US2091088A - Adjustable seat mechanism - Google Patents

Description

1937- LE GRAND s. WHEDON ET AL I 2,091,088

ADJUSTABLE SEAT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 1, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 am ,MV

,. ATT NEYS Aug. 24, 1937- LIE GRAND .s. WI-YIEDON 5r AL 2,091,088

ADJUSTABLE SEAT MECHANISM I Filed Aug. 1, 1935 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Fig.3 68 106 as 32 -ZM,M@MW ATTORNEYS Landswt xcdon' svAlbmAfimnncn,

Patented Aug. 24, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SEAT MECHANISM Le Grand s. -Whedon and Albert A. Grinnell, Medina, N. Y.

Application August 1, 1935, Serial No. 34,272 '3 Claims. (Cl. 155-14) The invention relates to an adjustable seat installation for vehicles or other structures, and it'has particular relation to an improved supporting and operating mechanism for a seating.

the seating structure to provide comfortableupright seating posture for the back, or the seat may be so adjusted as to move the seat bottom with respect to its angular relation to 20 the horizontal, in order to raise and lower portions thereof in conformity with the desired position or physical characteristics of various types of persons; or the seat bottom may be moved bodily to various horizontal positions forwardly 25 and rearwardly, while portions of the seat back can be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly at will, in addition to the bodily movement that occurs along with the movement of the seat bottom.

One of the principal features of the invention is exemplified in an improved structure of a controlling mechanism that is incorporated in a seat raising or lifting device that includes elements for locking and unlocking the seat struc- 35 ture in any of its series of positions while the locking mechanism is substantially free from binding influences that might tend tointerfere with uniform action of the mechanical parts of the structure.

Another feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of parallel links for supporting the seatin various horizontal positions, and the cooperation of these elements with a locking device and springs to assist in the adjustment of the 45 seat.

Another feature of the invention is exemplified in the combination of asubstantially forwardly and rearwardly movable portion of the seating structure with devices which are operated to raise or lower the seat within predetermined limits, and wherein mechanisms providing for these types of movements can be operated independently or concurrently as desired. 55 The invention is also concerned with an improved construction of controlling device for locking the seat back in various positions.

In the drawings: l Fig. 1 is a side elevation of I,a complete seat assembly in which the invention has been incorporated; v I U Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, on a larger scale, partially in vertical section and partially in elevation, and illustrating the principal operating features of the invention;

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary bottom plan ofthe construction shown in Fig- 2, and with certain structural elements omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary plan of adjusting elements included in the invention; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a locking bracket for controlling the position of certain portions of the seat structure.

In practicing the invention a seat structure I is installed upon a suitable support I 2, which can be in the form of a vehicle floor, or the like, and is provided with upright supporting rods l3 extending through the floor. Conventional nuts are threaded upon the lower portions of each rod l3 against the upper and lower surfaces of the floor to provide a rigid assembly, and the upper portion of each rod has a rearwardly bent horizontal section I 6 which merges into an 'upwardly and forwardly inclined or bent portion I! that extends forwardly slightly beyond the body or threaded portion of the rod.

The forward end portion of each of a pair of identical channels l8 and. I9 is provided with an opening through which the'rod I 3 is disposed, and such forward end portion rests upon the horizontal section l6 of the rod. A portion of each channel end is cut away, as indicated at 22, in order to facilitate the forward and upward tilting motion of the channels about the supporting sections l6 as fulcrums.

In this arrangement, the channels are normally I held against displacementfrom the rods l6, but these channels can be disengaged by tilting'the rear channel ends upwardly and by moving the forward ends bodily from the rods.

The rear portion of each channel is provided with a threaded rod 23 which serves as a supporting leg and extends through the'channel end. Conventional nuts 25 threaded upon the v rod against opposite surfaces of the channel provide for upward and downward adjustment of the rear end of each. channel. The lower por-' tion of each rod 23 is formed with a foot 26 that rests upon the surface of the hour l2 for supporting the channel.

Each channel opens upwardly and receives adjacent opposite ends thereof front and rear links 5 21 and 28, which are composed of fiat bars 28 (Fig. 3) of relatively thin material. Opposite ends of each link are spread apart to form pairs of fingers 38 and the lower fingers are secured by means'of bolts 32 passing through them and through sides of the channels l8 and I8. The upper fingers 38 are secured by means of similar I bolts 33 passing through them and through the sides of upper channels '35 and 38 which open downwardly and are parallel to the lower channels l8 and I9, respectively.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the rear links 28 are connected by a transverse brace 31 which is tubular in form and is rigidly secured to the inner bar portions or sections 28 of the links 28. Opposite ends of the brace are welded or otherwise secured to the opposed sections of links, or in openings in the latter on opposite sides of the seat structure to insure a rigid assembly of the rear links. Thus forces applied to one of the rear links 28 are transmitted. to the other rear link. Suihcient clearance for movement of the brace is provided by forming a recess 38 in the inner fiange side of each of the lower channels l8 and I8, and thus, when the links are moved toward a horizontal position the flanges do not interfere with proper adjustments.

