US3342527A - Seat back hinge-latch - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1967 R, c. BENcx-:NE

SEAT BACK HINGE-LATCH Filed June 30, 1966 R. O T V N l Sept. 19, 1967 R. C. BENCENE SEAT BACK HINGE-LATCH 2 Sheetsheef;

Filed June 30, 1966 INVENTOR.

M Ww www@ O C. T m M E www RM mi@ m nw United States Patent Oiiice 3,342,527 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 3,342,527 SEAT BACK HINGE-LATCH Robert C. Bencene, Jamestown, N .Y., assignor to Weber- Knapp Company, Jamestown, N.Y. Filed June 30, 1966, Ser. No. 561,818 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-379) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A positionally adjustable hinge structure for seats in which a latch |bar and a cooperable abutment member are disposed in offset relationship to the hinge axis, the latch bar being provided with `recesses so shaped as to require the seat back to be pulled forwardly before the latch bar may be released manually from the abutment member and wherein the latch bar and abutment member are fully enclosed by the hinge construction.

This invention relates to seating devices having angularly adjustable backs; such as chairs which are useful for example in boats, airplanes, railway coaches, buses trucks, or other vehicles or the like; wherever it is desirable to provide a seating unit having a pivoted back which is adjustable to different angular positions relative t-o the vertical. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in such seating arrangements whereby to increase assurances against accidental lrelease of the chair-back holding mechanism.

Generally stated, it is a principal object of this invention to provide in a chair as aforesaid an improved chairback hinge support and position-holding latch mechanism.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide in an adjust-able chair as aforesaid an improved latch-mechanism which is not prone to accidental release, and which is therefore especially desirable for use lfor example in airplanes, railway coaches, automobile buses, boats or the like; or wherever persons are apt to accidentally brush against the control latch device.

Another object is to provide an improved combination hinge and latch device as aforesaid which obviates the possibility of injurious engagements of the hand of the chair operator between relatively moving parts of the mechanism.

Still another object is to provide an improved chairhinge and latch arrangement as aforesaid which is con-` venient and easy of operation, so that the occupant may with utmost ease and facility adjust the chair to the desired, partly or fully reclining, or upright position.

A further object is to provide an improved chair-back control device as aforesaid comprising only a few simple and inexpensively made ybut durable parts, which may be assembled at a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter from the following specification and the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a chair-back hinge and latch device `of the invention; the chair back being disposed in substantially vertical position;

FIG. 2 corresponds to FIG. 1 but shows the mechanism in partly reclining position, and by broken lines in fully reclining position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a chair construction embodying a device of the invention; the latter being shown by way of an inside elevational view thereof; the seat being in upright position;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a device of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as suggested by line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 Ibut showing the mechanism when t-he seat back is in an intermediate reclining position;

FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6 but shows the mechanism when the seat back is in fully reclined position;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as suggested by line 8-8 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of the latch bar and locking pin arrangement illustrating how the device automatically guards against forward collapse of the seat back under sudden stop or deceleration conditions.

As shown by way of example herein the invention is illustrated as being embodied in a chair construction comprising a seat frame member 10 mounting a seat cushion 12, and a back rest frame member 14 carrying a cushion 16. The back rest frame 14 is hingedly mounted relative to the seat frame 10l -by means of a pair of combination hinge-latch units of the invention which are designated generally at 20; said units being disposed at opposite sides of the chair construction. Thus, it will be understood that although the units 2020 are functionally identical and comprise structurally similar parts, each pair of units twill comprise a right hand and a left hand unit, respectively.

