Vehicle chair unit

Claim 1

A vehicle chair unit comprising a support frame; a pair of seats and a pair of backs pivotally mounted side by side on said support frame, each back having a chair unit frame; a locking mechanism on said support frame for each chair back, each mechanism coupled to the outer side of its associated chair back for independently positioning its associated back in a plurality of reclining locked positions relative to a normal generallyupright locked position of said back; a control connecting means connecting each locking mechanism and its associated seat for releasing said locking mechanism irrespective of the various recline positions occupied by the back when said seat moves through an intermediate path between a lower back-locking position and an upper back-locking position; a torsion bar on said support frame for each back and tensioned to move its associated back to said upright position during said intermediate travel of said seat, each torsion bar fixed to the outer sides of said support frame, each torsion bar being further coupled to the inner side of its associated chair back, each bar at its inner end being further equipped with means for adjusting its tension; and spring means on said frame continuously urging said seats through said intermediate travel and to said upper locking position whereby when an occupant of a seat rises the back associated with that seat from any recline position is automatically raised and locked in upright position.