US3013762A - Swivel seat stabilizer - Google Patents

Description

W. T. INGRAM SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i f* l Zlf Dec. 19, 1961 Filed March 23, 1959 l l l L l l V l) f TU MIV 1 w\ m 4 O 3%. o

` Dec. 19, 1961 w. T. INGRAM SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER Filed March 23, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 19, 1961 w. T. INGRAM 3,013,762

SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER Filed March 23, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JNVENToR. M7724??? Y'Iwyfdm.

HW Wl HW' United States Faitent remesa nee. 19, 1961 3,013,762 SWIVEL SEAT STABILIZER William T. Ingram, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Chrysier Corporation, Highland Park, Mich.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1359, Ser. No. 801,251 7 Claims. (Ci. 248-423) This invention relates to a Vswivel seat and particularly to a stabilizer `device to rigidly anchor a swivel seat in its normal, forward facing, seating position while permitting ready swivel mo-vement of the sea-t to other positions.

It is well known that with the current trend to reduce the height of motor vehicles and to reduce roadV clearance that problems have developed relative to easy access to and exit from the seats of the motor vehicle. One of the most successful solutions to certain of the noted seating problems has been the development of the swivel seat. This seat includes a base frame that mounts at each side or end a separate swivelly mounted seat unit that can pivot about a vertically extending axis so that the no1 mally forwardly facing seat unit can be readily pivoted to a position facing the doorway opening at theside of the motor vehicle. In order to get the proper swivelling action to preventinterference with portions of the vehicle body and to make it most comfortable for the swivel seat occupant, it has been found that the pivot axis for the swivel seat unit should be adjacent the rear edge of the seat unit rather than at the center thereof. With an offset pivot axis of the type now used on Vehicle swivel seats, it has been found that the overhung loading of the swivel pivot pin tends to cause rocking or tilting move ment of the seat unit on its associated base unit which i movement'gives a feeling of instability as well as objectionable noise due to the clicking together of metallic portions of the seat unit and base. The invention to be hereinafter described overcomes the aforenoted disadvantages and provides stability and noise free construction in a swivel seat at a minimum of cost and complication.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an automatic wedge lock for rigidifying a swivel seat when it is in its forwardly facing normal position.

It is still another object of this invention to provide( a wedge lock for a swivel seat that will rigidly anchor the swivel seat unit to its base frame when the swivel seat unit is in its normal, forwardly facing, position yet will not interfere with the free swinging movement required of a swivel seat. f

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and simplied locking mechanism for anchoring a swivel mounted seat in a preselected position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent when the following specification is considered along with the related drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a swivel seat unit that embodies this invention, the seat being shown in normal, forwardly facing, position;

FIGURE 2 is another top plan view of the swivel seat unit shown in FIGURE 1 but showing the seat pivoted to the limit of its sideward movement;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the swivel seat shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the view being taken looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevational view taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is another enlarged, fragmentary, sectional FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, in particular, show a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame 11 that is formed of interconnected front and rear rails 12 and 13 that are joined at their opposite ends by end rails 14 (only one shown). Swivelly mounted on the rear rail 13 of the base frame 11 is a swivel seat 15. Swivel seat 15 comprises a rectangular sub-frame composed of the inner and outer side rails 16 and 17 respectively that are joined at their forward ends by the front rail 18 and at their rear ends by the rear rail 19. Bridgingly connected between the front and rear rails 18, 19 of the sub-frame 15 are a plurality of upwardly arched, longitudinally extensible, sinuously shaped, spring strips 21. The upper front end and side edges of the spring strips 21 are interconnected by a border wire Z2.

To swivelly or pivotally mount the seat sub-frame unit 15 on the base frame 11 the sub-frame rear rail 19 is provided with a pivot pin support bracket 24 at about its mid-length.` Likewise, the rear rail 13 of the base frame 11 is provided with a pivot pin :support bracket 25 l at a location directly beneath the sub-frame bracket 24. A vertically extending pivot pin 26 is connected between thealigned brackets 24, 2S to pivotally connect the subframe 15 to the base frame 11. Because the pivot prin 26 is located at the rear portion, rather than at the center of the sub-frame 15, it is thought to be obvious that the sub-frame swivel mounted seat 15 provides an overhung or cantilever type of load that could produce binding in the pivot pin connection 24-26 if it were not for the additional load rollers 31, 32 provided along the front edge of the yseat frame unit 15.

