Interpretation ID: aiam3426
British Standards Institution
Test House
Maylands Avenue
Hemel Hempstead
Herts HP2 4SQ
England;
Dear Mr. Bingham: This responds to your letter of March 12, 1981, concerning the strengt requirements specified in Safety Standard No. 209, *Seat Belt Assemblies*, for a dual buckle (i.e., a two buckle unit) anchored in a vehicle by one common anchorage attachment.; As explained below, I disagree with your judgment that the standar does not deal adequately with the dual buckle design. Your proposal to test the dual buckle with 5,000 pounds of force is also incorrect, the correct force is 6,000 pounds.; Section 3 of the standard defines 'hardware' as 'a metal or rigi plastic part of a seat belt assembly.' That section further defines 'attachment hardware' as 'any or all hardware designed for securing the webbing of a seat belt assembly to a motor vehicle.' As described in your letter and shown in its attached photograph, the dual buckle has a common metal anchorage attachment. Since the purpose of that metal part is to secure the webbing to the vehicle, it is considered attachment hardware.; Section 4.3 (c)(2) specifies that 'attachment hardware designed t receive the ends of two seat belt assemblies shall withstand a tensile force of at least 6,000 pounds or 2.720 kilograms without fracture. . . .' Since the common anchorage attachment is designed to receive the force created by the ends of two seat belt assemblies, it must meet the requirements of S4.3(c)(2).; You are correct that the attachment bolt is required to withstand force of at least 9,000 pounds or 4,080 kilograms under paragraph S4.3(c)(1) of the standard.; Sincerely, Frank Berndt, Chief Counsel