckle to a vehicle, a spring loaded lock lever pivotally supported between the ends thereof, said receptacle having a second opening through which a first portion of said lock lever is accessible, first resilient means biasing said lock lever toward a position wherein a second portion of said lock lever resides within said recess in the tongue when the tongue is in the passageway thereby locking said tongue in said receptacle, said first portion and said second portion of said lock lever being spaced from and on opposite sides of the pivot of said lock lever, a pivotally mounted ejection lever extending within said receptacle so that it is contacted by said tongue when said tongue is fully inserted in said passageway, said ejection lever being movable between a first position wherein said ejection lever is within said passageway and spaced from said first opening less than the length of said tongue and a second position which is further from said first opening than said first position, second resilient means biasing for clarity, said ejection lever toward said first position to eject said tongue when said lock lever is disengaged from said tongue recess, an electrical switch within said buckle, said switch being mounted at a location where (a) when said tongue is removed from said passageway said ejection lever is in contact therewith and (b) when said tongue is inserted into said passageway said ejection lever remains in contact with said switch until said second portion of said lock lever enters the tongue recess at which time the ejection lever no longer contacts said switch.

Claim 5

In combination a vehicle safety belt buckle and tongue, a. said tongue being connected at one end to a safety belt and having a recess adjacent the opposite end thereof, b. said buckle including a receptacle having a first opening and elongated passageway to receive said tongue, mounting means for attaching said buckle to a vehicle, a spring loaded lock lever pivotally supported between the ends thereof, said receptacle having a second opening through which a first portion of said lock lever is accessible, first resilient means biasing said lock lever toward a position wherein a second portion of said lock lever resides within said recess in the tongue when the tongue is in the passageway thereby locking said tongue in said receptacle, said first portion and said second portion of said lock lever being spaced from and on opposite sides of the pivot of said lock lever, a pivotally mounted ejection lever extending within said receptacle so that it is contacted by said tongue when said tongue is fully inserted in said passageway, said ejection lever being movable between a first position wherein said ejection lever is within said passageway and spaced from said first opening less than the length of said tongue and a second position which is further from said first opening than said first position, second resilient means biasing for clarity, said ejection lever toward said first position to eject said tongue when said lock lever is disengaged from said tongue recess, an electrical switch within said buckle, said switch being mounted at a location where (a) when said tongue is removed from said passageway said ejection lever is in contact therewith and (b) when said tongue is inserted into said passageway said ejection lever remains in contact with said switch until said second portion of said lock lever enters the tongue recess at which time the ejection lever no longer contacts said switch.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 wherein said buckle includes housing having a front opening aligned With said first opening and side opening and a slideable member mounted in said side opening and in contact with said first portion of said lock lever such that depression of said slideable member effects pivoting of said lock lever to a position wherein said second portion of said lock lever is removed from said tongue recess.

Claim 7

A vehicle safety belt apparatus comprising: a belt buckle with a front opening and a passageway accessable through said front opening, a tongue having a shaft and a first mating member on said shaft, said tongue normally being locked in said buckle when said shaft is inserted into said passageway a first predetermined distance, a lock lever having a first portion and a second portion, said lever being pivotly mounted at a pivot point between said first and second portions, said second portion having a second mating member, said lock lever being movable in a first rotational direction from a lock position to an unlatch position and in a second rotational direction from said unlatch position to said lock position, a first spring biasing said lock lever in said second rotational direction about said pivot point, said second mating member engaging said first mating member when said lock lever is in said lock position and when said shaft is inserted said first predetermined distance into said passageway to hold said tongue locked within said buckle, the engagement between said mating members being such that when engaged, forces tending to move said shaft outward along said passageway further bias said lock lever in said second rotational direction, a housing enveloping said buckle, said housing having a front opening aligned with said first opening and a side opening aligned with said first portion of said lock lever, said first portion of said lock lever ending within said housing, a slideable member mounted in said side opening and in contact with said first portion of said lock lever, depression of said slideable member causing pivoting of said lock lever in said first rotational direction from said lock position to said unlatch position, a pivotally mounted ejection lever, and a second spring biasing said ejection lever in a rotational direction to bear against said shaft when said tongue is inserted into said passageway said first predetermined distance, the force exerted on said shaft by said ejection lever tending to move said shaft outward along said passageway, said ejection lever moving, when said first portion of said lock lever is actuated, to a first position and forcing said shaft outward along said passageway to a position less than said first predetermined distance into said passageway.

Claim 8

A vehicle safety belt apparatus comprising: a belt buckle with a front opening and a passageway accessable through said front opening, a tongue having a shaft and a first mating member on said shaft, said tongue normally being locked in said buckle when said shaft is inserted into said passageway a first predetermined distance, a lock lever having a first portion and a second portion, said lever being pivotly mounted at a pivot point between said first and second portions, said second portion having a second mating member, said lock lever being movable in a first rotational direction from a lock position to an unlatch position and in a second rotational direction from said unlatch position to said lock position, a first spring biasing said lock lever in said second rotational direction about said pivot point, said second mating member engaging said first mating member when said lock lever is in said lock position and when said shaft is inserted said first predetermined distance into said passageway to hold said tongue locked within said buckle, the engagement between said mating members being such that when engaged, forces tending to move said shaft outward along said passageway further bias said lock lever in said second rotational direction, a housing enveloping said buckle, said housing having a front opening aligned with said first opening and a side opening aligned with said first portion of said lock lever, said first portion of said lock lever ending within said housing, a slideable member mounted in said side opening and in contact with said first portion of said lock lever, depression of said slideable member causing pivoting of said lock lever in said first rotational direction from said lock position to said unlatch position, a pivotally mounted ejection lever, and a second spring biasing said ejection lever in a rotational direction to bear against said shaft when said tongue is inserted into said passageway said first predetermined distance, the force exerted on said shaft by said ejection lever tending to move said shaft outward along said passageway, said ejection lever moving, when said first portion of said lock lever is actuated, to a first position and forcing said shaft outward along said passageway to a position less than said first predetermined distance into said passageway.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: a switch within said buckle, said switch being mounted at a location where (a) when said shaft is removed from said passageway said ejection lever is in contact with said switch and (b) when said shaft is inserted into said passageway said ejection lever remains in contact with said switch until said shaft has entered said passageway said first predetermined distance.