Catch for safety belts of air, water, and land transport means

Claim 1

An improved catch for safety belts of air, water and land transport means embodying releasable locking of the catch tongue with a releasing element which by means of a pushbutton is manually movable to slide in a forward direction counter to the force of a return spring and at the end of its movement path releases a locking mechanism, and further embodying an automatic release system controllable by an electric signal generated by a sensor and having an electromechanical drive which subjects the releasing element to traction in said forward direction, the automatic release operation occurring in response to the electric signal generated by the sensor after a given delay period, such delay period starting anew after each signal if several signals occur successively within the delay period, comprising: an electro-mechanical drive in the form of a gear motor having a threaded spindle (20, 122) rotatable thereby; a drag nut (24,124) provided on the threaded spindle and bearing against said releasing element; said drag nut being movable in said forward direction by the rotation of said spindle to thereby slide said releasing element to the end of its movement path to release said locking mechanism, said drag nut releasing said releasing element for movement by said pushbutton; and a switching element (40, 36, 132) which upon release of said locking mechanism acts on the gear motor (18, 118) to restore it to its starting condition prior to the electric signal generated by said sensor.