Ball actuated inertia device

Claim 1

A belt winder for a safety belt for vehicles with quick-action locking means, comprising a housing having a winding shaft, a locking mechanism arranged between the housing and the winding shaft, a mounting support having the shape of a ring and including a pair of adjusting cylinders, each of the cylinders having formed therein a pocket open at one side, each said pocket having a bottom and being formed at an angle to the axes of said cylinders, means on said ring for selectively mounting each said cylinder for rotation to maintain a portion of the bottom of each said pocket below the open end of each said pocket when said cylinders are in a horizontal plane, means mounting said ring for selective rotation on said housing about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the adjusting cylinders to maintain said adjusting cylinders in a horizontal plane, and said locking mechanism comprising (1) a locking wheel mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of ratchet teeth, (2) a ball inert mass mounted in the pocket of each of said cylinders and moving within the pocket when the vehicle accelerates in at least one of three directions in space and (3) a tipping member mounted in each said pocket and having a first portion thereof curved to conform to the shape of the ball and a second portion adapted to engage said teeth, said tipping being independent of the ball but moved in response to ball movement in the pocket to bring said second portion into engagement with said teeth to lock the winder shaft.