Buckle and body restraint system for a vehicle

Claim 1

A buckle within which strap end fittings are releasably secured, said buckle comprising, a housing including a cover plate, said housing having interior walls defining a cavity of cruciform shape closed by said cover plate, said housing defining openings into which said strap end fittings are inserted, said cover plate having a central opening, and latch means in said cavity and including a latch plate with multiple wings each wing having a detent thereon, a resilient member centrally disposed within said cavity and biasing said latch plate to a latching position whereat the strap end fittings are engaged and retained by said detents, a control member on said latch plate having an upright axis and multiple extremities located in a recessed manner within said central opening of the cover plate, said central opening of a size permitting inclination of the control member relative its axis and axial displacement of the control member along its axis to disengage one or more detent from their respective strap end fittings, said latch plate supported in a rockable and in a slidable manner in said cavity by said resilient member with said interior housing walls confining the plate wings against lateral displacement whereby upon motion being imparted to the latch plate in an asymmetrical manner by fingertip pressure on one of said extremities one detent is disengaged from a strap end fitting or alternatively upon axial displacement of the latch plate by fingertip pressure at the center of said control member all detents are simultaneously released from fitting engagement.