Abstract: A seat suspension for resiliently mounting an operator's seat on a vehicle for floating movement in fore-to-aft and vertical directions. The seat suspension includes a base part that has lower front and rear pivot axes and a lower spring end seat; and a support part on which the operator's seat can be mounted with the support part having upper front and rear pivot axes and an upper spring end seat. One of the spring seats has a fulcrum and a lateral movement retainer while the other spring seat has an anchor. Front and rear links pivotally interconnect the upper and lower front pivot axes and the upper and lower rear pivot axes, respectively. Compression springs each having an axis and spaced apart upper and lower end portions that are generally transverse to the spring axis are mounted between the base part and the support part. One transverse end portion of each compression spring is mounted in the anchor and secured thereby against movement.

Abstract: An upholstery button includes a collet, an anchor, and a lock washer. A seat or cushion cover is securely clamped between the head of the collet and the lock washer. The lock washer is locked in position without the action of any other clamping elements by the cooperation of the lock washer and ribs formed on the shank of the collet. The resulting connection reduces the possibility of an occupant's body catching on the button and provides a watertight connection between the cover and the button, even upon failure of the anchor. Also disclosed is a process of connecting the upholstery button to the seat.

Abstract: A concealed quick attach and detach mechanism for releasably installing and automatically locking a seat against lateral movement on a vehicle of the type having spaced apart first and second cantilever supports which terminate in first and second laterally spaced free ends. The mechanism includes a seat pan having a housing that includes a concealed interior and an interior support axis and first and second spaced apart apertures in the pan housing aligned on the lateral support axis that open into the interior for slidably receiving the first and second supports therethrough, respectively, when the seat is installed on the vehicle. A deflectable first lock is provided in the seat pan interior in register with the support axis and laterally spaced from the first aperture.

Abstract: A seat suspension having a stationary support that can be mounted on a vehicle. An intermediate frame is mounted on the stationary support for vertical sliding movement relative thereto by a spring suspension. A seat support frame is mounted on the intermediate frame for upward or downward movement relative thereto. A ratchet assembly interconnects the seat support frame and the intermediate frame and includes ratchet members on one of the frames and a pawl member on the other of the frames. A pawl release, including a biasing spring and a pawl actuating member, is provided to allow the support frame to be moved from the lower to any intermediate upper position and create an impulse at each position without need to activate said activating member. The activating member is operative to selectively move the pawl to a nonengagement position.

Abstract: A sprung seat suspension comprising a base frame; a seat carrier frame including height sensor assembly; linkage mounted on the base frame and operative to adjustably, vertically support the seat carrier frame with respect to the base frame and including an actuator which strokes the sensor assembly along a path during vertical movement of the seat carrier frame. A mover is mounted on the base frame and for adjustably vertically displacing the seat carrier frame from the base frame. An extension is connected to the height sensor assembly and the mover for selectively extending the mover. A retractor is connected to the height sensor assembly and the mover for selectively retracting the mover. The sensor assembly comprises a plurality of sensors positioned along the stroke path of the actuator which may be selectively independently activated to selectively activate the extension and retraction as the actuator strokes the sensor assembly.

Abstract: A seat suspension for resiliently mounting a seat for vertical floating movement between upper and lower positions comprising a base part mountable on a vehicle and a seat support part on which the seat is mounted. The base part has lower front and rear pivot axes and the seat support part has upper front and rear pivot axes that are vertically spaced apart. Front and rear links are pivotally interconnected respectively between the upper front and lower front pivot axes and the upper rear and lower rear pivot axes. An extension spring is located between the base part and the seat support part and is oriented so that its line of force is generally horizontal.

Abstract: A seat suspension including a downstop slide element having an overall width that automatically adjusts to compensate for dimensional variations between relatively stationary and movable frame parts of the seat suspension due to manufacturing tolerances and wear. The downstop has first and second leaf members having spaced apart first and second top and bottom walls, front and rear walls, and inner and outer walls, respectively. A connecting member interconnects the leaf members to place the first and second inner walls in opposed confronting relation for movement toward and away from each other to form a longitudinally extending slide gap therebetween of variable width. A first biasing member is provided to normally urge the pair of leaf members apart. A first tapered portion is provided on the inner wall of at least one of the leaf members. A cam surface is provided on the front wall of at least one of the leaf members.

Abstract: A pivotable seat assembly for a mobile vehicle that allows the seat to be adjusted in fore or aft directions, pivoted to a position facing either of the directions, and then releasably latched against pivoting.

Abstract: A vehicle seat frame assembly comprises a stationary support frame having two laterally spaced-apart side support plates attachable to a vehicle and on which is mounted a vertically movable seat frame which comprises a horizontal seat portion and a vertical backrest portion. An upper rod is horizontally supported in slots formed in the upper ends of the side support plates. Rotatable rollers attached to opposite ends of the rod are engaged in roller guide boxes which are rigidly secured to the lateral sides of the seat frame backrest portion to guide and support the seat frame. An elongated swing arm is pivotally connected at its rear end and at its front end to the lower end of the support frame and to the front end of the seat portion, respectively, to help support the seat frame. A spring shelf and a header plate are rigidly secured to the seat frame near the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the backrest portion.

Abstract: A seat assembly for use on a vehicle which comprises a seat pan having seat and backrest portions and a contoured edge. An inner support ring is provided that has a periphery to match the contoured edge, and an interior surface and an outer surface. Seat and backrest cushions are supported by the seat pan and have an outer margin secured to the interior surface of the support ring. A channel shaped finishing strip is mounted on the contoured edge. An upholstery covers the cushion and has a selvage edge that extends beyond the cushion to lay between the outer surface of the support ring and the contoured edge of the seat pan. A mounted means secures the support ring to the seat pan to lock both the selvage edge and the channel shaped finishing strip in place between the support ring and the contoured edge.

