Inertia responsive control device

An inertia operated control device, especially for use in a vehicle for effecting locking of a vehicle safety belt when the vehicle acceleration exceeds a predetermined limit, said device comprising in combination:

• an inertia element in the form of a ball movable toward several sides from stable rest positioning thereof, a control element pivotally supported at a point spaced generally horizontally from said ball and extending over said ball and having a region resting on top of said ball, a member on which the ball rests and having a recess including an opening with limiting edges forming a response threshold for the ball and located approximately in one plane relative to which the ball is disposed which distance between opposite limiting edges of the opening is less than the radius of the ball, and wherein the maximum lift height of the ball corresponds to the depth of engagement of the ball in the recess, means limiting the movement of the ball on said member so the center of gravity of the ball is located always within the limiting edges, and means operated by upward tilting of said control element as brought about by movement of the ball on said member toward limiting edges of said recess for accurate and highly sensitive initiating of a locking control function as to a safety belt.