US3188707A

US3188707A - Remotely releasable safety belt buckle

Info

Publication number: US3188707A
Application number: US289984A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benjamin F Schmidt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-06-24
Filing date: 1963-06-24
Publication date: 1965-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1982-06-15

Description

June 15, 1965 w B. F.- SCHMIDT 3,188,707

' REMOTELY RELEASABLE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Filed June 24, 1963 .2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 15, 1965 B. F. SCHMIDT REMOTELY RELEASABLE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1963 JANE-wol?.

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United States Patent O 3,188,707 REMDTELY RELEASABLE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE Benjamin F. Schmidt, 45t) Fairview St., Sierra Madre, Calif. Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,984 14 Claims. (Cl. 24-75) This invention relates to safety belts such as used by occupants of vehicle seats to prevent injury of the occupants in the event the vehicle is stopped suddenly to avoid a collision or is involved in a collision accident.

In safety belts presently available the buckle or locking means are located in front of the user and can be released or unlocked only by appropriate manipulation which in some cases may prove dificult. If the user of the belt is injured opening of the belt may prove difficult and in some cases impossible. This is particularly the case if the injured person falls or leans over the buckle or locking means, and this difliculty is greater if the injured person is of large stature. If the injured person is unconscious or is unable to open the belt, a person seeking to rescue the injured person must reach to the front of the injured person to get at the buckle or locking means. This will prove difficult and may result in failure to effect a timely release, especially if the vehicle is on fire or a quick treatment is required to avoid death of the injured person.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved safety belt which when locked around the oc cupant of a vehicle seat, may be released and opened much more quickly and with less eifort than heretofore possible with safety belts and without requiring that the occupant or a person seeking release of the occupant actually touch or directly handle the buckle or fastening means for locking the belt.

Itis another object hereof to provide a safety belt such as described having novel coupling means for positively locking the belt in place and which is subject to being unlocked by a simple and easily effected manipulation of novel releasing means disposed at locations remote from the coupling means but readily accessible to the user or to a person seeking to open the belt to free the user.

A further object hereof is the provision of a safety belt which will achieve the above described and other objectives herein noted by having embodied in the coupling means for locking the belt in place, novel releasing means operable in response to manipulation of either of a pair of flexible releasing elements which extend from the locking means in opposite directions and outwardly of the belt so as to partially surround the person embraced by the belt. With this arrangement the ilexible elements are extended around the front of the user on opposite sides of the coupling means as well as along opposite sides of the user so that any portion of either exible element readily may be grasped and pulled to effect operation of the releasing means and the unlocking of the coupling elements to open the belt.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a belt such as described wherein the coupling means for locking the belt around the user is capable of a hinge action so as to conform comfortably to the curvature of the body of the user, the coupling means also readily lending itself to being protectively covered or coated so that corners or other portions of the coupling means will be protected from damaging, marring, or injuring objects or parts of the body or the clothing of the user coming into contact therewith.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel features of the invention will be dened in the appended claims.

Pice

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a safety belt embodying the present invention as it would appear when in use around the body of an occupant of a vehicle;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the belt Shown in FIG. l, on an enlarged scale showing the buckle elements locked together;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fagmentary longitudinal sectional view of the belt showing the buckle elements locked together;

FIG. 3a is a fragmentary sectional view showing parts of the coupling member as when separated;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section of a modified form of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7a is a fragmentary perspective view of a part of one of the coupling members shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modiiied form of this invention;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. ll is a fragmentary sectional view of another modified form of this invention; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention as shown in FIGS. 1-5 includes a safety belt A anchored as at B to a vehicle body C and provided with a special form of fastening means generally designated D operable to lock the belt securely around the body of an occupant of a seat of the vehicle. The belt A may be of any suitable strong and flexible fabric or similar belt material which will comfortably conform to the body of the occupant of the seat and securely hold the occupant from being thrown out of the vehicle or thrown forwardly and injured by striking portions of the vehicle in front of the seat, in the event the vehicle is stopped suddenly or becomes involved in a collision accident.

The belt A may be provided between its ends with suitable adjusting means E as shown in FIG. l, whereby it may be adjusted to lit the particular user. When this adjusting means is embodied in the belt it is preferable to anchor the belt by means of iiexible straps F secured to the belt and the vehicle body as indicated in FIG. 1.