Looking at FIGURES 1 and 2 particularly it will be noted that the sub-frame 15 has iixedly mounted thereon an arcuately shaped rail section 33 that is of channel shaped formation (see FIG. 7). The inwardly disposed end 35 of the channel-shaped trackway 33 is closed-to provide a stop element that engages the roller 31 in one limiting position (FIG. 2) of the iswivelly mounted seat 15. The front rail 12 of the base frame 11 mounts a pair of spaced apart, horizontally disposed, rearwardly projecting, roller supporting studs 36 and 37 respectively. Studs 36 and 37 provide the journals for the rollers 31 and 32 that Aare positioned in the channel-shaped trackway 33. The rollers 31 and 32 may be of nylon Vor some similar material that does not require lubrication and that is also sound deadening when rolling in the metallic trackway 33. From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that the rollers 31, 32 combine with the pivot pin 26 to provide 'a three-point swivel mount for the seat sub-frame 15 on the base frame 11.`

In order to facilitate the use of the swivelly mounted seat 15, means are provided to effect movement of the seat 15 from its normal forwardly facing position (see FIG. l) to its rotated, side facing position (see FIG. `2). This seat actuating means comprises a pre-stressed tenf sion spring 39 that is connected between the side rail 16 of the sub-frame 1S and the side rail 14 of the base frame 11. r[his spring 39 normally acts to swing seat 1S to the side facing position shown in FIGUREy 2. In such a position a person on the outside of the motor vehicle can easily sit upon the seat 15 while standing on the outside of the vehicle and then lift his feet off the ground and rotate the seat 15 on its swivel mount by merely grasping any convenient portion of the vehicle interior and exerting a force that will eiect rotationr of the seat 15 to its forwardly facing normal position of FIGURE 1.

When the seat 15 has been rotated to its forwardly` f facing, normal position (FIG. 1) then it is automatically latched in this position by means ofthe spring latch means 42 (see FIG. 4). This latch means 42 comprises a pivotally mounted latch bar 43v carried by the side rail 17 of the sub-frame 15. Latch bar 43 has a bent end 43a that is adapted to be latchingly engaged with a keeper member 44 carried by the end rail 14 of the base frame 11. Keeper 44 is provided with a notch 44a that lockingly receives the end 43a of the latch bar 43 when seat has been rotated to its forwardly facing position (FIG. 1). A torsion spring 46 carried by latch bar 43 normally pivots the latch bar end 43a to a forwardly located position where it will seat in the keeper notch ia. Keeper 44 has a cam surface 44b that engages the latch bar end 43a as the seat 15 is swung from its side facing position (FIG. 2) to its forwardly facing position (FIG. l). Latch bar 43 is provided with a handle 47 to facilitate rotation of the latch bar. If handle 47 is depressed, that is swung counterclockwise, it will move the latch bar end 43a rearwardly in keeper notch 44a so that the seat 15 is free to rotate counterclockwise on the base frame 11.

While the foregoing description sets forth the basic structure of the swivel seat 15, it has not brought out one of the problems that has developed in the manufacture of this type of seat because of variations in manufacturing tolerances and/ or inaccurate seat unit assembly. Due to these tolerance variations and/or assembly inaccuracies it has been found that at times the swivel mounted seat 15 has a tendency to rock or tilt or oscillate slightly relative to the base frame 11. This gives an objectionably insecure feeling to the seat occupant and it is also liable to develop noise that is objectionable and distracting because the occupant may feel that the seat is insecurely mounted on the vehicle. To overcome this undesirable limited free movement of the seat 15 when it has been swung to its forwardly facing, normal driving position, there has been incorporated in this swivel seat unit a wedge-lock device 50 that automatically stabilizes and rigidies the seat 15 on the base frame 11 when the seat 15 is in its forwardly facing position.