One end of each of a plurality of tension springs 40 is connected in an opening 42 adjacent one end of the brace 31 and the other end of the spring is provided with a hook 43 that is connected in one of a plurality of openings 45 i formed in the lower channels I8. and 19. It will be noted that the coiled end portion 0! each spring adjacent the brace 31 is wound about the brace and as the links 28 move upwardly, or in a counterclockwise direction about the bolts 32 as viewed in Fig. 2, the wound portion of the spring will be partially unwound from the brace and the tension on the spring is lessened. The

tension of the spring can be varied by selective adjustment of the hook 43 in the openings 45.

In the upward and downward movement of the seatbottom, each link 28 pivots about the pin 32 through an angle of approximately 90 degrees, or slightly less, and hence, the brace 31 has a rotative action with the link through approximately the same angle. When each link 28 is in an upright or substantially vertical position a minimum portion of the end of the spring 40 is wound about the brace 31, and when the link is in a substantially horizontal position the maximum portion of the spring end is wound about the brace. In addition to the extent to which the spring 48 is tensioned by bodily movement of the brace 31 with the link 28, several more convolutions of the spring are wound about the brace as the link approachesa horizontal position. These several more spring convolutions are determined by those disposed within the space represented by approximately 90 degrees or one fourth of the distance about the circumference of the brace 31. Thus the spring offers a progressively increasing amount of resistance as each link 28 approaches a horizontal position.

Conversely, as the seat bottom is raised by movement of each link 28 toward a vertical position, the spring pulls a maximum amount at the beginning of the upward movement and the amount of force exerted by the spring diminishes progressively as the links approach a vertical position.

An adjusting link 58 composed of fiat bar pieces 52 is pivotally secured at its lower end by means of the bolt 32 that supports the rear link 5 28 in the lower channel l8 and the upper end is secured by means of a pivot pin 53 in a downwardly opening channel slide 55 which is slidable longitudinally in the upper channel 35 between the upper bolts 33. The downwardly extending 10 walls 58 of the upper channel 35 are provided with inwardly turned guide fianges 51 which assist in guiding the slide 55 and normally maintain it against displacement from the channel. The link 50 is formed similarly to the front and 15 rear links 21 and 28 previously described.

One of the upper corners of the channel 35 receiving the slide 55 has a notch or slot' cut therethrough and the channel slide has a series of notches or slots 82, any one of which can regis- 20 ter with the notch 88,. depending upon the position of the slide as it is moved longitudinally in the channel 35. A locking lever 83 of angular or bell crank form is provided with a finger 85 formed integrally at one end thereof for engag- 25 ing in registering notches 80 and 82, and is also provided with a handle portion 88. for manual manipulation.

A bearing bracket 81 is rigidly secured upon the channel 35 and is provided with a pivot pin 80 88 upon which the locking lever is pivotally mounted at its elbow. A spring 89 connected to the pin 88 has one end extending through the finger 85 and its other end anchored behind the bracket 81. This spring constantly urges the 85 finger 85 toward its position of engagement in the notches 80 and 82.

A passenger seated upon the structure I8 manipulates the handle 88 to release the adjusting slide 55 and if the seat is to be lowered, the 40 weight of the passenger will force the seat downwardly until the links 21, 28 approach horizontal positions and the handle is then released. The finger 85 will automatically snap into registering notches 80, 82. The passenger can raise 45 the seat upon the links 21 and 28 by partially arising and permitting the seat bottom to follow upwardly under -the influence of the tension springs 40 while maintaining the finger 65 disengaged from the notches 88, 82. At the desired 50 elevation the handle 88 is released and the slide 55 again is locked to maintain the channels l8, l8 and 35, 38 in rigid, locked relation.

One endof a suspension link 18 is connected to each rear upper bolt 33 at each side of the 55 seating structure and the other or upper end of the suspension link has a pivotal connection 12 securing it to the upper end portion of an up right standard 13 that is rigidly mounted, as indicated at 15 (Fig. 3), upon the rear portion of 5 a frame 18 of a seat bottom 11. Each link 18 is bowed forwardly adjacent its lower end and provides for forward and rear swinging movement of the seat bottom. Lower extensions or ends 18 of the standards project downwardly 5 adjacent the inner sides of the upper channels 35 and 38 and constitute guides to prevent lateral displacement of the frame 18 with respect to the channels.

of the structure. A conventional seat cushion 19 is mounted upon the frame-16.

