Automotive safety seat

Claim 1

A safety device for a vehicle comprising a base mounted to the vehicle; first and second guide means on said base, said first guide means extending a distance along the base in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the second guide means being located below the first guide means and extending rearwardly beyond the end of the first guide means and then upwardly to an end at the same level as the first guide means; a seat in the vehicle mounted on the base and including a first member engagable with said first guide means for movement there along and a second member engagable with said second guide means for movement there along, said members being located at the ends of said guide means when the seat is in the normal position in the vehicle; a release member between said seat and base for securing the seat in said normal position; a spring extending between said seat and base normally biasing said seat so that when the release member is opened the second member moves along said second guide means away from its end; an energy absorbing unit on the base in the path of movement of the second member along the second guide means; and a sensor at the front of the vehicle operable to open said release member upon front end impact whereby said spring moves said second member along said second guide means to rotate the seat rearwardly and, with further movement of said second member, cooperates with said energy absorbing unit to slow forward movement of the seat.