As shown in the drawing herewith each unit comprises a lower hinge -blade member 22; an upper hinge blade member 24 pivotally connected to the member 22 by means of a hinge pin 25; and a hinge control latch bar 26. The latch bar 26 is pivotally mounted -as by means of a pin 28 to the upper hinge blade 24. At its lower end the latch 26 is formed with a series of dwells as indicated at 29, 29 for selective engagement with a lock pin 30. At its upper end the latch bar 26 is formed with a laterally extending manual control linger portion 32. Whereas in the drawing herewith the latch member is illustrated to comprise a pair of interdigitated arm members, it will be appreciated that the latch bar device may comprise ra single rocker arm, and that the two piece construction as shown herein is provided only to facilitate manufacture of the parts. The latch member is at all times spring-biased to rotate in clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3-7 by means of a torsion spring 35. Thus it will be appreciated that the parts will be dimensioned and relatively arranged so that the latch device will automatically tend to engage the lock pin 30 to hold the chair back in its intended angularly adjusted position. The hinge blades 22, 24 are formed with lright angle flange portions 38, thereby lfacilitating their attachments as by means of bolts 39 to cooperating flange portions 40 of the seat and back structures 10, 14, respectively.

To guard against inadvertent engagements of the chair operators lingers between relatively moving parts of the chair hinge and/or latch mechanism, a pair of guard plates as indicated generally at 42, 44, are provided to cover the latch mechanism as well as the operative gap between the hinge blades 22, 24. Thus, the lower guard plate 42 is shaped as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, to comprise a generally smooth and flat outside plate portion 46 bounded by top and bottom flange portions 47, 48; and the upper guard plate 44 similarly comprises a side plate portion 50 bounded by ange portions 51, 52. Each guard plate is suitably perforated so as to accommodate the main hinge pin 25 therethrough aswell as the latch pivot and lock pin members 28, 30, respectively; thus mounting the guard plates relative to the corresponding hinge blades. The guard plates are further attached to the corresponding hinge blades as by means of rivets illustrated at 54. The upper guard plate 44 is arcuately slotted as indicated at 56 to accommodate the laterally extending arm portion of the control member 32 in freely movable relation therein.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that, as shown in FIG. 9, the dwell portions 29, 29 of the latch member 26 each includes a hook portion 60 which is `so shaped as to provide a socket therebehind which naturally cradles against the latch pin 30, thereby guarding against any unintended dislodgment of the latch mechanism. Hence, whenever the latch bar 26 is thusly hooked on the lock pin 30, as shown for example at FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 9, any backward pressure against the control finger portion 32 will be effectively resisted by the aforesaid cradled engagement of the latch bar on the lock pin and the latch mechanism will not release. It is therefore prerequisite to rst swing the seat back unit 14-16 forwardly (regardless of whatever attitude it may be locked in) before the latch bar may be freed from the lock pin 30 by means of manual pressures applied against the control member 32.

In consequence, it is impossible for the latch mechanism to be inadvertently tripped open, such as by accidentally brushing against the control member 32, because the seat back unit must rst be pulled upwardly and forwardly in order to permit the latch mechanism to be released. This feature of the mechanism of the invention is of course particularly advantageous when employed in connection with seating devices used in speed boats, buses, airplanes or the like, and wherever substantial motion accelerations are encountered and/or whenever the chair is being used in close quarters and where people are moving about.

FIG. 9 illustrates how the hinge-latch mechanism of the invention automatically guards against forward collapse of the seat back such as upon vehicle sudden stop or deceleration conditions. As explained hereinabove, it is essential that provision be made for pulling the seat back slightly forwardly from its upstanding locked position, in order to enable the operator to release the latch mechanism by pressing manually against the handle 32. Therefore, the seat back must be at all times free to move slightly forwardly, when standing in any upright locked attitude. However, it is also essential to the safety of the occupant that in event of a sudden stop or deceleration of the vehicle in which the seat is mounted, that the seat back be positively prevented from collapsing forwardly with injurious results to the occupant.

The safeguard against such collapse in the case of the present invention is provided by the positional and operative relationships of the latch bar 26 and the main hinge pin 25. The pin 25 is dimensioned to project endwise into the path of the latch bar 26 and to stop it from any movement further forwardly than shown by the broken line illustration of the latch bar in FIG. 9. Thus, it will be clearly seen that whenever the seat back tends to fall forwardly beyond the position corresponding to the broken line showing of the hinge parts, the mid por tion of the latch bar 26 will abut against the extending end of the hinge pin 25. The upper end of the latch bar is pivotally carried by the pin 28 and the lower end of the latch bar is spring-pressed into securely hooked position against the lock pin 30; thereby positively preventing any further forward movement of the seat back.

