US2149946A - Slide and guide support for seat structures - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1939. LE GRAND s. WHEDON E! AL 2,149,946

SLIDE AND GUIDE SUPPORT FOR SEAT STRUCTURES Filed Aug. 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l iOi INVENTORS Lefimndswhzdon. Albermfirmnefl & r RaygnonERousseau, 4 1 53' m ATT RNEYS March 7, 1939. LE GRAND s. WHEDQN ET AL 2,149,946

SLIDE AND GUIDE SUPPORT FOR SEAT STRUCTURES Filed Aug. 27; 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Lefimndswhedon.

BY AlbertAfirinnena am, MMY @MATTORNEYS RaymonERoussew Patented Mar. 7, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SLIDE AND GUIDE SUPPORT FOR SEAT STRUCTURES Le Grand S. Whedon dina, and Ramon E.

Albert A. Grlnnell, Me-

usseau, Buffalo, N. Y.,

assignors, by mesne assignments, to Le Grand 8. Whedon, Medina, N. Y.

Application August 27, 1935, Serial No. 38,108

4 Claims.

This 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 seat installation wherein seat supporting members, including the seat bottom, can be relatively moved to conform readily to various positions desired by persons having various heights, weights, or other physical characteristics or preferences that might require either average or special seating arrangements.

The improved adjusting and supporting mechanism to which the invention is directed involves an improvement over the type of seat installation wherein an occupant while seated can adjust the elements of the seat supporting structure to provide bodily movement of the seat in upward or downward swinging movements, and further the invention provides for substantially direct forward and rearward adjustment with respect to the changing of the horizontal position of the seat.

One of the principal features of the invention is exemplified in an improved arrangement of guiding and adjusting mechanism for supporting the seat structure, and is further exemplified in means for preventing binding influences that might tend to interfere with uniform action of the mechanical parts of the installation.

The invention is also concerned with an arrangement of channel-like guides for receiving slides at each side of the seat structure whereby any tendency toward binding of the guiding and sliding parts is compensated on each side of the structure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a seat supporting and adjusting installation constructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a two part exploded perspective of cooperating slide and guide elements of a seat supporting structure;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective of another form of a seat supporting and adjusting unit in which the invention has been incorporated;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line VV of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken substantially along the line VII-VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section similar to Fig. 7 and illustrating a stop device for a locking element;

Fig. 9 is a plan of another form of seat supporting structure; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective of a locking lever incorporated in the structure.

In practicing the invention a seat structure including a seat bottom frame I0 is installed upon a suitable base l2 which can be in the form of a vehicle fioor, or the like, and is provided at each side with a pivotal support l3 connected to a lower frame member l4 arranged in substantially the same manner as that illustrated in copending application Serial No. 34,272, filed August 1, 1935. Each of these members M has a rear angular extension I6 resting upon the base l2 and the entire seat structure can be tilted forwardly about the pivotal connections I3.

Front and rear links 20 and 22 at each side of the seat structure have lower pivotal connections 23 securing them to the lower frame members l4 and upper pivotal connections 25 securing themin channels 26 which are identical and receive the upper ends of the links 20 and 22 in the downwardly opening channels thereof. A rigid brace 28 rigidly connecting the rear links is provided with a resilient member 30, such as a coil spring, wound thereabout and having one of its end portions connected, as indicated at 32, to the brace. The resilient member is connected under tension at its other end portion, as indicated at 33, to the lower frame member l4, and hence, the resilient member constantly tends to pivot the links 20, 22 upwardly about their lower pivotal connections 23. This kind of resilient member, one or more of which can be employed, is arranged in substantially the same manner as that described in the copending application referred to above.

An adjusting link 35 is pivotally secured at its lower end by means of the pivotal connection 36 adjacent the rear link 22 upon the lower supporting frame [4 at one side of the seat structure, and the upper end of the adjusting link is secured by means of a pivot pin 31 in a downwardly opening channel slide 40 which is slidable longitudinally in the upper channel 26 between the pivotal connections 25.

One of the upper corners of the channel 26 receiving the slide 40 has a notch or slot 43 cut therethrough and the channel slide 40 has a series of notches or slots 45 in one corner thereof,

a y n which an register with the notch 46. conditions of operation. It is to be understood depending upon the position of the slide as it is moved longitudinally in the channel.

A locking lever 66 is rotatably mounted in straps 62 stamped integrally from the upper side of the channel 26 to form bearings, and the lever 66 is provided with a rigid arm 66 having an end finger 66 for engagement with registering notches 66 and 66 in various positions of adjustment. A handle portion 66 of the lever is provided to facilitate manual operation thereof. As best shown in Fig. 10, a lever similar to the lever 66 is shown and parts thereof are designated by numerals corresponding to those applied to the lever in Fig. 1. formed of a rod which is bent into proper shape and the finger 66 is shaped to fit into the notches 66, 46. It is to be understood that the notches for receiving the end of the adjusting lever arm can be formed either at the inner or outer side of the sliding members (Figs. 1 and 9). One end I 66 of a spring 66 wound about an intermediate portion of the lever 66 rests upon the finger 66 and the other end 62 of the spring rests upon the upper surface of the channel 26. Thus the spring constantly urges the finger 65 in the direction of engagement with the notches 43 and 66.

