US2161367A - Adjustable support - Google Patents

Description

u 1939- T. A. M GREGOR ET AL 2,161,357

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed June 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY June 6, 1939. MCGREGOR ETIAL 2,161,367

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed June 18, 1937 s Sheets- Sheet 2 FIG.3.

'Llhoh H HI L n I10 INVENTORS A THOMAS A.McGREGOR BY ALBERTJRHODES' I kw L irromvfis June 6, 1939. T. A. MCGREGOR ET AL ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT Filed June 18, 1937 3 SheetsSheet 3 FIGJO.

INVENTORS THOMAS A. MCGREGOR ALBERT J. RHODE S 5; Q 4

ATTORN YS I Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT poration of Michigan Application June 18, 1937, SerialNo. 148,902

6 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable supports, especially for seats of the adjustable variety used in motorcars and other vehicles, and aims to provide a simple inexpensive mechanism formed al-' most entirely of sheet metal, for quick and easy adjustment of both the longitudinal position and the inclination of the seat. Another object comprises the provision of such adjusting means controllable by a single operating lever selectively the seat longitudinally.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, wherein reference I is made to the accompanying drawingsillustrating av preferred; embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevationalv view of my improved adjustable supporting mecha-nism, show-- ing the locking means therefor.

Figure, 2 is a similar view showing the seat in a different position, both as to inclination and Iongitudinal positioning.

7 Figure 3 is a plan view of the mechanism, with the cross connecting rods centrally broken away.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view thereof.

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are cross sectional views taken substantially on the lines 5-5, &--6-, 1-1 and 8-8 respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 9 isa perspectiveview of the apparatus, with the cross connecting rods centrally broken away.

, Figure 10 isa detail sectional view of a portion .of the rear latch means,

Referring now to the: drawings, it will: be seen that floor and seat portions l0, H, respectively, are indicated somewhat diagrammatically; the

, numeral I I representing the supporting bottom portion of a seat such as is used in an automobile.

A pair of channeled base members H are secured to the floor ill in parallel relationand' near than both, although this is of course a matter of choice and locking means could be included in each if desired. A description of that one of the pair of which is equipped with the locking means will suffice.

At its forward end each base member is curved upwardly to provide pivotal support for a channeled track member l5, articulated thereto by pin l6, which also extends through the track portion. The pin carries within the channeled track an anti-friction roller IT for the bottom flange 20 of the carriage. The carriage, as best shown in Figures 5- and 6, is formed of a downwardly extending sheet metal Web 2| secured to the underside of the seat frame and having an inclined bottom edge to which the T-fiange 20, formed of folded sheet metal, is riveted or otherwise secured. Such inverted T-flange is slidably retained in the track portion I5 by overhanging shoulder portions l8 formed upon the latter and projecting inwardly over the top of the flange. The carriage assembly is secured to the seat II by screws 22, and is inclined downwardly toward the rear of the seat, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. Both the track and carriage flange portions, l8-20 are toothed along their longitudinal edges.

It will be seen that the track and carriage portions I5-20' are relatively short, andconstitute the supporting means for the front of the seat only, separate means being provided for support ing the rear of the seat. The rear supporting means comprises a swinging link assembly articulated to the base l4 near the rear thereof, as upon a pin 30, and at its top articulated to the rearwardly extended carriage portion 2|, as upon another pin 33. The link mechanism rocks from front to back in a vertical plane changing the inclination of the seat during its travel. Such link assembly also incorporates means whereby its effective length may be changed, to enable variation of the inclination of the seat without sliding it forwardly or rearwardly. Such separate tilt adjusting means, which will subsequently be described in detail, is normally locked, so that the link assembly acts as a rigid link during normal sliding travel of the carriage assembly.

Forward or rearward movement of the seat is ordinarily prevented by a latching dog inthe form of a bell crank 40, pivoted upon a flange 23' formed integrally with the carriage flange 21' and extending downwardly beside the interfitted track and carriage portions |5'20 to pivotally support the bellcrank which is mounted upon a pivot pin 4|. The extremity of the forwardly extending arm of the latching dog is bent inwardly through an arcuate slot 43 concentric with the fulcrum of the bellcrank, such inbent portion, designated 42in Fig. 5 being normally urged into locking engagement with the aforementioned teeth carried by adjacent edge flanges of the track and carriage,'by a tension spring 44 connected to the other arm of the bellcrank and to the flange 23. Such other arm of the latching bellcrank is also provided with an outturned lug 46 engageable by a rollback cam 45. The cam is also pivoted upon the flange 23 and actuable by means of an operating handle, 50, to enable swinging the dogging portion 42 upwardly and free of the notched edge of the track portion 20, thereby releasing the latter for sliding movement.