In accordance with this invention, the fastening means D lincludes a yfemale coupling member 1 and a male coupling member 2 fastened to the ends ott' the belt A and adapated to :be locked together, lsubject however, to being unlocked solely in response to manually operable iiexifble elements or

lanyards

3 and 4. These lanyards extend loosely along the outer sides o'f the belt in opposite directions from the coupling members V1 and 2 to whichthey are operatively connected and may be fastened at points adjacent the rear of the Ibelt as at 5. With this arrangement portions of the

lanyards

3 and 4 on opposite sides of the belt will have appropriate slack and form loop portions Sa subject to being grasped and pnl-led at points remote from the lcoupling members 1 and 2, t-o unlock the coupling members and open the belt. Accordingly, the user of the belt kquickly may reach down on either side of the belt to grasp and pull on either lanyard for unlocking the coupling members. Moreover, if the user of the `belt is injured or unconscious, .a person seeking to rescue the user readily may grasp either lanyard and thus open the belt to release the injured person from the belt.

v the pin 30.

The female coupling member 1 includes a housing 6 to which one end of the belt A is secured in any suitable manner and which is provided with a socket portion 7 for receiving the male coupling memberr2. `In .a pair of opposedV members v8 xed within the housing 6 and which Ydeiinef therebetween thel socket portion 7, lare depressions 9 for receiving a pairv of locking .balls 10ciarried .by the maleV ur-ge the sleeve outwardly so that the innerV shoulder 28 stops against the pin 30 (see FIG. 3a) with the latter than heldin the groove 32 by .the small innercounterbore,

j thereby locking the slide rod 14 in unlocking position member 2 for locking the coupling members together. s

The male coupling member 2 includes' a tubular member 11 carried by a cross member 12 to which the beltis secured in any suitable manner. The tubular member il projects forwardly from the cross member-12 and is provided Vwith opposed openings 13 in which'the balls 10 are mov-able into .and out olf locking position. The outer ends of the openings `1 3, are sufficiently restricted in diarneter to prevent the balls .from dropping out of the open-` ings. A slide rod 14 movable in theY bore of thetubfular member 111 has an -annular'groove 1'5 ywhiclrupon'being brought into registry with the balls in the openings 13 will ,permit the fballsj to move into unlocking position in *the groove 15. When the groove 1'5 is out of regs'try'with openings 13, the balls, 10 .areheld in extended or locking position by contact with rod 14.V Movement of the'rod 14 is limited to unlock and locking positions by means of pins 14a xed to the member .11 andextending into slots 14b in the rod.

The slide rod 14 is movable into unlocking position byfV means of the Lanyards r3 which is secured to anleye 1-5 on the 'outer end of a reduced portion 17 of the rod 14. The reduced portion 17 isslidable through a pairA of connected tubular members 1'8 and 19 extended from the rear'side of the cr-oss member .412. .Acoiled spring 241 f confined in the tubular .member -19 between ashoulder 22.v thereon anda shoulder 23 on the rod v14 urges the rod forwadly'toV occupy a locking position in which theV balls 10 are engaged .by-therrod V14 so ,as to protrudefrom the openings 13 in the tubular member 11;

with the balls. retracted into the groove in the rod.

When the tubular member 11 of the male coupling member 2 is inserted into the socket 7 in the female cou` pling member 1, su'iciently to dispose the retracted balls ltlinrthe socket 7,`the outer end of the sleeve encounters thebevelled outer ends of the member 8 in the fem-ale kcoupling member 1 and this ycauses' the sleeve to be moved reauwardly to brin'gsho'u'lder 29 rearwardly of the pin '30. When this takes placethe rod.14 is urged outwardly by the spring 21 and this causes the pin 30 to .cam 'out of the groove 32, thereby releasing Vthe rod 14 releasingmeans being operable to engage the outer end of .the rod exposed at the outer end of the tubular member 151, so as to push the rod into the unlocking position hereinbefore described.