Abstract: A composite foam seat cushion is comprised of foams of different firmnesses which are bonded to adjacent foams without adhesives or glues. The cushion has a supportive bottom of one or more firm foams, a layer of soft foam on the top of and supported by the bottom layer, a protective front foam cap for the front edge of the layer of soft foam, a protective back foam cap for the back edge of the layer of soft foam and side walls of foam(s) of suitable firmness to provide support. A method of preparing the composite foam seat cushion is disclosed.

Abstract: In the self-releasing pawl and ratchet mechanism of this invention, for controlling positions of adjustment of a seat element that is movable relative to a frame element, one member of the pawl-ratchet pair is fixed to one of those elements, the other member is confined to movement relative to the other element in directions transverse to the directions of adjustment of the seat element. A latch for locking the pawl and ratchet members out of engagement with one another is carried by the element that carries the movable member of the pawl-ratchet pair and is actuated in the adjustment directions, between latching and release positions, by a lost motion connection with the other element. In its release position the latch is disengaged from the movable member of the pawl-ratchet pair. In its latching position, wherein it is releasably retained, as by friction, the latch holds that movable member in a ratchet disengaged position.

Abstract: An adjustable office chair (10) comprises a base assembly (12), a seat assembly (14) and a backrest assembly (16). The seat assembly (14) is horizontally rotatable on the base assembly (12) and is raised and lowered thereon by a manually controlled pneumatic actuator (24) connected between the base and seat assemblies (12, 14). The seat assembly (14) comprises a lower seat frame (50) which is mounted on the piston rod (28) of the pneumatic actuator (24) for horizontal rotation and an upper seat frame (52) which is mounted for vertical pivotal movement on the lower seat frame (50). A seat pan (54) is movably mounted on the upper seat frame (52) and is manually movable to selected attitudes wherein it is automatically releasably latched by a mechanism (56).

Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly comprises a support frame attachable to a vehicle cab floor by a guide/slide rail assembly. A manually actuatable horizontally swingable lever mounted on the guide/slide rail assembly alongside the seat releasably locks the entire seat assembly is selected fore and aft positions. A seat and pivotally interconnected backrest are pivotally, slidably and resiliently mounted on the support frame. The seat is horizontally shiftable fore and aft on the support frame to vertically tilt the backrest. A manually actuatable vertically pivotable backrest adjustment bar is mounted on and extends horizontally along the front of the seat and releasably locks the seat on the support frame so as to maintain the backrest in selected tilt positions.

Abstract: A seat suspension for resiliently attaching a seat assembly to a support frame on a vehicle so as to cushion the ride for the seat occupant comprises: main biasing springs operatively connected between the seat assembly and support frame to initially absorb energy and limit descent as the seat assembly is forced downward; auxiliary biasing springs, including a "hard" spring and a "soft" spring, to subsequently absorb energy and further limit descent after the main springs have been compressed a predetermined amount; and a shock absorber connected between the seat assembly and support frame to dampen vertical motion. A preloading apparatus is provided for adjusting or preloading the main biasing springs to take into account the weight of the seat occupant. A height adjusting apparatus is provided to adjust the height of the seat assembly and associated biasing springs relative to the support frame.

Abstract: An upholstered seat assembly and also a cushion and a one-piece seat and back shell for the assembly and molded of thin-walled plastic. The shell has a seat and an upwardly extending back, a continuous edge flange formed around said seat and back and formed integrally therewith. The cushion is secured to said flange, and the back and seat have side walls for the reception and support of the cushion. The seat has a plurality of generally parallel curvilinear slots which demarcate a plurality of generally parallel curvilinear spring segments extending transversely across the seat. The seat is sloped to have a positive bow for the segments to permit them to deflect downwardly in response to a load created by the occupant of the upholstered seat. The seat also has an underside and a generally rectangular and downwardly extending frame formed on the seat underside and which provides a mounting surface for the upholstered seat.

Abstract: An adjustment mechanism is provided for manually positioning and releasably locking a chair backrest in a desired vertical position relative to the chair seat. The mechanism comprises a guide rigidly secured to an upright backrest support frame of a chair and a channel rigidly secured to the backrest. The channel is mounted for vertical sliding movement on the guide. The channel comprises a slot having a plurality of vertically arranged notches along one vertical edge of the slot, an inclined surface sloping downwardly from the lowest notch at the bottom end of the slot, and a cam surface, partially straight and partially curved, extending upwardly along the other vertical edge of the slot from the lower end of the inclined surface to the highest notch. A latch bar is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin on the guide and has a latch pin extending into the slot.

Abstract: A tiltable operator's seat assembly for a backhoe has detachable independently tiltable arm rest assemblies pivotally mounted on opposite sides thereof. The seat assembly is tiltable between normal, mid-tilt and full-tilt positions. Each arm rest assembly is independently tiltable upwardly from a full-down (stored) tilt position, to normal-tilt, to mid-tilt or to high-tilt positions. An operating mechanism in the arm rest assembly enables it to be releasably locked in the selected tilt position. The arm rest assembly cannot be moved downwardly from one tilt position to a lower tilt position. Upward pivoting of the arm rest from the high-tilt position to a reset position operates the operating mechanism to effect unlocking and enable the arm rest assembly to be swung to full-down (stored) tilt position for storage or for repositioning.