Wedge-lock 50 is shown particularly in FIGURES 5 and 6. From these figures of the drawings it will be noted that the rear rail 13 of the base frame 11 mounts a bracket 51 having an angled ramp surface 52,. Ramp surface 52 is adapted to be frictionally engaged by a springpressed wedge-lock block 54 when seat 15 is in its forwardly facing position (FIG. l). The inwardly disposed side rail 16 of seat 15, at its rear end portion, carries a housing 55 that is connected to the seat side rail 16 by bolts 56 that provide for some adjustability in the positioning of the housing 55 on the rail 16. Mounted within the housing 55 is a bolt or slide bar 57. Shiftably mounted on the bolt or bar 57 is a wedge-lock block 54 that has an angled lower face 58 that is adapted to be frictionally and wedgingly engaged with the ramp face 52 of the base frame mounted bracket 51 when the seat 15 is in its forwardingly facing position. The wedgelock block 54, that may be nylon or some similar selflubricating, sound deadening, material is arranged for selective engagement with the bracket ramp surface 52 when the seat 15 is in a forwardly facing position. Wedge-lock block 54 has a stepped bore 59 that receives the compression spring 60 and the bolt or slide bar 57. Spring 60 normally urges the shiftable wedge-lock block 54 towards the end wall 61 of housing 55. However, as the seat 15 is swung from its side facing position (FIG. 2) to its forwardly facing position (FIG. l) the lower surface 58 of the wedge-lock block 54 will engage with the upper ramp surface 52 of the bracket 51 and a frictionally engaged wedge-lock mechanism will securely anchor the swivel seat 15 against movement relative to the base frame 11. Because of the compression spring 60 the wedge-lock mechanism 50 is self-adjusting and thus wear of the block 54 or variations in the manufacturing tolerances between different swivel seats 15 has no effect on the operability of the wedge-lock device 50. It s thought to be clear that because of the angular arrangement of the wedgingly engaged surfaces 52, 58 and the use of a self-lubricating wedge block 54, that there is practically no resistance to movement of the swivel mounted seat 15 from its forwardly facing position (FIG. l) to its side facing position (FIG. 2). Furthermore, the tension spring 39 assists in overcoming any resistance to movement of the seat 15 out of engagement with the wedge ramp surface 52.

While the drawings and description have referred to only a single swivel seat 15 pivotally mounted on the base frame 11, still, it is to be understood that this invention contemplates the mounting of a swivel seat 15 at each end of the base frame 11 with the possible use of a narrow, tixedly mounted, cushion section 40 (see FIGS. l and 2) arranged between the adjacent side edges of the pair of spaced apart swivel mounted seats.

It is clear from FIGURES l3 that the swivel seats 15 each carry an associated seat back section 65. Seat back section 65 is pivotally connected at 66 to spacedapart hinge supports 67 carried by the rear rail 19 of the seat unit 15. The hinge connection 66 permits forward folding of the seat back 65.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is thought to be clear that when swivel seat 15 is rotated to its forwardly facing position (FIG. l) that the wedgelock mechanism 50 will automatically take up or cornpensate for any tolerances in the seat pivot mechanism 24-26, or in the seat roller mechanism 311-37 or in the latch mechanism 42, 4,4. As a result the swivel seat 15 is always latched in a rigid, stable, noiseless position.

I claim: y

l. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame pivotally mounted on said base frame for limited rotation about a vertically extending axis eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the scat frame, means to wedgingly anchor said seat frame to said base frame at one of the limiting positions of rotation of said seat frame to partially support the load applied to the seat frame and to prevent relative movement between said seat frame and said base frame comprising a wedge bracket mounted on one of said frames having an angled ramp surface and a self-adjusting wedge block resiliently mounted on the other frame and positioned for frictional engagement with the bracket ramp surface at said one position of rotation of said seat frame.

2. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame by a pin type journal pivotally mounted on said base frame for rotation about a vertically extending axis eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to wedgingly anchor said seat frame to said base frame at one of the positions of rotation of said scat frame to partially support the load applied to the seat frame and to prevent relative movement between said seat frame and said base frame comprising a wedge bracket mounted on one of said frames having an angled ramp surface and a self-adjusting wedge block movably mounted on the other frame and positioned for frictional engagement with the bracket ramp surface at said one position of rotation of said seat frame, said wedge block including resilient means arranged to maintain the frictional engagement between said wedge block and said bracket ramp surface at said one position of rotation of said seat frame.

3. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame mounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect thereto about a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center of said seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seat frame in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mounted on said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeper when said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and a movable, self-adjusting, wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames.

4. ln a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame mounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect thereto about a vertically extending axis otfset from the geometrical center of said seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seat frame in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mounted on said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeper when said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames, said wedge-lock means comprising a ramp surface mounted on one of said frames and a movable, self-adjusting, wedge-block mechanism mounted on the other of said frames in a position to `frictionally engage said ramp surface.

5. 'in a swivel seat unit comprising a hase frame and a seat frame mounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect thereto about a vertically extending axis oifset from the geometrical center of said seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seat frame in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mounted on said seat frame in a position engageable with said notched keeper when said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and selfadjusting wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames, said wedge-lock means comprising a ramp surface mounted on one of said frames and a wedge block mechanism mounted on the other of said frames ina position to frictionally engage said ramp surface, said wedge block mechanism comprising a housing having a slide bar therein, a Wedge block slidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surface portion projecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage said ramp surface, and resilient means urging said wedge block towards one end of said slide bar.

6. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat fname mounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect thereto about a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center of said seat frame and eecentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to and outwardiy of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seat frame in one of its limiting positions of rotation comprising a notched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mounted on said seat frame in a position engageaole with said notched keeper when said seat is in said one limiting position of rotation, resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and self-adjusting wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames, said wedgelock means comprising a ramp surface mounted on one of said frames and a wedge block mechanism mounted on the other of said frames in a position to frictionally engage said ramp surface, said wedge block mechanism comprising a housing having a slide bar therein, a wedge block slidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surface portion projecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage said ramp surface and resilient means urging said wedge block towards one end of said slide bar7 and resilient means continuously urging said seat frame to rotate in a direction away from said one limiting position of rotation thereof.

7. In a swivel seat unit comprising a base frame and a seat frame mounted on said base frame for limited rotation with respect thereto about a vertically extending axis offset from the geometrical center of said seat frame and eccentrically positioned along the rear of said base frame so as to move the seat frame transversely to `and outwardly of said base frame during rotation of the seat frame, means to latch said seat frame in one of its iimiting positions of rotation comprising a notched keeper mounted on said base frame and an oscillatable latch bar mounted on said seat fname in a position engageable with said notched keeper when said seat is in said one limiting position `of rotation, resilient means to maintain engagement of said latch bar with said keeper in said one limiting position of rotation of said seat frame, and self-adjusting wedge-lock means engageable between said frames when said seat frame is in said one limiting position of rotation to partially support the load applied to said seat frame and to rigidly anchor said seat frame to said base frame to prevent relative tilting and vertical movement between said frames, said wedgelock means comprising a ramp surface mounted on one of said frames and a wedge block mechanism mounted on the other of said frames in a position to frictionally engage said ramp surface, said wedge block mechanism comprising a housing having a slide bar therein, a wedge block of self-lubricating material slidably mounted on said slide bar and having a surface portion projecting from said housing adapted to slidably engage said ramp surface, and resilient means urging said wedge block towards one end of said slide bar to effect engagement with said ramp surface, said housing including mounting means therefor that permits adjustment of the housing on the frame member associated therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,393 Moore Aug. 1, 1911 1,735,320 Kilburn Nov. l2, 1929 2,240,620 Hill May 6, 1941 2,290,464 Buchheit July 21, 1942 2,618,312 Bradley Nov. 18, 1952

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