Seat mounting mechanism

Claim 2

A mounting mechanism for a seat reciprocally movable along a flat surface comprising a support for said seat having wheels for rolling engagement on said surface, locking means selectively movable between a locking position in which said locking means concurrently releasably wngages at least one of said wheels and said surface to prevent movement of said support on said surface in one direction and a releaed position in which said locking means is not engaged with both said one wheel and said surface thereby to permit movement of said support along said surface in said one direction, said locking means comprising a roller normally biased toward the locking position and of a circumference substantially less than that of the wheel, and means for moving said locking means to said released position.

Claim 3

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 which further includes an additional such roller locking means selectively movable between a locking position in which it concurrently releasably engages at least one of said wheels and said surface to prevent movement of said support on said surface in an opposite direction and a released position in which the additional locking means is not engaged with both said one wheel and said surface thereby to permit movement of said support along said surface in the other direction, and having additional releasing means for selectively moving said additional locking means to a released position.

Claim 4

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 in which said roller is substantially more resilient than said wheel and in the locking position said roller is compreSsed by being piinched in the nip between one side of said wheel and said surface.

Claim 5

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 3 in which said roller is mountned for rotation at one end of an arm which is movably mounted on said support.

Claim 6

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 4 which further includes spring means biasing the arm to move said roller toward its locking position.

Claim 7

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 3 which further includes a lost-motion connection between said support and said roller means.

Claim 8

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 6 in which said roller is loosely mounted for rotaation on the end of an arm which is pivotally mounted on said support.

Claim 9

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 6 comprising an arm loosely pivotally mounted on said support, and said roller means being mounted for rotation on said arm.

Claim 10

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 7 in which said arm is resilient spring arm.

Claim 11

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said surface is constituted by the top surface of an elongate member and which further includes means retaining said wheels in rolling engagement with the upper surface of said elongate member for movement of the support along the length of said member.

Claim 12

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 10 in which said retaining means are additional rollers engaging the undersurface of said elongate members for rolling engagement therewith.

Claim 13

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 11 which further includes adjustable means securing the additional rollers to said support whereby the support may be mounted for rolling engagement along the length of the elongate members of different widths and thicknesses.

Claim 14

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 2 which further includes electrically powered means for driving said support along said surface, first means for actuating said powered means to drive said support in said one direction, and second means for actuating said powered means to drive said support in said other direction.

Claim 15

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 13 in which said first actuating means comprises a first electrical switch operable in response to movement of the releasing means for the first said locking means into its released position whereby the support is driven in said one direction, said second actuating means comprose a second electrical switch operable in response to movement of the releasing means for the second said locking means into its released position whereby the support is driven in the other direction.

Claim 16

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 14 in which said firstt electrical switch is conveniently accessible to one hand of an occupant of the seat and in which the second switch is conveniently accessible to the other hand of the occupant of the seat.

Claim 17

A mounting mechanism for a seat reciprocally movable along a surface comprising a support for said seat having first and second opposite interconnected said portions, first ans second sets of wheels mounted on said support respectively adjacent the first and second side portions for rolling engagement on said surface, first and second locking means each comprising a roller of substantially less circumference than that of the wheels respectively selectively movable between locking positions in which said first and second locking means concurrently releasably engage both said first and second wheel sets and said surface to prevent movement of said support on said surface and released positions in which at least one of said first and seconfd locking means is not engaged with both its respective wheel set and said surface thereby to permit movement of said support along said surface in the direction of the released one of said first and second locking means, said first and second locking means being normally biased toward their respective locking positions, first and second lost-motion connections respectively between said support and said first and second locking means comprising first and second arms loosely pivotally mounted on said support adjacent said first and second side portions, and said first and second locking means being rotatably mounted on said first and second arms thersby to permit movement of said first and second locking means to their respective released positions, and means adjecent said first and second side portions and operable generally to selectively move said first and second locking means to released positions.

Claim 18

A mounting mechanism for a seat reciprocally movable along a surface comprising a support for said seat having first and second opposite interconnected said portions, first ans second sets of wheels mounted on said support respectively adjacent the first and second side portions for rolling engagement on said surface, first and second locking means each comprising a roller of substantially less circumference than that of the wheels respectively selectively movable between locking positions in which said first and second locking means concurrently releasably engage both said first and second wheel sets and said surface to prevent movement of said support on said surface and released positions in which at least one of said first and seconfd locking means is not engaged with both its respective wheel set and said surface thereby to permit movement of said support along said surface in the direction of the released one of said first and second locking means, said first and second locking means being normally biased toward their respective locking positions, first and second lost-motion connections respectively between said support and said first and second locking means comprising first and second arms loosely pivotally mounted on said support adjacent said first and second side portions, and said first and second locking means being rotatably mounted on said first and second arms thersby to permit movement of said first and second locking means to their respective released positions, and means adjecent said first and second side portions and operable generally to selectively move said first and second locking means to released positions.

Claim 19

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 16. in which said first and second arms are first and second resilient spring arms.

Claim 20

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 16, wherein said first and second arms comprise first and second plates extending generally laterally of said first and second portions, and said first and second plates being respectively pivotally actuated in response to an applied force thereon to move said firsy and second locking means to their released positions.

Claim 21

A mounting mechanism as set forth in claim 16 comprising a friction wheel engaged with said surface, a reversible electric motor mounted on said support and drivingly engaged with said friction wheel, first and second electric switches for energizing said motor to drive said friction wheel along said surface and move said support in the direction of the released one of said first and and second locking means, and said release means also being operale selectively to actuate one of said first and seconnd switches upon movement of a respective one of said first and second locking means to its released position.

Claim 22

A movable seat unit for installation in a boat comprising: means comprising an elongate member adapted for mounting athwartships of a boat; a carriage having wheels rolling on said elongate member adapted for movement along said elongate member athwartships of the boat; a seat on the carriage; and means for releasably locking the carriage in various positions along the length of said elongate member, said locking means being positioned for manual actuation by an occupant of the seat and including a roller adapted to be wedged between a wheel of the carriage and the elongate member, said roller having a circumference substantially less than that of said wheel.

Claim 23

A movable seat unit for installation in a boat comprising: means comprising an elongate member adapted for mounting athwartships of a boat; a carriage having wheels rolling on said elongate member adapted for movement along said elongate member athwartships of the boat; a seat on the carriage; and means for releasably locking the carriage in various positions along the length of said elongate member, said locking means being positioned for manual actuation by an occupant of the seat and including a roller adapted to be wedged between a wheel of the carriage and the elongate member, said roller having a circumference substantially less than that of said wheel.

Claim 24

A movable seat unit as set forth in claim 20, wherein said locking means includes a first such roller for releasably locking the carriage against movement to port while allowing it to move to starboard and a second such roller for releasably locking the carriage against movement to starboard while allowing it to move to port.

Claim 25

A movable seat unit as set forth in claim 21, wherein the first means is reachable by the one hand of the occupant of the seat and the second means is reachable by the other hand of the occupant.

Claim 26

A movable seat unit as set forth in claim 22, wherein said rollers are substantially more resilient than said wheels and when in a locking position are compressedby being pinched in the nip between one side of the wheel of the carriage and the surface of the elongate member.