At each side of the seat structure the channel 26 carries and guides a slide 63 which has connecting ears 65 at opposite ends connected in rigid assembly by means of suitable fasteners 66, such as screws, or the like, with a seat bottom frame I6. This slide is provided with upright transverse walls 61 and 66 at its ends and intermediate portions to provide front and rear sliding sections I6 and I2, together with an intermediate seat frame supporting section 13. That is, the seat frame is conjointly supported by the end ears 65 and the intermediate section I3 over which the weight of'the seat structure is distributed.

The sliding sections I6, I2 of each slide are provided with downwardly extending flanges 15 which embrace the upper sides of the channel 26 in sliding relation while ample sliding area is provided by the sliding sections I6 and I2 engaging directly upon the upper surfaces of the channel. In this arrangement both the front and rear portions of each slide 66 contact the upper surface of the channel and maintain proper sliding contact at all times. The fianges I5 of each slide maintain proper sliding alignment thereof on the channel 26, and hence, there is no possibility of the sliding surfaces binding. Each slide located upon the respective sides of the seat structure is thus individually supported and guided against such binding. Since the slide is duplicated on opposite sides of the seat structure each combination of slide and guide constitutes a non-binding unit to carry the seat structure in forward and rearward movement, and all forces tending to disalign such structure will be compensated by the individual units, and there is no appreciable binding action that might be transferred from one side of the structure to the other. I

Longitudinal openings or slots I6 are formed in the sliding sections and tongues I1 are stamped from the body or web of each channel for disposition through the slots. After positioning the elements of the supporting structure, the tongues 11 are bent over, as indicated in Fig. 2, to provide flanges 16 for preventing separation of the slide 63' from the channel 26 and insures proper assembly of the seat structure under all This lever (Fig. can be that the tongues II slide loosely in the slots and that the guiding surfaces of the sections II and I2, together with their flanges I6, engage contiguous surfaces of the channel 26 without any interference by the tongues. The ends of the slots I6 also serve as stops together with the tongues. to limit movement of the slide upon the channel.

, One end of the slide 66, for example, the front end portion, is stamped during its formation to form straps 16 adjacent the ear 66 and wall 61, and an adjusting lever 66; which can be constructed in exactly the same manner as the adjusting lever 66, is rotatably mounted in a bearing opening 62 formed by the straps. One end portion of the lever has an arm 66 thereon formed with a locking finger 66 that is insertable into a slot 66 formed in one side portion of the sliding section 16 of the slide. Other similar slots 61, are formed in the adjacent corner portion of the channel 26 and are arranged to register with the first slot 66, depending upon the position of the slide upon the channel. The lever is operated by a handle portion 66. One end 69 of a spring 96 engages the finger 66 and has its intermediate portion disposed about an intermediate portion of the lever. Its other end 92 engages the lower side of the ear 66, and hence, the spring always urges the finger 66 in a direction of engagement with the slot 66 and one of the registering slots 61. It is to be understood that this lever 86 can be constructed in the manner shown in Fig. 10.

Referring to the construction shown in Figs. 4 to 8, a pair of upwardly opening channels IM and I62 are provided with connecting eyes I66 that are pivotally connected to supports I66 adapted to be secured to the floor of a vehicle. Each channel includes upwardly extending flanges I66 and a bottom or web I61, and a slide II6 somewhat similar to the slide 66, is slidably disposed in the channel wherein its sides are maintained against lateral displacement by the channel flanges I66.

Each slide H6 is provided with connecting ears H2 at opposite ends secured in rigid assembly, by means of suitable fasteners H6, such as screws, or the like, to the lower surface of a seat bottom frame II6. This slide is provided with upright transverse walls H6 and II! at its end portions and intermediate portions to provide front and rear sliding sections H6, together with an intermediate seat frame supporting section H9. That is, the seat frame is conjointly supported by the end ears H2 and the intermediate section 6 over which the weight of the seat structure is distributed. It is, of course, to be understood that the intermediate section H9 is adapted to be screwed or bolted to the seat frame in the same manner as the ears I I2.

Since the sides of the slide II6 are prevented from lateral displacement by the flanges I66 on each side of the seat structure and throughout its sliding movement in the channel, the possibility of binding of any of the parts is reduced to a minimum. Like the structure already described any tendency toward disalignment of the slide and guide is compensated on each side of the seat structure and there can be no appreciable binding action that might be transferred from one side of the structure to the other.

In order to guard against upward displacement of the slide II6 from the guide channel, the

flanges I66 are provided with inwardly struck a tongues I20 which overlap the upper surfaces of the sections II 8 and serve also as stops to limit the forward and rearward sliding movement of the slides. The entire channel, as well as the slide, can be stamped from sheet metal, and thus manufacturing operations greatly minimized.

