Abstract: A foldable transportation seat includes a seat support, a seat having a bench portion, a pivot pin pivotally mounting the bench portion to the seat support, a bumper support member extending generally outwardly from the seat support adjacent a side of the seat bench and a bumper carried by the bumper support member. The bumper is non-rotatably secured to an elongated rod which is rotatably mounted on the bumper support member. A lever secured to the pivot pin and rotatable therewith is connected to the elongated rod by a cable which is wrapped around the rod. Pivotable movement of the seat bench rotates the bumper from a stored position to an operative position. A seat back is pivotally supported to the seat support and linked to the bench so as to assume an angled position from vertical when the seat bench is in a horizontal position.

Abstract: A vandal proof and inexpensive crash pad for a transportation vehicle seat is provided that meets Department of Transportation Head Injury Criterion. The crash pad is designed for use on a vehicle seat having a rigid rail frame. A seat back formed of a sheet of flexible material having a high surface hardness is mounted on the rigid rail frame. The top portion of the seat back includes an integrally formed flexible energy absorbing bubble. The energy absorbing bubble extends substantially the length of the seat back and is disposed at the top of the seat back for cushioning the impact of a passenger's head during an impact or rapid maneuver. The energy absorbing bubble can encompass a flexible energy absorbing brace, having an L-shaped cross section, that is cantilevered from the rigid rail frame.

Abstract: An upper suspended cantilevered public transportation vehicle seat is provided including a passive restraint for absorbing the impact energy of a passenger during an accident or rapid maneuver. The vehicle seat includes a bench and an upstanding back portion, both the seat bench and back portions being supported by a sidewall of the vehicle. The seat bench is securely mounted to the sidewall of the vehicle. The upstanding seat back includes top and bottom portions, the bottom portion of the back depending from the seat bench. The top portion of the back is slidably, or pivotably and slidably mounted to the sidewall of the vehicle. This mounting arrangement allows the back of the cantilevered seat to deflect about the bench to absorb the impact energy of a passenger and prevent or reduce serious injury to the passenger during an accident or rapid maneuver.

Abstract: A transportation seat primarily adapted for use by an operator of a vehicle is disclosed. The seat includes an air suspension base supporting a tubular seat frame to which seat back and bench cushions are attached. A track support frame is slidably mounted on the base for stepwise fore and aft adjustment. The seat frame is secured to the track support frame by an antislap mechanism which isolates the seat frame from jarring movement of the vehicle. A side saddle adjustment mechanism supports the seat frame on the track support frame permitting stepwise transverse adjustment of the seat frame relative to the base.

Abstract: A wheelchair retainer mechanism as disclosed including a housing having an outwardly opening mouth dimensioned to receive a wheelchair wheel. The mouth is formed by a pair of jaws, each pivotally mounted to the housing for movement from a first position permitting entrance of the rim of a wheelchair wheel into the housing to a second position closing off the mouth of the housing to thereby lock the wheelchair in place. A shiftable jaw closure is slidably supported on the housing and is engaged by an entering wheelchair wheel and pivots the jaws from the first position to the second, locked position. A plunger lock, mounted to the housing, automatically shifts to a position locking the jaws in their second, closed position.

Abstract: A transportation seat for a vehicle and which is capable of absorbing impact energy during a crash or rapid maneuver to thereby reduce or eliminate the severity of and occurrence of injury to a passenger includes a support frame having a leg structure and fixedly secured to the floor of the vehicle. A seat frame adapted to support the seat cushions is slidably connected to the support frame. A plurality of springs positioned between the support frame and the slidable seat frame permit controlled movement of the seat in a forward direction when impacted from the rear to thereby absorb energy of the impact. Further, the head impact area of the seat back is padded and the knee impact area of the seat back is covered by a plastic back panel which encloses a closed cell foam. The upper frame is capable of absorbing energy by deaccelerating the passenger in a crash situation in a controlled manner.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing grab rail for a transit vehicle seat has a longitudinal core material and a covering material around the core material. Passenger movement assistance is provided with no or only slight deflection of the grab rail. Passenger restraint during abrupt movements of the vehicle such as occur in a collision is provided by a core having greater deflective characteristics in a selective direction and a resilient covering material. Additional passenger restraint is provided by deformation of the core material.

Abstract: A seat back is provided with a replaceable headrest cover including an elongated retainer securable to the seat back adjacent the top transverse edge of the headrest portion, a sheet material cover, and a clasp insertable through the retainer and through the cover for positively yet removably securing the sheet material cover to the headrest.

Abstract: A removable insert for a transit chair shell has a plurality of studs protruding from the back of the insert. A plurality of openings in the chair shell receive the studs. A movable restraining means prevents withdrawal of the studs thereby securely positioning the insert to the chair shell. The restraining means is arranged to be moved longitudinally and rotationally and the insert removed without disassembly of the chair from its operational configuration.

Abstract: An adjustable back vehicle seat has a means of reducing the moment arm of the seat back to a length less than the full length of the seat back. The seat has a back adjustment mechanism with the above said means providing a stop means for limiting the forwardly rotating movement of the seat back in event a force applied to the back overcomes the holding force of such mechanism. In one embodiment the seat is a driver's seat having a shoulder harness. In another embodiment the seat is a passenger seat.

Abstract: A removable insert for a transit chair shell has a plurality of studs protruding from the back of the insert. A plurality of openings in the chair shell receive the studs. A removable restraining means prevents withdrawal of the studs thereby securely positioning the insert to the chair shell. The restraining means is arranged to be moved and the insert removed without disassembly of the chair from its operational configuration.

Abstract: A multi-passenger seat is supported by a lower cantilever frame which comprises a horizontal seat frame and an inclined arcuate truss support frame. The horizontal seat frame includes two elongated horizontal stretcher members attached at one end to the wall of a vehicle and at least two cross frame members interconnecting the stretcher members at laterally spaced locations. The inclined arcuate truss support frame is located beneath the horizontal seat frame; and it includes fore and aft inclined arcuate frame members rigidly attached at their upper ends to the stretcher tubes respectively at locations preferably on the aisle side of the transverse center of the horizontal seat frame. The inclined arcuate support frame members extend downwardly from the seat frame and preferably they converge toward each other. They are connected to the wall at locations above the floor of the vehicle.

Abstract: A two-passenger seat for public transportation vehicle includes a frame of rectangular tubing with a recessed seat area for receiving a one-piece molded plastic shell which is provided with contoured seat and back areas for each of two side-by-side passengers. A single pedestal having a rectangular cross section elongated in the fore-and-aft direction is located beneath the seat spaced inwardly of the aisle end. Separate replaceable cover inserts are received in the seat and back contoured portions which act to retain passengers in place during turns while providing versatility and modification possibilities in seat and back covers.