The International Cessna 170 Association

Hello, I am curious if this buckle(photo)was for an early diagonal chest belt, and if they still exist? Or what is the cutout for? I seem to recall that arrangement somewhere in the last 5-6 decades, or perhaps just conflated data. When I was looking into seatbelts about a year ago I checked and there are two anchor nuts in the overhead but they are not located in the center behind front seats. It does seem to offer an anchor for a diagonal belt to run from top center overhead behind front seats to across the chest and fasten to the fuselage/outboard side of the lap belt. Any thoughts? The plane is in annual now so I would ask mech/IA to install if they exist. I am going to sell the plane after the annual. Closest available hangar to charleston sc is just short of two hours away. With the fabric wings, I don't leave it outside. I am grateful for my year with this wonderful and totally fun old bird! Thank you. Tim McCoy

I’ve never observed those in an airplane, but to find the answer to your question you should consult the logbooks and the data-tag on the belts and/or the data on the buckle itself which should indicate the maker and model and approval basis. If those resources are not present and readable it’s very possible they are no longer (or never were) legal to remain installed.

Years ago I recall training in some 70's (?) C172's most of which had that arrangement. The shoulder strap had a circular attachment at the end of it that would slide in and then up and "lock" into place. I was never a fan.

This is the current version of that attachment as supplied by Pacific Scientific belts. This installation is in a vintage Waco but I have seen these installed in quite a few aircraft. In your assembly, the pin is on the shoulder harness portion. In this one, the shoulder harness has the slot/hole. Same idea though. These are decent non aerobatic harnesses and easy to operate.

Yuppers on that. I've seen many in Cessna 172s and 177s from the 70s and 80s. It is for the diagonal belt that was on an inertia reel that was mounted up over the door aft, to go to the lap belt with that clasp you showed. The male part is on the end of the pull out strap. Duane Shockey