Adjustable emergency locking buckle anchor

Abstract

An adjustable emergency locking anchor is provided for mounting a safety restraint system buckle adjacent a seat occupant's hip during fore and aft adjustment of the seat. The adjustable emergency locking anchor includes a channeled floor anchor plate having one end secured to the vehicle floor and the other end slidably receiving a buckle plate which has the safety restraint buckle secured to its outer end. The buckle plate is secured to the seat via a seat anchor plate which is superposedly mounted on the buckle plate for movement relative to the buckle plate in one direction only, that direction being toward pawls which are mounted on the buckle plate so as to engage the floor anchor plate when they are pivoted into position. The pawls are pivoted into locking position only when the seat plate moves to engage them, however, the movement of the seat plate is restricted by a blocking device which prevents movement of the seat plate relative to the buckle plate except upon the application of an emergency restraining force in excess of a predetermined amount to the buckle. In addition, the pawls are kept out of engagement with the floor anchor plate by a retaining device which is also released as the seat plate moves toward the pawls upon the application of an emergency restraining force in excess of a predetermined amount of the buckle.