Vehicle seat having resilient suspension and constant acting damping means

Claim 2

A resiliently suspended vehicle seat for vehicles and comprising; a vertically shiftable carriage, means for swingably mounting said carriage in a vertical direction, a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage, damper means pivotally connected between said carriage and said seat and including a damper and a link having a pivotal connection with said damper, means for adjustably shifting said pivotal connection whereby the effective moment arm of said damper in respect to said seat pivotal mounting can be varied, said means for shifting said pivotal connection also being shiftably and swingably mounted on said carriage whereby said pivotal connection swings in a generally flat arc which is generally coincident with the line of force of said damper as said tractor seat rises and falls, whereby the damper has a substantially constant damping effect on said seat regardless of the vertical swinging movement of said seat.

Claim 3

The seat set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for shifting said pivotal connection includes a shiftable link having a handle attached thereto, and a series of recesses in said carriage into which said handle can be selectively positioned.

Claim 4

The seat set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said means for shifting said pivotal connection has a cam connected therewith and a lock-out means shiftably mounted on said carriage for shifting to a position locking said seat in a fixed position, said cam being engagable with said lock out means so as to cause shifting thereof to said position when said handle is moved to a predetermined position.

Claim 5

The seat set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said means for shifting said pivotal connection has a cam connected therewith and a lock-out means shiftably mounted on said carriage for shifting to a position locking said seat in a fixed position, said cam being engagable with said lock out means so as to cause shifting thereof to said position when said means for shifting said pivotal connection is moved to a predetermined position.

Claim 6

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 7

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 8

The seat assembly set forth in claim 5 further characterized in that said carriage comprises a generally U-shaped member havIng two side portions and a bight portion connected therebetween, said handle means located across the bight portion, and said pair of adjustment plates are pivotally mounted to said carriage adjacent the bight portion, said adjustment plates extending rearwardly alongside said side portions and having said recesses adjacent the rear ends of said adjustment plates.

Claim 9

The seat assembly set forth in claim 5 including a seat pivotally connected adjacent its forward end to a forward portion of said carriage.

Claim 10

The seat assembly set forth in claim 6 including a seat pivotally connected adjacent its forward end to a forward portion of said carriage.

Claim 11

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage, damper means pivotally connected between said carriage and said seat and including a damper and a link having a pivotal connection with said damper, means for adjustably shifting said pivotal connection whereby the effective moment arm of said damper in respect to said seat pivotal mounting can be varied, said means for shifting said pivotal connection also being shiftably and swingably mounted on said carriage so that said pivotal connection swings in a generally flat arc which is generally coincident with the line of force of said damper as said tractor seat rises and falls, whereby the damper has a substantially constant damping effect on downward movement of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 12

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage, damper means pivotally connected between said carriage and said seat and including a damper and a link having a pivotal connection with said damper, means for adjustably shifting said pivotal connection whereby the effective moment arm of said damper in respect to said seat pivotal mounting can be varied, said means for shifting said pivotal connection also being shiftably and swingably mounted on said carriage so that said pivotal connection swings in a generally flat arc which is generally coincident with the line of force of said damper as said tractor seat rises and falls, whereby the damper has a substantially constant damping effect on downward movement of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 13

The seat assembly set forth in claim 9 further characterized in that said carriage comprises a generally U-shaped member having two side portions and a bight portion connection therebetween, said handle means located across the bight portion, and said pair of adjustment plates are pivotally mounted to said carriage adjacent the bight portion, said adjustment plates extending rearwardly alongside said side portions and having said recesses adjacent the rear ends of said adjustment plates.

Claim 14

A resiliently suspended vehicle seat assembly comprising; a support base, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage means pivotally connected between said base and said carriage for swingably moving said carriage at a constant attitude in a vertical direction, a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports during vertical swinging of said seat.

Claim 15

A resiliently suspended vehicle seat assembly comprising; a support base, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage means pivotally connected between said base and said carriage for swingably moving said carriage at a constant attitude in a vertical direction, a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports during vertical swinging of said seat.