As shown in FIG. ,3, the lockgreleasing means in the female coupling member operable in response toa pull on thelanyard V4,'includes a slide plate 35 inthe housing -6 and to which the lanyard 4 is secured vby fastenings 36. VLinks 37v pivotally connect the `plate 35 .with a pair of levers 3S fulcrumed-as'at 39 in the housing 6 and having ends in contact with ythe outer end of thezslide rod14.' The slide plate is provided with a slot4`0 through which Latch means are provided to .releasably hold theV slide Y V,rod'14 in unlocking position,i to .prevent the spring 21 'from urging the r-odv .14 Vback intoI locking position when the lanyard 3 or lany-ardyl is released after being operated to move the rod .into unlocking position. This latch means is also .constructed to release slide rod1-4 for movement by the spring 21 into lockiugpositio-n. when the tubular member 11 is inserted intosocket 7y of the female coupling member 1 sufficiently tol disp-ose the balls-101m l the socket adjacent the depressions 9 whereby when the. f

balls registerl with these depressions they will 'be forced Y by the r-od V.14 intothe'depressions as the spring 21` urges.

A the rod into locking position.`

As here provided, the latch'me'ansrinoludes asleeve -25 v slidable on the tubular member'lfl. with one end. guided f inV a anged cap 26.7surroundiing the tubular .member and abutting the cross member 12.' A coiledy spring v2,7 conf lined betweenithe cap 26 and the inner `end ofy the `sleeve VY25v biases the'sleeve outwardly from the capV 26.. Y' The sleeve 25 is provided internally'with yanrinner counterbore 1 forming an inner annular shoulder 28 .and is provided.

with a larger outer countenborerin the outer end portionl thereof for forming an outer annular shoulder 29. .These shoulderslimit the spring effected movement of the sleeve "25 by comin-g into contact with aV latch pin r30 slidable' radially in `anopening 3:1 in theIk tubular member V11,'-the pin having rounded ends` to engage the inner surface of "the sleeve 25 and the rod y14 respectively. `In Vthe rod 14 Y is an annular groove 32 Whichvis slightly forward off the pin 30,V -as shown'in FjIG. 3,?when the, coupling members `are locked together, the outer shoulder 29 on the sleeve 25 being then in contact or substantially in contact with When themagle coupling member 2 is uncoupfled Vfrom the female. coupling member-1 asshown in FIG. 3a as the..

a` fastening element y41 extends, to limit sliding movement .of the plate,'this fastening element being also employed VVto hold withinv the housing a plate 42 to which the' one end `of thebelt A'is secured in any suitable manner. A

.spring 43 xed at ends .to the plate 35 bears ,against the fastening element 4I so lasto hold vthe releasing means normally ina position in which it is ready to be -operated. When the lanyard'4 is pulled, theslide plate 35 is retracted and through the links 37 ,causes the levers 38 to move` the rod 14 intothc sameunlocking position that Vit occupies in response to a pullon-the lanyard 3, the

rod 14 Vb'eingkth'en ylatched in Vunlocking position in the V same manner asdescr'ibedin connection with operation of the lanyard 3 to'unlock the couplin'gmembers 1 and 2. y, It shouldbe'noted that, the two couplingemembers 1 and2 are capable of ,aV hinge action about the axes of the vlocking balls 10, as indicated by .the dashed lines inFIGiZ,

whereby the .coupling members twill, comfortably con- Vform to the curvatureofthc.,bodyLof the usen Y `A modiiied formof this inventionasshown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 7a, .includes a belt'Al, .which corresponds to the b'eltY A shown in FIGS.'1-5, ,and Vis provided at its ends with a female coupling member 45 and a male coupling memberf46. Y

The female coupling member 45 includesV a housing 47 which forms Va socket for :reception of the male couipling member. 46. Withinfthe housing 47A is a locking plate 49 lhaving one end V pivoted as at.50,to theV housing with 1ts.o tl,n'erv end disposedlobe urged by a leaf spring 51 locking position. Spring 51, as Shown in FIG. 7, isxed as at 52 fto the' housing 47 and bearson theplate49`so that the vlatter is'biased into position locking the male couplingmemberj totheV female Acoupling member butmay be moved against the action of the spring out of that position, all ,in a manner to be hereinafter de- I scribed. Y f

