Seating element for arrangement in rows

Claim 1

A seating element for use in row-type seating arrangements, comprising: a seat section adapted to be mounted approximately horizontally to a support element; a back-rest section pivotally mounted to said seat section for movement between a use position in which said back-rest section extends upwardly from said seat section and a covering position in which said back-rest section extends in approximately horizontal covering relation over said seat section; first and second pivot pins respectively connected to said seat section along a common pivot axis at a rearward end of each side of said seat section; first and second brackets respectively extending from each side of said bracket section, each of said first and second brackets having an opening therein which receives a respective one of said first and second pivot pins such that said back-rest section is pivotal relative to said seat section; and pivoting means for automatically pivoting said back-rest section about said common pivot axis from said use position to said covering position in the absence of a force holding said back-rest section in said use position, said pivoting means comprising a spring element mounted between and bearing against both said seat section and said backrest section, and means, mounted between said back-rest section and said seat section, for introducing a pivoting force against said back-rest section when said back-rest section is in said use position to cause pivoting of said back-rest section toward said covering position, and for releasing said pivoting force from against said back-rest section after said back-rest section has pivoted to a point where its center of gravity has moved past its top-dead-center position such that gravity will cause said back-rest section to pivot further and into said covering position.