Interposer retractor construction

A pawl blocking combination for seat belt retractors having a spring loaded pawl urged toward closure against a drum driven ratchet comprising:

• a drive means connected to said drum for movement therewith;
• a friction ring having an outer friction surface drivably connected with said drive means and said ring having a cam spine in radial alignment with a portion of said pawl, said spine radially extending from said ring through an arc of said ring;
• and
• a split legged interposer element, means securing said element to said retractor for pivotal and radial movement, said element having a friction surface engagable with said friction surface of said ring and being radially shiftable on said retractor in accord with the direction of travel of said ring, said interposer including a blocking interposable between said pawl and said ratchet and a frictional engagement with said spine when said spine is positioned between said split legs, said spine when positioned between said split legs of said interposer providing initial blockage of said spring loaded pawl and thereafter frictionally drawing said interposer into blocking relation with said pawl by friction contact with said split legs, said interposer thereupon holding said pawl out of contact with said ratchet until rotation of said drive means is reversed whereupon said blocking surface falls away due to engagement of said friction surfaces and said blockage of the pawl is released.

A pawl blocking combination for seat belt retractors of the type having spring loaded pawls urged toward locking against a drum driven ratchet comprising:

• a drive means driven by retraction and withdrawal rotation of said drum;
• a ring connected to said drive means and proportionately driven thereby, said ring including a peripheral friction surface and a cam spine segment extending radially therefrom, said cam segment ramped fore and aft to initially and terminally lift said pawl free of said ratchet;
• a split legged interposer having a pawl blocking surface element, means for pivotally and extendably mounting said interposer on said retractor, said interposer legs being positioned in an interference path with said ring to engage frictionally the periphery of said ring and to straddle and frictionally engage said cam spine of said ring, said interposer pivoting on said retractor and extending by frictional engagement between said cam and legs to frictionally engage said ring and climb said ring during withdrawal rotation of said ring driven by said drive means to a position blocking said pawl by engagement of said pawl with said pawl blocking surface, and thereafter on slight rotation during retraction motion of said retractor, said interposer, by frictional engagement between said interposer and said friction surface of said ring, reversing its pivotal extension motion to release blockage of said pawl.