The male coupling member 46'includes lan elongate Vbody plate 53 to which thezoth'er-V end ofrtherbelt A1 is result of lanyard effected movement of the slide ,rod 14, f`"

the .pin 30 is forced into -tlle grooveZon thevrod so as to securedby fastenings 54iand which has its outer `end bent Y VK.back on itself Vto ,provide 1a locking hook or shoulder 55. clear the outer shoulder 29 whereupon; the spring 27 75 .This shoulder 55 will becomelocked in-engagement with the outer end 49a of the spring-loaded locking plate 49, as best shown in FIG. 7, when the outer end of the plate 53 of the male coupling member 46 is inserted into the housing 47 of the female coupling member 45, and moves past the outer end 49a of the plate 49, the spring 51 then causing the plate 49 to snap into engagement with the shoulder 55.

The male coupling member 46 is also provided with an elongate releasing plate 46 slidably supported on the body plate 53 by means of fastenings 57 extending through slots 58 in the plate 46. The slidable plate 56 is wider than the body plate 53 and has side flanges 59 which extend along the side edges of the outer end portions thereof. The flanges 59 are provided, as shown in FIG. 7a, with bevelled cam edges 60. When the slide plate 56 is in the extended position shown in FIG. 7, with the outer end 49a of the locking plate 49 locking against the shoul- -der 55 of the body plate 53, the bevelled cam edges 60 on the flanges 59 of plate 56 are disposed close to and forwardly of the locking end 49a in position to engage and move the end 49a out of engagement with the shoulder 55 when the sli-de plate 56 is retracted in the manner to be hereinafter described.

A lanyard 3a corresponding to the lanyard 3 and which may be arranged on the belt A1 in the same manner as the lanyard 3, is secured to the slide plate 56 in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a strap 62 and fastenings 63. With this arrangement it will be apparent that a pull on the lanyard 3a will retract the lslide plate 56 so that the cam edges 60 of the flanges 59 thereon will contact the locking end of plate 49a and move the plate 49 so as to disengage the locking end 49a fromy the locking shoulder 55 on the body plate 53, thereby unlocking the coupling members.

Means for unlocking the coupling members 45 and 46 are also provided on the female coupling member 45 and are operable in response to a pull on a lanyard 4a arranged on belt A1 in the same manner as lanyard 4 in FIGS. l-5. Accordingly, the lanyard 4a, is mounted for limited sliding movement in a strap 65 fixed to the housing 47, there lbeing a pin 66 fixed to the housing and slidable 1n a slot 67 in a ferrule 68 fixed on the end of the lanyard 4a and slidably disposed under the strap 65. A pin 69 connects one end of the ferrule 68 with one end of a lever 70 pivoted between its ends as at 71 in the housing 47,

it being noted that one side wall '73 of the housing is formed with a wide slot 74 and that the pin extends through this slot. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, lever 70 bears against the outer end of the slidable plate 56 when the coupling members are locked together.

When the lanyard 4a is pulled, the lever 70 is rocked on its pivot 71 so as to shift the slide plate 56 in the direction in which the cam edges 60 of the flangers S9 on the plate 56 will contact and move the locking plate 49 out of locking engagement with the shoulder 55 on the body plate 53.

The ferrule 68 has a slot 68a through which the pin 66 extends. A coiled spring 6817 confined in the slot 68a between the pin 66 and one end of this slot operates to urge the ferrule 68 forwardly and return the lever 70 to normal position ready for the next operation upon release of the lanyard 4a after the latter has been pulled to open the belt.

It willpnow be apparent that the modified form of this invention, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, may be operated to open the belt A1 responsive to either

lanyard

3a or 4a being pulled.

As shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a third modified form of this invention includes a belt A3, corresponding to the belt A in FIGS. 1 5, and to the ends of which are secured a female coupling member 80 and a male coupling member 81.

The female coupling member 80 includes a housing 82 providing a socket 83 into which the male coupling -mernber 81 is insertible so that a pivoted and springloaded locking dog 84 carried by the male coupling member will be engaged in a recess 85 in the wall 86 of the housing to lock the coupling members together.

