Importance

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Abstract

A seat belt buckle having a buckle frame and a pivotal latching member mounted therein includes an improved actuating system which locks the latching member and which assists in ejecting a tongue plate from the frame when the latch mechanism is in its open position. The actuating system includes a stirrup-like linkage including a cylindrical ejector member joined at each end to a pair of pivotally mounted arms. A locking cylinder also extends between the arms. A generally U-shaped retainer includes flat plate-like walls which are pinned to the pair of arms. The ejector member making up the central portion of the stirrup is mounted for sliding reciprocation in a slider member which is attached thereto with a snap-lock action. The slider member includes a sliding tail which reciprocates back and forth in the buckle frame. The actuating mechanism made up of the retainer member, stirrup-shaped linkage, and slider reduces friction and provides improved rigidity in the linkage which eliminates jamming of the mechanism throughout its range of motion.

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First Claim