Two IJ-shaped brackets 30 opening downwardly are secured to the bottom of the seat frame 16 at locations spaced from the front extremity thereof, and they carry transverse pins 83 supported in side walls of the brackets. These pins have headed ends 83 to maintain them against displacement and the intermediate pin portions provide bearing surfaces to support the front poition of the seat bottom in sliding relation upon the upper surfaces of the upper channels. A handle lever 85 of bell crank form is provided upon one end of one of the pins 83 for pivotal action thereon and one end ofthe lever is provided with a locking finger 84 normally engaging one of the notches 86 formed along the upper corner of the upper channel 35.

The pins 82 are supported upon the upper surfaces of the channels 35, 36 and in conjunction with the suspension links 10 provide for forward and rearward movementof the seat bottom 11 with respect to the channelmembers 35, 36. The locking finger 84 can 'be disengaged and re-enthe members in adjusted positions. A spring 81 connected to the pin 83 has one end disposed through the finger 84 and its other end anchored upon the bracket 80. This spring always urges the finger toward its position of engagement with the notches 86.

One side wall extension 88 of each bracket 80 projects downwardly along the adjacent side of the channel and is formed with an inwardly turned flange 89 which engages beneath the edge of the channel side and prevents the bracket from being displaced vertically from the channel. The other side wall 90 of the bracket lies in sliding relation against the adjacent side of the chanriel35 and the two bracket sides 88 and 90 provide a'guide for slidably receiving the front portion of each of the channels 35, 36. Front end portions of the lower sides of the channels 35, 36 are formed with lugs 92 which serve as stops to prevent the brackets 80 from slipping from the ends of the channels and the inwardly turned flanges 51 of the rear portions of the channels also "serve as stops to limit rearward movement of the brackets upon the channels. Thus the seat bottom can be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly. upon the channels 35, 36 and locked in various positions of adjustment by manipulating the lever 85 and exerting slight force upon the seat bottom in the direction de-' sired. This movement can be accomplished by a passenger in the vehicle shifting his weight in the desired direction.

When the seat bottom moves forwardly and rearwardly upon the pins 82 and rear links 10,

.60 the pivotal connection 12 describes an arc, and

hence, the rear portion of the seat bottom is also slightly inclined with reference to the supporting channels 35, 36 as the links and rollers move forwardly from the position indicated in Fig. 2.

5 Suflicient play is provided in connecting the brackets 80 about the upper channels 35, 36 to prevent binding of the parts in assuming the position of inclination referred to. The extensions '19 also insure proper guided movement of the 7 seat bottom in forward and rearward movements upon the rollers.

At the rear portion of the seat bottom 11, a frame or shell I00 composed of metal, or other durable material is formed with side flanges I02,

7 forwardly projecting lower arms I03, and back gaged to permit this movement and to secureto lock the bar to the bracket.

the seat frame 16 at locations intermediate the forward and rearward portions of the seat bottom pivotally support'the forward ends of the arms I03 of the shell and provide for forward and rearward swinging action of the rearand upper portion of the shell along a forward and upward are from the rear of the seat bottom. A cushion I01 which is'included with the shell I00 as a part of a seat back I 03, is mounted in the seat shell in a conventional manner. Thus the seat back is bodily movable within predetermined limits about the pivotal connections I 06.

An adjusting device H0 for the seat back is provided with brackets H2 bolted to the rear upper portion of the seat bottomframe 16 and a pivotal bolt H3 mounted thereon pivotally supports an upright bar II 5 that has notches H6 ly under compression surrounds the bar H5 and has its lower end resting upon the brackets H2, while its upper end presses against the lower surface of a wall H9 that is a part of an angular bracket I20. Conventional fastening devices I22 secure the bracket to an intermediate back frame portion I23 of the shell I00. The upper end portion of the bar extends through a slot I25 formed in the wall H0 and any of the'notches can be engaged with the front edge wall of the slot I25 A finger I 32 of crank pin form is provided upon the end of a crank arm I33 of the rod and fits slidably into the slot I I1 of the bar'I I5. A handle or lever portion I35 of the crank .rod I26 is adapted to be pressed downwardly to rotate the latter in the bearing openings of the bracket and thus to release the notches H6 of the bar I I5 from engagement with the bracket I20. One end portion of a spring I36 is connected, as indicated at I31, to the rod I26 and its other end is connected, as indicated at I38, to the bracket extension I 30. This spring is normally under tension and constantly exerts force in a clockwisedirection upon the rod I26, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of maintaining the notched portionof the bar locked with the slotted portion of the bracket I20, and urges the bar towardthe locked position as soon as the handle I35 has been released after pressing the latter downwardly. A downwardly disposed shield I40 in flange form and extending .integrally from the from contact with the rear cushion I0'1.