The entire supporting assembly as thus far described, with the exception of the latch and latch operating means, is duplicated at either end of the seat, as previously stated. In order to insure uniform parallel movement of the carriage portions of such duplicate assemblies, and so of both ends of the seat, a geared connection is provided between the two assemblies of the pair. Such connection comprises a cross rod 55 extending between and journaled in the opposed track channels l5, and carrying within each track a pinion 60 meshing with the notched edge of track portion 20 A clearance slot 6| is also provided for the pinion in the bottom of track I5. The inner notched edge of each carriage portion 20 thus provides a rack, the racks of the two carriages being connected by the cross rod 55 and the pinions thereby, so that upon actuation of either end of the seat, the opposite end is correspondingly and uniformly driven. It will likewise be appreciated that such rack and pinion connection renders unnecessary the provision of separate latching means for each supporting assembly.

Since the front of the seat must, at least at times, slide up-hill in moving forwardly, and

vice versa, a counterbalance spring 65 is preferably provided tending to pull the carriage forwardly, such spring being shown as acting in tension and connected at one end to the base member l4 and at its other end to the link assembly which forms the rear movable support for the seat. Such link assembly comprises a sector plate 3| pivoted upon pin 30. As best shown in Figure '7 the sector plate is formed of a double thickness of sheet metal, the two thicknesses being spaced from each other near its center to form webs which extend on either side of the base channel l4, while in an area farther from the pivot pin 30, the two thicknesses are bent toward and secured to one another, as by welding. The sector plate itself is not articulated to the carriage, such connection being provided by a pair of plates 34-35 forming an extension link assembly, such link plates being pivoted to the sector plate upon a cross pin 36 projecting through the latter at a point spaced from its fulcrum pin 30 but in the section in which its two webs are spaced from eachother. The link plates 34-35, disposed outside the sector plate, extend upwardly and terminate between the side flanges of the carriage member, to which they are articulated by a pin 33. Pin 36 is so offset from the main fulcrum pin 30 that angular movement between the extension link assembly formed by plates 34-35, and the sector plate,

changes the distance between pins 30-33, thus varying the effective length of the link assembly and so the inclination of the seat.

Both thicknesses of sheet metal of which the sector plate is formed are toothed at their peripheries, one such toothed portion, designated 37, being offset laterally to lie against the inside of the outer link plate 35, while the other toothed portion. 38 is disposed substantially centrally. The toothed portion 31 may be formed by a series of apertures punched in such offset section, while teeth 38 are out directly in the periphery of the central web of the sector plate. Angular movement between the sector plate and the link plate assembly is normally prevented by a dog portion 10 carried by a swinging plate 12 pivoted on a transverse axis upon the link plate 35 in such manner that it may be swung outwardly to free the dog portion 10 from engagement with the toothed portion 31, into engagement with which it is normally urged by a spring 13 mounted upon a projecting outer extremity of pivot pin 33, the pin being also projected through the upper extremity of the dog member 12, against which extremity the spring bears. The pin T -l upon which the dog is pivoted, projects trans versely through a pair of ears carried by the bottom thereof, and through corresponding ears carried by link plate 35. Link plates 3435 will be seen to act as a unit, a portion thereof outlying thetoothed extremity 38 of the sector plate being pressed inwardly to lie close to and provide a bearing. for the pinion 75 arranged therebetvveen and meshing with toothed portion 33. The portions-of plates 3435 so pressed together overlap the sector plate and pinion to insure their alignment. Pinion T5 is secured to a cross shaft 76. Two such pinions are carried by the shaft, one pinion being incorporated in each supporting assembly at either end of the seat. The link adjusting portions of the two assemblies are thus interconnected to insure uniform movement thereof. i