Claim 16

The seat assembly set forth in claim 11 further characterized in that said seat supports have upper and lower stop limits, and stop means mounted on said carriage and engagable by said stop limits to define the upper and lower limits to which said seat supports can move.

Claim 17

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage at a constant attitude and in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports during vertical swinging of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recess in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 18

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage at a constant attitude and in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports during vertical swinging of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recess in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 19

The seat assembly set forth in claim 13 further characterized in that said carriage comprises a generally U-shaped member having two side portions and a bight portion connected therebetween, said handle means located across the bight portion, and said pair of adjustment plates are pivotally mounted to said carriage adjacent the bight portion, said adjustment plates extending rearwardly alongside said side portions and having recesses adjacent the rear ends of said adjustment plates.

Claim 20

The seat assembly set forth in claim 13 further characterized in that said seat supports have upper and lower stop limits, and stop means mounted on said carriage and engagable by said stop limits to define the upper and lower limits to which said seat supports can move.

Claim 21

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage at a constant attitude and in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage, damper means pivotally connected between said carriage and said seat and including a damper and a link having a pivotal connection with said damper, means for adjustably shifting said pivotal connection whereby the effective moment arm of said damper in respect to said seat pivotal mounting can be varied, said means for shifting said pivotal connection also being shiftably and swingably mounted on said carriage to swing said pivotal connection in a generally flat arc which is generally coincident with the line of force of said damper as said tractor seat rises and falls, whereby the damper has a substantially constant damping effect on said seat regardless of the vertical swinging movement of said seat; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports durIng vertical swinging of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 22

A vertically adjustable vehicle seat assembly comprising a mounting base member, a vertically shiftable carriage, parallel arm linkage between said base member and said carriage for vertically positioning said carriage at a constant attitude and in any one of a number of selected vertical positions; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage, damper means pivotally connected between said carriage and said seat and including a damper and a link having a pivotal connection with said damper, means for adjustably shifting said pivotal connection whereby the effective moment arm of said damper in respect to said seat pivotal mounting can be varied, said means for shifting said pivotal connection also being shiftably and swingably mounted on said carriage to swing said pivotal connection in a generally flat arc which is generally coincident with the line of force of said damper as said tractor seat rises and falls, whereby the damper has a substantially constant damping effect on said seat regardless of the vertical swinging movement of said seat; a seat having a pivotal mounting adjacent its forward end to said carriage for vertical swinging relative thereto, a pair of seat supports on which said seat freely rests, resilient cushioning means between said carriage and said seat supports for cushioning the downward vertical swinging of said seat and supports, a seat back pivotally mounted to said seat supports, a pair of seat links pivotally connected at one end to said carriage and at their other end having a link connection with said seat back whereby said seat back rotates about the point of its said pivotal mounting to said seat supports durIng vertical swinging of said seat; a pair of adjustment plates pivotally mounted to said carriage, one on each side of said carriage; a series of recesses in said adjustment plates, fixed means on said base member and engagable in any one of said recesses when said carriage is shifted to different vertical positions, and handle means connected with said adjustment plates for swinging the latter whereby any one of said recesses in said adjustment plates may be engaged by said fixed means carried on said base member, whereby said carriage may be selectively held in any one of a number of positions to which it is vertically shifted by said parallel arm linkage.

Claim 23

The seat assembly set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that said carriage comprises a generally U-shaped member having two side portions and a bight portion connected therebetween, said handle means located across the bight portion, and said pair of adjustment plates are pivotally mounted to said carriage adjacent the bight portion, said adjustment plates extending rearwardly alongside said side portions and having said recesses adjacent the rear ends of said adjustment plates.

Claim 24

The seat assembly set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that said seat supports have upper and lower stop limits, and stop means mounted on said carriage and engagable by said stop limits to define the upper and lower limits to which said seat supports can move.

Claim 25

The seat assembly set forth in claim 17 further characterized in that said seat supports have upper and lower stop limits, and stop means mounted on said carriage and engagable by said stop limits to define the upper and lower limits to which said seat supports can move.