Safety belt tension reducing means

Safety belt tension reducing means for safety belt retractors having a belt storage reel and biasing means for normally biasing an said belt storage reel toward a belt retracted condition when the associated safety belt is protracted to a position of use, said tension reducing means comprising:

• counter biasing means for biasing said reel in a belt protracting direction when connected to said reel;
• means for releasably connecting said counter biasing means to said reel;
• and
• means for automatically operating said means for releasably connecting to connect said counter biasing means to said reel upon a slight retractive movement of the belt following a protraction thereof.

Tension relieving means for safety belt retractors having a belt storage means and biasing means for normally biasing said belt storage means toward a belt retracted condition when the associated safety belt is protracted, said tension relieving means comprising:

• pawl carrier means mounted to said retractor for movement independently of but in like directions of movement provided for said belt storage means during belt protraction and retraction;
• ratchet means associated with said belt storage means for movement therewith under the action of said biasing means;
• pawl means moveably mounted to said pawl carrier means for movement therewith and relative thereto between ratchet means engaging and disengaging positions;
• counter-biasing means for biasing said pawl carrier means in a direction of movement therefor counter to the direction of movement said storage means is biased by said biasing means;
• and
• means for operating said pawl means into engagement with said ratchet means whereby the counter biasing force of said counter-biasing means acts through said pawl carrier means, pawl means and ratchet means against the bias of said biasing means to produce a reduced retractive tension on said belt.