As a result of the provision of the cross shaft 16, looking dog portions as 10-12 need be provided only upon one of the supporting assemblies. Preferably I arrange it upon the same support which carries the dog 40, in order that both may be ac'tuable by the same operating handle 53, although this will be seen to be a matter of choice. In the construction shown, the operating handle 50, when moved in the opposite direction to that required to retract the dog 43 to allow sliding of the seat, pulls upon a connecting link 73 to actuate a'bellcrank 80 provided with an arm which extends between the dog 72 and the carriage member, and is swingable outwardly when the handle is so actuated, to move the dog outwardly, freeing tooth l0 frorn engagement with the toothed portion 31 of the sector plate. The bellcrank 80' is pivoted upon a lug portion 3i projecting integrally from the bottom of carriage flange 23, the arm of the bell crank to whichlink 18 is articulated projecting outwardly. The other end of the link is connected to an arcuate slot 82 in the rollback member 45, providing lost motion connection between the handle and dog 12, This as will be readily apparent, permits separate independent actuation of the bellcranks 4080 by the hand lever 50, and prevents their simultaneous release.

When the dog tooth I0 is retracted, angular movement between the sector plate and the links 34-35 is possible and may be induced merely by rocking the seat. During such rocking, and also during sliding movement of .theseat, in View of the arcuate path through which the rear of the seat must travel, track I5 rocks about its pivotal supporting pin it to vary the inclination of the seat.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated I embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, itis to be under'stoodthat the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What we claim is:

1. Adjustable supporting means comprising in combination with a base and an object adapted to be adjustably supported thereby, a pair of supporting and guiding means carried by the base and secured at spaced points to the supported object, one of said means comprising rockably supported and relatively slidable track and car- 'riage portions connected to the base and to said object to allow guided longitudinal travel of the latter, and the other of said means comprising a link portion articulated tosaid base and to said supported object and bodily swingable with such longitudinal travel, said link portion also acting to vary the inclination of said object during such travel.

2. Adjustable supporting means comprising in combination with a base and an object adapted to be adjustably supported thereby, a pair of supporting and guiding means carried by the base and secured at spaced points to the supported object, one of said means comprising rockably supported and relatively slidable track and carriage. portions connected to the base and to said object to allow guided longitudinal travel of the latter, and the other of said means comprising a link assembly articulated to said base and to said supported object and bodily swingable with such longitudinal travel and also acting during such travel to vary the inclination of said object, and means for changing the effective vertical height of one of said supporting and guiding means to change the inclination of said object independently of its longitudinal position.

3. Means as set forth in claim 2 in which said link assembly is formed in a plurality of adjustable sections adapted to be fixed. in various relative positions of adjustment to change such effective height by varying the distance between the points of articulation of the link assembly to the supported object and to the base.

4. Means as set forth in claim 2 in which said link assembly is formed in a plurality of adjustable sections adapted to be fixed in various relative positions of adjustment to change such effective height by varying the distance between the points of articulation of the link assembly to the supported object and to the base, two such pairs of supporting and guiding means being employed arranged at spaced points beneath the supported object, cross-connecting means meshing with the adjustable sections of the link assemblies of both of such pairs of supporting and guiding means and forcing uniform movement thereof and so uniform tilting of both ends of the supported object.

5. Adjustable supporting means comprising in combination with a base and an object adapted to be adjustably supported thereby, a pair of supporting and guiding means carried by the base and secured at spaced points to the supported object, one of said means comprising rockably supported and relatively slidable track and carriage portions connected to the base and to said object to allow guided longitudinal travel of the latter, and the other of said means comprising a link assembly articulated to said base and to said supported object and bodily swingable with such longitudinal travel and also acting during such travel to vary the inclination of said object, said link assembly comprising a pair of sections pivotally secured together and adjustable as to their relative angularity to change the inclination of said supported object independently of its longitudinal position.

6. Means as set forth in claim 5 in which two of such pairs of supporting and guiding means are arranged at spaced points beneath the supported object, said track and carriage portions having gear-connected portions controlling their relative movement, cross-connecting means between the gear-connected portions to force uniform movement of the carriage portions of both of said two pairs of supporting and guiding means, and additional cross-connecting means forcing uniform angular movement of the sections of thelink assemblies of each of said pairs of supporting and guiding means.

THOMAS A. MCGREGOR. ALBERT J. RHODES.

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