US1719815A - Seat-positioning device - Google Patents

Description

y 2, 1929- L. o. THOMPSON 1.719.815

SEAT POSITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwvaw ioc y 2, 1929- L. OJTHOMPSON 1.719.815

I SEAT POSITIONING DEVICE I Filed Nov. 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g'wuwntov July 2, 1929. o. THOMPSON I SEAT POSITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 20. 1926 4 SheetsSheet 5 16 6 0775 Thompson July 2 1929. 1... o. THOMPSON SEAT POSITIONING DEVICE Filed Noy. 20, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwwntoz Aft Thain 00'0" ill) Patented July 2, 1929.

My invention relates to seats as used in any and all public places wherein the same are arranged in rows and wherein it may be found desirable for the purposes of, reaching or departing from the seat to transfer the seat tron-1 a point disposed away. from the entrance aisle to a point adjacent the aisle.

The nrimary object of my invention consists in new, novel and useful means whereby the seat to be occupied or to be released from occiipancy may be transferred by simple and ctlicient means from a point away from an aisle location directly to an aislelocation.

A further object oi my device, consists in providing selective, manipulative means for the bringing of this about, either bythe ocmnt ot the seat manipulating the selective, operative means, or by the same being manipulated or operated bythe usher or other person in charge, trom the aisle location.

A still further object of my device, consists in selectively transferring of seats from one row to another, or from one location to another, incertain, and predetermined group Formerly it was the common practice in public gathering places, and primarily in theatres, for the patrons of the place to be i'iceupied to visit the place at stated intervals and to depart therefrom at stated intervals, but in many gathering places at the present time this not true and a new condition has arisen,people are entering and leaving pub he places continuously over long periods, and this has created a new condition so that it is now desiral'ile for patrons to enter and depart from their seatsat any time andto turnish adequate, simple and etiicient means to accommodate patrons with the least annoyance to the other patrons, is the primaryoh ect and purpose of my invention;

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination. of parts, the essential elements ot which are set forth in the appended. claims, and a rn'e'terred :l'orm of embodiment oi which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings lilllCll accompany and term a part oi this specilica- In the draWings:-- i Fig. 1 1s a top plan view of two seat sechaving four seats disposed. in each seeivithavacant spacein each section. The aisle plain View UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Application filed November 20, 1926. Serial No. 149,748.

be occupied by the seats, with the seats removed theretroin.

v i i 1 1g. 5 1s an inverted plan view of the opcratingmechanism for the seats illustrated in Fig. 1, aud for the drives illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. is a cross section View, taken on hue l loi F 1g. 1 looklng 1n the dircctlon indicared.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View, taken on line of Fig. l, looklng 111 the direction indicateiil.

Fig. 6 isa side elevation, partially in section, of the control mechanism adapted to being manipulated by the patron when the seat is to be manipulated the same shows the mani nilating mechanism in inoperative position. i i

Fig.- 7 a side elevation, partially in section, oi the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6,

but illustrates the same after the manipulation of the same.

Fig.- 8 is a cross section, side elevation, of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, illustrating the same in conjunction with the stop mechanism for stopping the cycle of operation when the cycle has been completed.

Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view ot a seat section, taken on line 99 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction indicated; the same is made to pletion of the cycle of operation.

Fig. 11 is a diagrannnatieal layout of the electric mechanism.

Fig. '12 a cross section View, taken on line 1212ot Fig. 8, looking in the direction indicated;

i *Likerefereuce characters refer to like parts througl iout the several views. I preferably mahemy device selectively operative upon two sections of seats, each section here shown containing four seats, as 'il "lustrated in Fig. 1, but I do not Wish to be limited to four seats in each section as any number of seatsina i be adapted to the meehanism illustrated. he seats are here shown ice eat 6 A p]., A

operation.