The coil spring I I8 is sufliciently strong to exert considerable force upon the seat back I08 tending to pivot it in an upward direction about the connections I06, and this action facilitates adjustment of the seat back. However, this spring is not sufliciently strong to interfere with the movement of the seat back on its rearmost position by reasonable pressure because the weight of a passenger on the seat overcomes the force of the spring. Since the pivotal action of the seat back is provided about the connections at intermediate portions of the seat bottom 11, all portions of the seat back cushion I01, against which the passenger rests, are moved forwardly the changing of the angle of inclination of the seat back, and as well as materially changing the elevation of the upper end of the seat back. In the rearward position of the seat back, the rear portion of the seat bottom is disposed within the lower portion of the shell between the sides of the shell. The links 10 and standards I3 are disposed adjacent the inner sides of the extensions I03 and are, therefore, substantially obscured from view.

One of the important advantages of this structure resides in the fact that a passenger seated in the vehicle can adjust the seat back without moving from the seat merely by operating the handle or lever I35 and then by leaning backwardly or forwardly, depending upon the direction in which the adjustment is desired. After the crank pin I32 has been actuated in the slot in the upper end of the bar H5 to disengage the notched portion of the bar from the bracket I20, the coil spring H8 causes the seat back to follow the passengeras he leans forward to the desired position, i. e., when the passenger desires to have the back adjusted forwardly. Since the pivotal connections I06 are disposed medially of the seat bottom, the rear portion of the seat bottom and the lower portion of the seat back substantially contact. each other without materially separating during the pivotal movement of the back.

These conditions of operation are advantageous because the proper relationship between seat back and seat bottom is retained regardless of the relative position of adjustment, and also, the appearance ofthe seat structure as a whole is not marred by excessive separation of the junction portions of the cushions 19 and I01, which separation would occur if the pivotal connections for the shell were located at the rear portion of the seat bottom. I

In addition to the adjustment secured by the seat back structure just described, the forward and rearward adjustment provided by the suspension links 10 and pins 82 upon the upper chan- 5 nels 35, 36, together with the upward adiustrnent provided by the lifting links 21 and 28, insures the positioning of the seat back and seat bottom and the seating structure as a whole in any practical relationship conceivable. Although several phases of adjustment can be employed separately, each phase of adjustment can serve to modify the seating characteristics of the 1. In an automobile seat construction a supporting base, a seat frame member upon which is mounted the seat proper, a hook member adjustably mounted in said supporting base adjustabie for vertical movement relative to said supporting base, said hook member comprising an upwardly extending shaft formed at its upper end to provide extensions first, rearwardly, then upwardly, then forwardly, and then upwardly, said seat frame member being formed with an opening near its forward edge adapted to receive said hook, so that the seat may be placed in position upon said hook by first lowering the seat while in a horizontal position over the extreme upper end of the hook, then tilting the seat so that its rear edge is elevated to a position i above the front edge and while in this position having their upper end portions pivotally mounted within the channels of said channel members, a lower channel member opening upwardly in opposed relation directly below each upper channel member, means for pivotally supporting the lower end portions of said arms within the lower channel members, a brace rigidly connecting an inter- 1 mediate portion of each of a pair of the arms adjacent corresponding end portions of the channel members, and means for selectively adjusting the arms pivotally with respect to the channel members, said brace and a plurality of the sides of the channel members having interfitting portions to permit collapsing of the .arms and channel members.

3. In a seat supporting unit, a pair of substantially parallel upwardly opening channel members, a plurality of upwardly extending arms having their lower end portions pivotally connected within forward and rearward portions of said channel members, an upper channel member opening downwardly directly above and movable substantially into lengthwise contacting relation with each lower channel member, means for pivotally connecting the upper end portions of said arms within the end portions of the upper channel members whereby the arms are substantially collapsible with and enclosed in the opposed channel members in their substantially contacting relation, and a brace rigidly connecting a pair of the arms adjacent corresponding end portions of the channel members in a direction transversely of the channel members, a plurality of the sides of said channel members being recessed to receive the brace in the collapsed relation of the channel members and arms.

LE GRAND S. WHEDON. ALBERT A. GRINNELL.

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