Therefore, it will be appreciated that the combination hinge and latch mechanism of the invention provides a structurally simple and rugged device which provides the chair-occupant with facility to easily adjust the inclination of the Ichair back at any time, while operating at all times automatically to safeguard the occupant against accident such as might otherwise occur upon accidental release of the latch or forward collapse of the chair back. Also, it will of course be appreciated that whereas only one form of the invention has been illustrated by way of example and described in detail hereinabove, various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A combination seat back hinge and latch mechanism comprising,

a pair of hinge blades adapted to be mounted respectively on a chair seat frame and a chair back frame, hinge means pivotally interconnecting said hinge blades for relative rotation about a rst axis,

a lock abutment extending from one of said blades in spaced relation to said first axis,

a latch bar pivotally mounted upon the other of said hinge blades about a second axis spaced from said rst axis so that relative rotation between said hinge blades to lower the back frame moves said second axis toward said abutment, said latch bar being formed with a laterally extending manual control arm portion and being formed with a plurality of recesses adapted to receive with said lock abutment therein,

spring means biasing said latch bar to move into engagement with said lock abutment,

the parts being so dimensioned and relatively arranged that said latch bar is operable to hold the seat back in a selected one of a series of predetermined vertically inclined attitudes,

at least one of said recesses being shaped to present a shoulder to engage against and prevent release from said locking abutment unless the seat back is pulled forwardly prior to manual adjustment of said control arm.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanism includes stop means limiting movements of said latch bar when the seat back tends to move forwardly of a vertically upstanding attitude, therebyV locking the `seat back against forward collapsing movement.

3. A mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mechanism includes cover plate means conforming generally to the contours of said hinge blades and xed respectively thereto, thereby enclosing said latch bar and covering the scissors gap between said hinge blades.

4. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hinge means comprises a pin-like element having an end portion extending beyond said hinge blades and into interfering relation with said latch bar when said seat back tends to move forwardly beyond a vertically upstanding attitude.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,912,045 11/1959 Milly 297-363 2,959,206 11/1960 Tedesco 297-367 r3,008,765 11/1961 Tischler et al 297-367 3,051,526 8/1962 Werner et -al 297-367 3,079,199 2/1963 Tischler 297-367 3,232,136 2/1966 Bahmoller 297-366 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0 3 ,342 ,527 September 19 1967 Robert C. Bencene It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered paterltl requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4 line 25 strike out "with" Signed and sealed this 15th day of October 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

Claims (1)

1. A COMBINATION SEAT BACK HINGE AND LATCH MECHANISM COMPRISING, A PAIR OF HINGE BLADES ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED RESPECTIVELY ON A CHAIR SEAT FRAME AND A CHAIR BACK FRAME, HINGE MEANS PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID HINGE BLADES FOR RELATIVE ROTATION ABOUT A FIRST AXIS, A LOCK ABUTMENT EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID BLADES IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST AXIS, A LATCH BAR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED UPON THE OTHER OF SAID HINGE BLADES ABOUT A SECOND AXIS SPACED FROM SAID FIRST AXIS SO THAT RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN SAID HINGE BLADES TO LOWER THE BACK FRAME MOVES SAID SECOND AXIS TOWARD SAID ABUTMENT, SAID LATCH BAR BEING FORMED WITH A LATERALLY EXTENDING MANUAL CONTROL ARM PORTION AND BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF RECESSES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE WITH SAID LOCK ABUTMENT THEREIN, SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID LATCH BAR TO MOVE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOCK ABUTMENT, THE PARTS BEING SO DIMENSIONED AND RELATIVELY ARRANGED THAT SAID LATCH BAR IS OPERABLE TO HOLD THE SEAT BACK IN A SELECTED ONE OF A SERIES OF PREDETERMINED VERTICALLY INCLINED ATTITUDES, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID RECESSES BEING SHAPED TO PRESENT A SHOULDER TO ENGAGE AGAINST AND PREVENT RELEASE FROM

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