An adjusting lever I22 which can be constructed in the same manner as the levers 50 and 30 previously described, is rotatably mounted in bearing openings I23 formed transversely of the channel flanges I06. One end of the lever I22 has an angular arm I25 formed with'a locking flnger I26 that is insertable, into .a notch I21 formed in the upper portion of an adjacent channel flange I06 and into one of a series of notches I20 formed in the slide for locking the latter and channel against relative movement. One end of a spring I32 that has its intermediate portions disposed about the intermediate portion of the lever, engages the outer end of the arm I25 (Fig. 9) and the other spring end I33 engages the upper edge of the channel flange I06, and hence, the spring always urges the flnger I26 in a direction of engagement with one of the notches I26.

This lever is also adapted to be constructed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10.

Another form of locking lever I35 is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 wherein a horizontal cam portion I36 is formed and disposed in close proximity to the upper surface of the slide H0. The cam firmly locks the slide and channel against relative movement and portions of the cam are flattened, as indicated at I31, in order to insure freely sliding relation when the cam is not in locked position. As shown in Fig. 8, one of the bearing portions I38 of the lever can be flattened and a portion of the channel flange I06 defining the opening through which the lever is disposed can be formed with a stop I39 which limits turning motion of the cam. In forming the opening for receiving the cam portion of the lever, aportion I40 of the channel flange is stamped out and then bent back into bearing relation to the lever after the latter has been positioned in its normal relation.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the slide and guide construction for supporting seat installations provide for positive guiding action without possibility of binding of parts, that all of the supporting members can be stamped at loW cost from sheet metal material; and that the supporting and adjusting installation is adapted to be installed conveniently in any I type of seating arrangement without alteration of either the seat frame or upholstering.

Although more than one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the inventionor from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a seat structure, channel frame members disposed beneath the seat structure in substantially horizontal relation and opening downwardly, means for supporting the channel members, a slide disposed longitudinally upon each channel member for forward and rearward sliding action thereon, said slide having upper substantially horizontal sections, a seat frame secured rigidily to the upper sections of the slide, said slide having lower substantially horizontal sections resting slidably upon the upper surface of the channel member, said lower sections having downwardly extending marginal flanges along opposite sides of the channel member and adjacent opposite ends of the slide for preventing lateral displacement from end to end of the slide from the channel member, said slide having portions connecting the upper and lower sections to space the seat structure from the channel members, means for limiting relative slidin movement of each assembly of slide and channel member, and means passing through the space between said seat structure and channel members for selectively holding the slide against sliding movement on the frame member at various positions within the limits of their relative movement.

2. In a seat structure, a channel frame member disposed beneath and adjacent each side of the seat structure in substantially horizontal relation, means for supporting each channel member, a slide disposed longitudinally upon each channel member for longitudinal sliding action thereon, said slide having longitudinally spaced upper sections, a seat frame secured rigidly to said upper sections of the slide, said slide having lower longitudinally spaced sections slidably resting upon the channel member, said upper and lower sections being integrally connected, each of said lower sections having lateral downward extensions at both sides thereof and slidably embracing the upper side portions of the channel member upon which it is mounted, means for limiting sliding movement of each assembly of slide and channel member, and means for selectively holding the slide against sliding move ment on the frame member within the limits of their relative movement.

3. In a seat structure, a channel frame member disposed beneath and adjacent each side of the seat structure in substantially horizontal relation, means for supporting each channel member, a slide disposed longitudinally upon each channel member for longitudinal sliding action thereon, said slide having longitudinally spaced upper sections, a seat frame secured rigidly to said upper sections of the slide, said slide having lower longitudinally spaced sections slidably resting upon the channel member, said upper and lower sections having integral portions connecting them, one of the latter portions of each slide being formed with an opening extending transversely of the seating structure, each of. said lower sections having lateral downward extensions at both sides thereof and slidably embracing the side portions of the channel member upon which it is mounted, means for limiting sliding movement of each assembly of slide and channel member, said channel member and slide adjacent one side of the seat structure having registrable recesses therein adjusting means extending through the opening in said one of the said portions and engageable in registerable recesses in the latter channel member and slide for selectively holding the slide against sliding movement on the channel member within limits of their relative movement.

4; In a seat structure, a channel frame member disposed beneath and adjacent each side of the seat structure in substantially horizontal relation, means for supporting each channel member, a slide disposed longitudinally upon each channel member for longitudinal sliding action thereon, said slide having longitudinally spaced upper sections, a seat frame secured rigidly to said upper sections of the slide, said slide having lower longitudinally spaced sections slidably reating upon the channel member, said upper and lower sections being lntegrallyconnected, each of said lower sections having lateral downward extensions at both sides thereof and slidably embracing the upper side portions of the chamelmember, said slide having a slot disposed longitudinally therein in the region of sliding engagement between the s ide and channel member, said channel member having a rigid tongue struck out from the web thereof slidably engaging in the slot and including an angular portion in bent form extending beyond and to one side of the slot for limiting relative sperating movement 0! each assembly of slide and channel member, and means for selectively holding the slide against sliding movement on the channel member at various positions .within the limits of their relative movement.

LE GRAND B. WHEDON.

ALBERT A. GRINNELL.

RAYMON E. ROUSSEAU.

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