The male coupling member 81 includes an elongate body plate 87 having flanges 88 along opposite longitudinal edges and which are disposed to slidably engage opposed walls 89 of the housing 82 of the female coupling member S0 when the male coupling member is inserted into the female coupling member. A spring member 90 is mounted on the walls 89 of the body plate 87 and engages the dog 84 so as to urge the dog into locking position when the male member is inserted into the female member. It should be noted that the male and female members, as shown in FIG. 9, are formed to conform comfortably to the curvature of the body of the user.

The pivot pin 91 is of such smaller diameter than the opening in the dog 84 through which it extends that the load on the belt will be transmitted to parts of the coupling other than the pin 91. Accordingly, a flange 87 on the plate 87 abuts and embraces the pivoted end of the dog 84, to take the thrust instead of the pivot pin, the pin merely serving to hold the dog in place. This arrangement makes it possible to release or uncouple the coupling members with consummate ease, a pull on the lanyard of but a few pounds being all that is required.

The locking dog 84 is held in locking position as shown in FIG. 9, by means of a slidable latch plate 92 carried by the body plate 37 of the male member S1, this latch plate being slidably secured to the body plate 87 by means of a fastening 93 extending through a slot 94 in the latch plate and fixed to the body plate. Springs 95 fixed to the plate 87 and the latch plate 92, respectively, urge the latter into latching poistion to hold the dog 34 in locking position as shown in FIG. 9. When in latching position the latch plate 92 has a projection 92 thereon (see FIG. 9) which engages the free end of the dog 84 to hold it in locking position. Retraction of the latch plate 92 will remove the projection 92 from engagement with the dog 84 so that the latter will cam out the recess 85 by reason of the coengaging cam faces of the dog and recess, in pulling the coupling members apart. Retraction of the latch plate 92 may be eected by a pull on the lanyard 3b arranged in the same manner as lanyard 3 shown in FIGS. 1-5, the lanyard 3b being looped around a projection 99 on the latch plate so that the latter will slide out of latching position when the lanyard 3b is pulled.

In order to hold the dog 84 against moving back into locking position upon uncoupling the coupling members, a second latch plate is slidably mounted on the body plate and is provided with a slot 101, through which the fastening 93 extends to hold the plate 100 slidably between the body plate 87 and the main latch plate 92, as seen in FIG. 9.

A spring 103 is bent around one of the fastenings 104 on the body plate 87 with its ends fastened to the body plate 87 and to the latch plate 100 to urge the latter into position for releasably holding the locking dog in retracted or unlocking position.

When the locking dog 84 is moved out of the recess 85 in uncoupling the two coupling members following a pull on the lanyard 3b, and a shoulder 84a in the dog then cams past the adjacent edge of the latch plate 100, the spring 103 will move the latch plate over the shoulder 84a, thereby releasably holding the latch dog in unlocking position.

Upon inserting the male member 81 into the female member 80, a ange 106 on the outer end of the latch plate 100 will engage the edge portion 107 of the housing 82 of the female coupling member 80 so that the latch plate will be retracted from the locking dog shoulder 84a whereby the spring 90 will urge the locking dog 84 into locked position in the recess 85.

- coupling member.

aisance 'same manner asV the lanyard 4 in FIGS. 1-5and which may be pulled to retract the latch plate 92.' Vln pulling on the lanyard 4b a pair of levers 108, pivoted as at 109 in the housing 82 of the female coupling rmember 80 and to which the lanyard is connectedV by the flexible elements 110,'will berrocked alike .sov that the ends 111 of the levers Will engage and move out tion the latch plate 92. Y

Spring means 112 on the female member 80 normally of latchng posi-Y hold the levers 108 in the position shown in FIG. n8,

ready to be rocked for moving the plate 92 out of latch: ing position. Y

It will now be apparent that the belt and coupling unit shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and readily may beun-V locked and opened by pulling'on either of the two lanyards 3b and 4b.

l Another modified form of the invention asV shown lin FIGS. 11 and 12,v consists of a belt A4 and lanyardsA provided withl arpair of locking `pins 120 slidably. supfV ported in sockets 121 with their f outer ends adapted to engage in recesses 122 in theY housing ofthe female These locking pins are limited in their outward sliding YmovementV by means-fof pins 123Y Vthereon and slots 124 in the sockets 121.Y Y

A slidable plate-liker actuating vmember 126 is carried vby the male coupling member 117- so as to extend between andin contact with the inner yends lof the locking "pins 120. YA fastening 127 extends'through a slot 128 in the `vslidable member 126 to slidably mount this member on the male member 117. VA spring129"urg"es the member' 126 into locking position shown in'FIG. 11'.V Retractionof the slide member 126V is effected by a pull on klanyardc which is connected as at 126vvith the slide member126.