ways 5, disposed in the platform. This platform may or may not be raised or be inde pendent ofthe floor of the building, but is here described as a platform for convenience in description and illustration. Should the occupant of seat 6 in row A desire to leave his seat he would operate the selective manipulative key disposed adjacent and conveniently located at his seat and the first operation that would result would be a transfer of each of the seats disposed in row A toward the aisle the distance of one seat. Simultaneously with .this movement each of the seats disposed in row B would be moved away from the aisle for the space of one seat. lVith this shifting of the seats thereafter a second operation would be set in motion wherein seats from row A would be shifted into row B at the aisle and seats from now B, would be shifted into row A at the farthest point from the aisle, and seats would be transferred toward the aisle as shifted inrow A and away from the aisle in row B until seat 6 would be delivered to the aisle position. in row A at which time the selective mechanism would stop the cycle of Should the occupant of seat 7, located in row B, desire to leave his seat; he

would press the selective, manipulative key disposed at the seat and-the following cycle of operation would be set inmotion. First the. aisle seat in row B and the seat farthest from the aisle in row would each be transferred to the opposite row A in the same section' of two rows of seats, thereafter all seats in row B would betransferred toward the aisle and all seats in row A would betransferred away from the aisle and as each seat is transferred to the end of the row the same will then be transferred to the adjacent row until seat 7 is delivered to the aisle position at which time the cycle of operation is completedand the occupant will leave his seat. The mechanism necessary to effect this result will now be described in detail.

,A prime mover 8, as an electric motor, is positioned central of the platform 4, and is disposed beneath the floor and is driven by electric current to be supplied from a source not here shown. Apower shaft terminates each end of the shaft of the prime mover as hereshown at 9 and 10, and for the purposes of; speed, ,reduction I have shown a worm mounted upon each of the shafts 9 and 10 and in working relation with a worm wheel. disposed upon the-related shafts 11 and 12. Two

I siets'ofdrives are provided in connection with each of the shafts. One set is for driving a driven element, as chains-13 and 14, running longitudinally of the platform section for shifting the seats to and-away from the aisle, and the other a driven-element, as chains 17 and 18 forshifting the seats from the one row of. seats to, the adjacent row of seats. This is accomplishedthrough the fact thattheprime mover-is adapted to be selectively driven, in

either direction. Each of the shafts 1] and 12 have a bevel gear disposed on their one end and are engaged with a like gear to deliver driving power to the shafts l5 and us. llach of the shafts 15 and 16 are adapted to each drive a chain for the purpose of shifting the seats. The chains-are shown at 17 and lb.

Leg and supporting elements are disposed beneath each seat and. are adapted to engagement within the slots disposed in the platform for each series of seat sections. This arrangement is shown in Fig. -.t whm-ein the leg elements 19 are shown engaged within the slots which act as guidmvays for the seats. The legs are moved within the guideways through the action of the chains. .A contact member 20 is disposed in the base of each seat, the same being shown in detail in Fig. 1o, wherein the position of member 20 is sub stantially vertical and is maintainml in that position througl'i. the action of a spring 21. The member 20 has a ball like bearing 22 disposed betwcen its ends which is maintained in a working relation with supporting hearing members 22A placed thereahout. The member QQAis secured to the seat base 1. Projeetion 23 disposed upon the chain contacts with the member 20 on each of the driven chains and carries the seat in the direction the projection 23 is moving. it the seat is to be transferred to the oppositely disposed row. the same is then carried by the chain running in the opposite direction until delivery is made to the predetermined place.

The mechanism operating the movement of the seats is so arranged that during the movement of seats laterally there will be no movement of the seats transversely, and vice versa. Each of the chains 13, 1st, 17 and lb is provided with one projection 23, and are so arranged, that when the projection on the chains 13 and 1st engage a contact member ill .of a seat, the projection on each of the chains 17 and 18'w1ll be out of engagement \\'Iill a same length of time. Although the contact member 20 is made somewhat llexible it will be retained in contact with the member 23 by the lower inner 'alls of the member 22A, as long as the member is traveling in its upper horizontal. path; but when the member 223 passes over the sprocket wheel to the. lower po sition of the chain, the two members 20 and 23 will disengage; this permits the member 23 to engage the opposite side of the member 20 if a reversal of the movcn'ien t of the chair is desired.

