Mini seat belt buckle

A seat belt buckle assembly useful for providing emergency release in a passive seat belt system, said buckle assembly comprising:

• a housing formed from a single metal blank having exterior walls, a top and a bottom and an opening extending interiorly of said housing between said top and bottom;
• a push button slidably mounted in a first direction within said opening and including an actuating portion extending outwardly of said opening, said button having a latch retaining means located interiorly of said opening in said housing:
• latch means in the form of a bar retained in said latch retaining means, said latch means being movable with movement of said push button in a direction parallel to said first direction;
• entrance means in an exterior wall of said housing adapted to receive a tongue member;
• a tongue member having a recess therein adapted for engagement with said latch means when said tongue member is inserted in said entrance means to lock said assembly;
• and
• slot means in an exterior wall of said housing opposite to said entrance means, the forward edge of said tongue member adapted to extend through said slot means when said tongue member is fully inserted in said housing.