When the slide member 126is retracted notches 130 in :opposite edges thereof are moved into registry `withthe ylocking pins 120 so that the inner ends of the pins 120 may enter the notches as the pins move out of locking position in the recesses 122VV of the `female member 116.Y The outer ends of the pins 120,r as here shown,V areilat-lV tened and have bevelled sides v120, so as to securely lock the coupling members together. However," these bevelled ends will cam out of the recesses 122 when pulling on the coupling members to separate them aftertthe slide mem-V Vmember 126 to latch the latter in the retracted position in Y which the locking pins 120 are retracted from vlocking positions. Upon retraction of themember 126 from locking position the projection'125 thereon Will-cam overthe bevelled portion 132 on the dog k132'and move the latter so that the projection 135 will snap into the notch 134.

.-3 I member k126` which is biased forwardly by thev spring 129 -to urge'the pins into locking position.

The female coupling member` 116 is provided with Ymeans for -retracting the slide member `126 to cause the locking pins 120m move out of` lockingposition incident to pulling on the lanyard dc. Y This'releasing means Vincludesa pair of levers 13S pivoted as at 139 on the female coupling'member 11.6 with their outer ends coupled by flexible elements 14th Vto the lanyard 4c and their inner ends abutting the adjacent end of the slide member 126.

YA leafy spring 1.41 is engaged -with the pivots 139 and ends Y Yofthe levers 138 in such a manner as to hold the levers in 'readiness for beingfrocked Ato move the slide member 126 e for releasing the locking pins 129 in response to a pull on the lanyard 4c.

` One of the advantages'of this form of safety belt is that the'two coupling'members are permitted to swing with a hinge action'as indicated` by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 12, VVabout the axes of the locking pins 120 to assume a V-shape which will conform somewhat to the curvature of the body of the user of the belt toV add toy the comfort of the user.

, It should be noted thatV the coupling members in all forms of this `invention as Vhere'shownY readily lend themselves to having corners and'other portions thereof which may tend tomar, damage, or injure objects, clothing, and portions of the body of the user which come into contact therewith, provided with protective coatings or coverings to preventV such marring, damage or injury.V

It should be noted'that each of the forms of thisinvention is constructed and arranged so that the release or un- Y coupling of the coupling elements readily may be effected by pulling on either of the lanyards,` no

particularlyV hard or heavy pull being required. ,Y V f While specicstructuraldetails have been shown and described, it should bei understood that changes and alterai tions may be resorted to without departing from the spirit Yof the Yinvention as defined in the appended claims.

.I claim: y

1. A safety buckle comprising: a pair of separable coupling members adapted to be coupled to a belt; a projection on one of said coupling members;l means on the other coupling member providing a socket `to receive 'said'projection and defining a pair Vof depressions in walls of the socket; a pair of locking members carried by said'projection for movement into saidY depressions to releasably lock said coupling members together; an actuating memberV f shiftably carried by said projection Vfor movement into, a

position for `moving said locking members into'said depressions on anda position for releasing said lockingrmem- 'bers from said depressions; spring meansbiasing said actuatmg member-'into position for moving said lockingmembers into said depressions; a lanyard connected Vwith said actuating memberv operable' for moving'saidfactuating member into, position to release said locking members; and means carried by said other coupling memberioperable for engaging and moving saidr actuating member into position to'release said locking member.

