IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIKE

Abstract: An improvement in safety belts and the like comprises a first hose-shaped rope (3) and a second rope or rope strand (2) which is threaded into the first rope through a first opening (4) thereof and threaded out of it through a second opening (5) located at an axial distance from the first opening. The first rope is reinforced in the regions of said openings by being formed to a knot (9) or combination of knots surrounding the opening. The knot can be substituted by a plastic housing with a first inner portion which axially secures the housing to the first rope and a second, plain portion in the outlet region for the second hose and a smoothly rounded outlet portion for the second rope.

Description: Fig. -1 schematically shows a part of a safety belt or the like with a lead-through w ith locking device according to a first em¬ bodiment of the invention Fig. 2 in perspective shows a lead-through with locking device according to a second embodiment and Fig. 3 finally is a schematical longitudinal section through a lead-through with locking device according to a third embodiment. Although the invention primarily refers to a safety belt it will also - which will be apparent from the following lend itself to use in all applications in which a rope or rope strand is guided through a lead-through to which it may be locked. In the embodiment illustrated in fig. 1 the numeral 1 generally de¬ signates a lead-through for a first hose 2. The lead-through then consists of a second hose ' , which may be a separate part or a part of the first hose 2 which then preferably is formed to a loop. In said second hose there is provided a first opening k through which the first hose extends into the second hose and a second opening 5, located at an axial distance from the first opening and the first hose passes out of the second hose through said second opening. In the illustrated example the second hose 3 forms a free lower part 6 and a free upper part 7 but said free parts are each threaded through an opening 8 respectivle 8' in the other hose after having formed a knot respectively 3 ' which substantially surrounds the openings k and 5 respectively. A reinforcement of the lead-through in the weakened portions thereof where the first hose 2 passes through the second hose 3 is achieved hereby which means that the drawback of the known construction referred to is eliminated in a very simple manner. To operate the device just described the knot 9 a the left in the drawing is manually moved towards the other knot 9' when it is de¬ sired to pull the first hose 2 through the lead-through 1. IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIKE The present invention refers to an improvement in safety belts and the like of the kind which comprise a rope or a similar elongated, flexible means which is threaded through one or several lead-troughs from which latter at least one is designed as a locking device for the rope. More speciafical ly the invention refers to that particular kind of safety belts and similar where the flexible element is hollow and has the characteristic that it when axially compressed will expand radially thus increasing the inner diameter thereof but is contracted radially and consequently diminishing the inner dia¬ meter thereof when exposed for an axial pulling action. In the fol¬ lowing the flexible element will be referred to as hose but in practice it usually consists of a rope which is made by braiding yarn, plastic strips or the like. The Swedish Patent 367 5*+6 describes a safety belt in which the locking of the rope is achieved by threading a first strand of the rope through a second strand thereof where the first rope strand is introduced through a first opening in the second rope strand, extends inside the latter a certain length and leaves it through a second opening. A locking device of this character has a number of advantages from which the effective locking action and the neglectible wear for which the rope is exposed may be mentioned. A drawback of the known device however is that the rope will be weakened in the region of the openings. The object of the invention has thus primarily been to eliminate tthhiiss ddrraawwbbaacckk aanndd ttoo aacchhiieevvee tthhiiss aanndd ffuurrtthheetr objects the invention has the characteristics of the patent claims, In the accompanying drawing an exemplary embodiment of the inven- tion is illustrated. Owing to the fact that the portion of the second hose which is located between the knots 9 and 9 * at this operation will be com¬ pressed axially the inner thereof will be widened such that the first hose 2 unobstructed may pass through the lead-through 1. When the first rope has been pulled out as much as desired the ad¬ justment made will be secured by simply pulling the knot 9 away out from the knot 3 ' causing the portion of the hose 3 which is located between the knots to provide by means of axial expansion thereof a radial compression of said second hose in this region thus causing the locking of the first hose. The embodiment shown in fig. 2 differs from the embodiment just described therein that the second hose 3 after having formed the knot 9 is wound one further winding 10 around the mouth portion of the lead-through and is then carried out through the knot 9. The embodiment of fig. 3 is equal in regards of function and con¬ struction to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 with the exception that the respective knot 9 and 9" has been substituted by a tubular housing 101, preferably made from plastic material and provided to receive that portions of the second hose 3, through which the first hose 2 is carried. The tubular housing has a first inner portion 102 provided with grooves, barbs or the like and extends substanti¬ ally to the opening 5 respectively h in the second hose and to a second, plain inner adjoining portion which ends in a rounded out¬ let portion \ ~ k . In fig. ~ only one housing 101 is shown but it is obvious that in a lead-through of the kind shown in fig. 1 two such housings located at an axial distance from each other are required. It is evident that the knots 9 and 3 " respectively the housings 101 at the same time as they provide the desired reinforcement also serve as handles for operating the locking device and that fig. 2 for the sake of clearness. shows the rope winding in a not tightened cond i tion .

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 07 February 1986 (07.02.86); original claims 1-4 replaced by amended claims 1-3 (1 page)] 1. Improvement in such safety belts and the like which include a first hoseshaped rope (3) of the kind which when compressed in an axial direction will expand radially and thereby increase the inner diameter thereof and when axially extended will be radially com- predsed and thereby have the inner diameter thereof di inshed and a second rope (.2) which is introduced in the first hose-shaped rope through a first opening (4) and passes out of the same through a second opening (5) located at an axial distance from the first- mentioned opening c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first hose¬ shaped rope (3) at the openings thereof (4 and 5) is wound around itself and further threaded through itself to constitute knots (9, 9') which substantially surround said opening and thus form a said first rope surrounding portion serving as a handle. 2. Improvement according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the first hose-shaped rope (3) is wound around itself and further threaded through itself to constitute a knot (9) and further wound one or several windings around itself and through said knot to constitute a fixing handle member (10). 3. Modification of a safe belt according to claim ^ c h a r a c t e r¬ i z e d in that the reinforcement consists of a housing (101) pro¬ vided to surround the rope (3) or ropes (2,3) and having a first internal portion (102) provided to axially fix said housing to the first rope (3) and a second internal portion (103) located at an axial distance from said first internal portion and at the opening in the first hose-shaped rope (3) through which the second rope (2) passes and that further said second internal portion is plain and ends in a smoothly rounded otlet portion (10*.)

Inventors: GRUFMAN FREDRIK, GRUFMAN, FREDRIK
Applicants: GRUFMAN FREDRIK, GRUFMAN, FREDRIK
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A62B1
IPC codes: A62B35