To provide for the chairs moving laterally to move as a unit, especially when one chair fill ill)

Ill)

misses ly extending groove 54; iuponthe opposite side of each base islormed an upwardly extending flange or projection that into the groove 54, this forms a locking dcviccbetween two laterally adjacent seats. It will be seen thatwhen aseat moves from one row to another its groove or projection will move out of engagement with the projection or groove of one chair, asthecase may be, into engage ment with the projectionorgroove of another chair.

The actuating key stem 24, placed at a convenientposition at each seat is tobe manually manipulated by the occupant of the seat and when so actuated completes the electric contact through the lever25 secured tothe lower end of the hey stem completing the contact by theoppositely disposed end 25A. of the lever to that engaged witlrthe'key stem engaging the wire 36. This electric current is of a low tension and only energizes the ntiagnet 26.

The location oil the seat determines in which direction the core of the magnet is to be manipulated. It the seat disposed in row A at the time 0'! the pressing of the key stem, the circuit will be completed through the electric conductors 2?,and theother contact, and the seats will be in-oved toward the aisle in row A and away from the aisle in row 13. lVhereas if the seat is located in row B, the seats will move toward the aisle in row B and away from the aisle in row A. The magnetizing; of the magnet 26 draws the core in the direction indicated by the arrow and the core is locked in position as extended because of the pawl 28 engaging in the notch 29 ofthe core.

The drawing of the coreQGA into locked position. draws the rod 30 in the same direction. The switch elements 31 and 32 are directly se cured to the rod 30 and the same closes the electric circuit connected with the motor by the switch elements 31 and 32 engaging with the contact points 33 and 34. Thus driving the electric motor in one direction. \Vhen the magnet 35 is energized by the con'lpletion ot the electric circuit through the connection oil endQSA of lever 25 with the conductor 27, the core of the m agi1et35 will be drawn in the direction indicated by the arrow and the core will be locked by engagement with the pawl 37 locking the core by engagement with the notch 355, thus locking; the same in position until released. As the core is drawn into locked position the switch elements 31 and 32 are made to engage with and complete the circuit through the conductor to the ureter by engaging the points 39 and 33 and thus rotating the motor in the opposite direction than when magnet 32 was energized. The switch elements 31 and 32 are normally main tained in balanced relationslriip and out of contact through the action 01"? the springs 4E0 tuation as? which, either by the occupant ol and 41 returning the magnet cores to normal position after they havebeen released by the pawlsQS and 37. The magnets are mounted in pairs within a housin or casing 53A.

hen the hey stem flit is actuated by the occupant oi the seat the same actuates bell crank 42 journaled about supporting pin L3 by a projection 4. in 'lixed relation with the key stem engaging with the bcll erank. The

bell crank is normally maintained in position i by the spring l5 cni ga g1 mg with the be] i crank and the same in its normal position being disposed between the journal pin 43 and the ehd oli'thc bell crank. When the bell era nk is partially rotated about the supportin piii -13 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8,until the point of contact 0 lthe spring l5 with thebell crank passes the Vertical cen ter line passing through the journal pin it), the bell crank will be n'iaintaincd in locked position by the action of the spring. until re leased. A stand 47 is disposed in the aisle and ar'ljacent each row of seat sections. To perinit of an aiitomatic stopping of the cycle when the scat occupied. has reached the aisle location, rel erringto Fig. 8, the bell arln contacts with the stop lug 51. rotating the bell crank about pin 13, and raising its opposite end lQA against the arm 51A of key stony-l8 thereby raisii'ig said hey stem and releasing the magnet pawls. In the event an attend ant, as an usher, should desire to stop the seat movement, all that is necessary is to manually actuate the key stem a8. 'lhepressing oi" the push button 4119 which is connected by the electric wiring lQA to one of the magnets energizes the magnet and will set in motion any dcsiredsection. at any time by the attendant tlnismo'ving to or away 'i' l'0lll the aisle either row of seats since each row of seats has a stand and actuating mechanisn'l. The push button connects the electric circuit with the electric niotor and will continue to operate thesame until the he stem i8 is actuated re leasing the magnet pawls, thus throwing the switch and stopping;' the electric motor that acts as thepriine mover l or imparting move ment to the seats.