2` The safetybucklej as set forth in claim- 1, including ,latch'means operablein-response to movement of said actuating member in releasing position for releasably `holdmg said'actuating' member against movement into said position to lock Vsaid klocking members; and latch l releasing means operable upon 're-engaging said coupling Movement of the latch dog 132 to release the slide memi ber 126 `is effected in theV operation lof inserting the Vmale Vcoupling member 117 into the female coupling member' gageabletby, said locking plate to releasably lock said couy pling members together; spring means -biasing said locking This contact of the dog y132 with the shoulder 136 rocks l the kdog sothat the notch 134'is retracted Vfrom the projec-V tion 135 on the slide member 126,"thereby releasing the' members with` one anotherV for releasing said actuating member. l

3. A safety buckle-comprising: a pair of separable cou- VVplingl members eachadapted to be connected toa belt; a

locking plate movably carriedby one of said coupling members; a projection onv the other coupling member enplate to engage said projection; a releasing member movably` carried by said'other coupling members for engaging and moving said locking plate so as to release' said projection; a lanyard connected to said releasing member and operable to move said releasing member for releasing said locking plate; releasing means movable on said one coupling member to engage and move said releasing member for releasing said locking plate; and a lanyard connected with said last named releasing means.

4. A safety buckle comprising: a pair of separable coupling members each adapted for connection to a belt; locking means carried by said coupling members including a dog pivoted on one of said coupling members and a locking element on the other of said members cooperable to releasably lock said coupling members together; means biasing said dog into locking engagement with said locking element; a rst latch carried by said one coupling element; means biasing said latch to releasably engage and releasably hold said dog in locking position incident to movement of said dog into said locking position;

means connected with said latch operable to move the latch for releasing said dog from said locking position; said dog and said locking element having cam surfaces cooperable to move said dog into unlocking position incident to separation of said coupling members; a second latch movable on said one coupling member; means biasing said second latch to engage and releasably hold said dog in said unlocking position; and means on said second latch engageable with said other coupling member upon moving said coupling members together for moving said second latch to release said dog from said unlocking position.

5. A safety buckle comprising: a pair of separable coupling membersI each adapted to be connected with a belt; one of said coupling members having opposed Walls forming a socket therebetween; one of said walls having a depression therein; a body member on the other coupling member extensible into said socket; a locking dog pivoted on said body member for movement into and from said depression to releasably lock said coupling members together; spring means biasing said dog into locking position; a latch carried on said body member for movement to releasably hold said dog in locking position; spring means biasing said latch to engage and releasably latch said dog in said locking position; said dog and said depression having cam surfaces cooperable to move said dog into unlocking position upon separation of said coupling members; a lanyard connected to said latch operf able to move said latch for releasing said dog; a second latch movably carried by said body member operable for releasably holding said dog in said unlocking position; spring means biasing said second latch to releasably hold said dog in said unlocking position; releasing means carried by said one coupling member operable to engage and move said rst named latch to release said dog from locking position; a lanyard connected with said last named releasing means for operation thereof; and means embodied to said one coupling member and said second latch cooperable to move said second latch to release said dog from said unlocking position incident to moving said body member into said socket.

6. The safety buckle as set forth in claim 4 wherein meansy are provided on said one coupling member engageable with said dog for relieving from the pivot of said dog loads imposed on said dog while said coupling members are locked together.

7. A safety buckle comprising: a pair of separable coupling members each adapted to be connected With a belt; one of said coupling members having Walls dening therebetween a socket; opposed portions of said walls having locking depressions therein; a body member on the other of said coupling members adapted to be removably mounted in said socket; a pair of locking pins slidably carried by said body member for movement into and from said depressions; an actuating member mounted on said body member between and in engagement with opposite ends of :said pins for sliding movement between a first position for moving said pins into said depressions lt) and a second position permitting removal of said pins from said depressions; spring means biasing said actuating member into said iirst position; lanyard means operatively connected with said actuating member operable to.

said body member into said socket for releasing said latch means.

8. A safety belt for the occupant of a vehicle seat comprising: a belt; means anchoring the belt to the vehicle with portions of the belt disposed to be locked together around the body of an occupant of the seat; coupling members carried by said portions of the belt; locking means carried by said coupling members cooperable for for releasably locking said coupling membersv together upon moving said coupling members into engagement with one another; and releasing means connected to said locking means operable for unlocking said locking means and including lanyards extending in opposite directions from said coupling members, with each lanyard subject to being grasped and pulled to operate said releasing means.

