GB888210A - Improvements in and relating to safety harness - Google Patents

Abstract

888,210. Safety harness for vehicles &c. TELEFLEX PRODUCTS Ltd. Feb. 2, 1960 [Feb. 18, 1959], No. 5607/59. Class 141 [Also in Groups XXVI and XXXIV] In a vehicle &c. safety harness comprising a strap 36 automatically wound on a spindle 28 by means of a coiled spring 27 at one end of the spindle, the opposite end of the spindle has a cam plate 33 engaging with a co-operating surface on a coaxially mounted inertia mass or brake plate 40. A light compression spring 43 holds the brake plate against the cam plate so that the two plates rotate together when the strap is pulled gently. On sudden movement of the strap, however, the inertia of the brake plate overcomes the force of the spring and slows down the brake plate, so that relative movement between the co-operating cam surfaces causes the plate 40 to move axially until the attached braking material 42 contacts the end plate 24 of the casing, thus locking the spindle against further rotation. The braking material may be replaced by co-operating radial teeth 48, 58 on the brake plate and end plate 24 respectively Fig. 13. In this embodiment the parts may be locked manually by sliding a rod 69 to compress the spring 43 and bring a further set of teeth 68 into locking engagement with the teeth 48. The cam surfaces may each comprise three half-pearshaped recesses 45, Fig. 2, a ball 47 forming a bearing between the co-operating recesses of each pair. In a modification, Fig. 10 (not shown), the cam surfaces are divided into three equiangular inclined surfaces. The Provisional Specification describes a harness arrangement wherein the inertia reel is secured to the vehicle floor behind the seat and a single strap 36 extends upwardly from the reel to shoulder straps which pass over the wearer's shoulders and are connected by a quick-release buckle to lap straps.