I have provided elements through the acthe seat from the seat, or by theactuation off the same the attendant, or prospectiw oc cupant from an aisle location wherein the de sired seat may be delivered to an aisle loca tion.

To make the mechanism sate for use by the public I have provided a shield IE2 that entirely covers all electric connections and other elements and protects the same from contact by outside influences.

While the form oil Incchanisn'i herein shown and described is admirably adapted to iulh'll the objects primarily stated, it is to be understocticl that it not ihtenchal to cradles the invention to the one term of emboditzt parallel rows,

'herein shown and described, as it is suscep- .t'rom each seat adapted for controlling the last mentioned means.

2/In a dev'ce oi" the class described, the comb nation of horizontal gnideways, parallel rows of seats movably carried upon said guideways, means for imparting movement to the aforesaid seats along said gnideways, other means controlling the last mentioned means, and means cooperating with and adapted to cause the last mentioned means to stop the movement of the seats when a preselected seat has moved toa predetermined position relative to the other seats.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of seats arranged in rows, supporting legs associated with said seats, guideways for said supporting legs to determine the path of travel of the seats, power means for imparting movement-to each seat and selective means for determining the direction of travel of the seats and for predetermining the stopping location of the move ment.

4. In a; device of the class described, the combination of a group ofseats arranged in rows, supporting elements for said seats, guideways for the supporting elements and power means for imparting movement to the seats within the guideways to move the seats to or away from the aisle, or forward or backward to deliver' a selected seat to a predetermined position for the seat selected.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a series of seats arranged in supporting elements for said seats, guideways associated with the supporting elements, power means disposed adjacent the guideways adapted to move the seats toward or away from the aisle, or to, or from alternate rows, and selective means for predetermirimg the dn'ection oi movement and for predeterniining the point of stop of the sea-tswhen moved.

6; In a'dcvico 01 the class described the "combination of a group of seats arranged in rows, power means for horizontally shitting the seats relative to each other, means discombination of seats arranged in parallel rows, power means for imparting horizontal movement to change the relative position of each of the seats, means for causing the power means to impart movement to the seats, and means cooperating with the last mentioned means for predetermining the point of stop of the seats when moved.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a group oi seats, power means for imparting horizontal movement to each seat in the group, elements disposed at each seat for causing the power in ans to impart movement to each seat of the group. and elements cooperating with the last mentioned elements for medetermining the point of stop of the seat from which the movement was initiated.

9. In a device of the class describcd, the combination of a group of seats, starting clements associated with each seat, power means controlled by said starting elements associated with the group of seats for imparting movement to the seats in a predetermined horizontal pathway, and additional means disposed adjacent the aisle end oi" each row or group for independently controlling the power mean 10. In a device of the class described, the combination Oil :1 group oi seats arranged in rows, power means associated with the group for imparting horizontal movement; to ach ,seat of the group, starting elements associated with each seat for causing the power means to impart movement to the group, and means cooperating with the aforesaid starting elements disposed at the aisle end of each row oi" seats for independently causing the power means to impart movement to the group and for stopping the movement.

11. In a seat positioned device oi? the class described, two rows of seats provided with :1

common aisle, means oppositely moving the sand rows to and from the aisle to the extent of one seat, there being a gap in each row the 'width otan opposing seat in the other row;

means cooperating with the last mcntioncd means moving a seat of arch row into the opposing gap of the other row, and means controlling the foregoing moving means.

12-. In a seat positioning device, a plurality of seats arranged in parallel rows, there being an entrance and exit station to said seals, means whereby a seat in one row remote from said entrance and exit station, mover: toward said station, means whereby seats intermediate said seat and said station move one by one from the one row to the other, and mcans whereby a like number of seats move in like manner from the other row to the one row to positions other than intermediate the lirst mentioned seat and said entrance and evil station,

LEE lTIFi Tl'Ifiivjll F -Y ll.

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