9. The invention as' set forth in claim 8, wherein said coupling members are preformed to conform to the curvature of the body of the user.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 8, wherein said lanyards extend around the exterior of said portions of the belt and are connected therewith for movement relative thereto at points longitudinally spaced along the belt, with portions of said lanyards forming loops subject to being grasped and pulled to elfect said operation of said releasing means.

11. The invention as set forth in claim 8, wherein the ends of said lanyards that are farthest removed from said coupling members are fixed to portions of said belt that extend toward the back of said occupant.

12. A safety buckle comprising: a pair of coupling members adapted to be connected with the separable portions of an anchored safety seat belt; locking means embodied in said coupling members cooperable upon engaging said coupling members' with one another to releasably lock said coupling members together; releasing means embodied in each of said coupling members operable for unlocking said locking means; and a pair of lanyards connected with said releasing means; said lanyards being disposed so that either lanyard may be grasped and pulled to effect operation of the releasing means connected therewith and thereby unlock said lockmg means.

13. A safety seat belt comprising: a pair of separable belt portions; means anchoring said belt portions; a pair of coupling members connected with said belt portions; locking means embodied in said coupling members cooperable When engaged to releasably lock said coupling members together with said belt portions encircling a portion of the body of an occupant of the seat; releasing means in each of said coupling members operable for unlocking said locking means; a pair of lanyards connected with said releasing means in said coupling members operable when either lanyard is pulled to actuate said releasing means to unlock said locking means; and means connecting said lanyards to said belt portions for movement relative to said belt portions and so that each lanyard is disposed in a position to be grasped and pulled at different points along its length.

14. A buckle for a safety seat belt comprising: a male coupling member; a female coupling member for reception of said male coupling member; locking means in said coupling members including a locking member movable on one of said coupling members and a locking eleiment .on the other of said coupling'membersgmeans Aeni- -bodied -in one of said coupling `members operable to move said locking member into locking engagement with Y means 'in each .of said coupling members arranged so p .that either releasing means .maybe operatedgto unlock -said locking means; .andaV pair of lanyards each of which is connected .with'on'e ofsaid releasing means and is operable tolactuate the releasing ymeans to whichV it isrconnected so as to unlock said locking means; said -lanyards -being extended kin'opposite :directions from said'buckle :and .,connectedtvvith thebelt for movement relative there- Y Y n 'y grasped and pulled t9 15 DQNLEY Jv'. s'roCK1N'G,--Primary Examinar.

`to so that either lanyard may be yun1 r ckzsaid locking means;

I2 Y l lReferences'Cited bythenExaminer Y' Y n l UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,644: 6/56-3'Martin et zal. 2li-230 3,074,378 j1/65 Clayton. f FOREIGN" PATENTS 636,468,y 1*/28 A Francef l652,554 10/28 Y France.

'2,179 18778 Great Britain. '710,743 19,111 \-'Grea;fBfitain. 695,255 8/53v GreatBritain.V ,A 899,459,l A 6,/62 Great Britain.

Claims

3. A SAFETY BUCKLE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SEPARABLE COUPLING MEMBERS EACH ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A BELT; A LOCKING PLATE MOVABLY CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID COUPLING MEMBERS; A PROJECTION ON THE OTHER COUPLING MEMBER ENGAGEABLE BY SAID LOCKING PLATE TO RELEASABLY LOCK SAID COUPLING MEMBERS TOGETHER; SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID LOCKING PLATE TO ENGAGE SAID PROJECTION; A RELEASING MEMBER MOVABLY CARRIED BY SAID OTHER COUPLING MEMBERS FOR ENGAGING AND MOVING SAID LOCKING PLATE SO AS TO RELEASE SAID PROJECTION; A LANYARD CONNECTED TO SAID RELEASING MEMBER AND OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID RELEASING MEMBER FOR RELEASING SAID LOCKING PLATE; RELEASING MEANS MOVABLE ON SAID ONE COUPLING MEMBER TO ENGAGE AND MOVE SAID RELEASING MEMBER FOR RELEASING SAID LOCKING PLATE; AND A LANYARD CONNECTED WITH SAID LAST NAMED RELEASING MEANS.