Abstract:
A quick release mechanism for a conveyance seat comprising: a base plate rigidly attachable to a floor portion of a conveyance connected to a riser member by way of a cammed locking means. Wherein, the cammed locking means has a “T” lock that may be positioned so as to secure the riser member, and a locking cam which further secures the riser member by reducing the amount of sideways movement between the riser member and the base plate, and a compression cam which when rotated in a locked position pulls the “T” lock in an upward direction, and a spring which applies a force in a downward direction when the compression cams are in a lock position. The seat mechanism is further secured by a plurality of hub-like projections which may be received by a plurality of detents included in the base plate.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/061,096 filed on Oct. 3, 1997. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to assemblies used for mounting seats in motor vehicles, and more particularly, to a quick release mechanism that permits a passenger or an operator seat in the inside of a van or other conveyance to be easily unfastened and removed from the vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In motorized vehicles such as vans or other big passenger vehicles, situations frequently arise where it is desirable to quickly disconnect and remove one or more of the vehicle seats to increase available cargo space or to permit easy access to certain interior portions of the vehicle, perhaps for maintenance and/or repair purposes. A number of inventions have been conceived that provide release mechanisms for seats to be selectively removed from within the interior of a vehicle. 
     One such invention, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,067, consists of a quick release pedestal for a vehicle seat, comprising a base member rigidly attachable to a floor portion of a vehicle and having first and second pairs of elongated slots extending in spaced, parallel relation. A seat support member is releasably attached to the base member and includes two pairs of members each having the general shape of a hook, and oriented so as to be receivable into respective slots. The seat support member also includes a mechanism for releasing the support member from engagement to the base member. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,571, discloses a mounting device for removably attaching a seat usable in a boat or other conveyance. The device includes a flanged lower plate which may be attached by screws, bolts or other means to the vehicle floor. The device further includes a flanged upper plate which at its top surface attaches to a seat base. The flanges at one of the ends of each plate contain a hole that receives a peg for fastening the flanges together. The flanges at the other of the ends of each plate contain a slot so that a latch can be moved vertically through the flanges allowing the plates to be disengaged. A user must align the latches with the slot and screw the latch in manually. 
     A detachable seat supporting structure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,952, wherein a locking mechanism in the supporting structure uses two slots in a base plate fastened to the floor of a motor vehicle to releasably lock the seat into a secure position. A first locking mechanism rod is inserted into a U-shaped base plate slot with a detention at a bottom portion which provides a pivot point. The U-shaped slot allows the seat to be removed from the vehicle by lifting the rod out of the slot. A second locking mechanism rod associates with an L-shaped slot. The first and second rods are interconnected such that by rotating a handle on the second rod the rods move within the designated slots and provide a snap lock. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,245 discloses a movable, as well as removable, vehicle seat including a fixing mechanism for connecting the seat structure to the floor of a vehicle. The mechanism, which is mounted to move relative to the seat structure, includes a latch having a shoulder. The latch penetrates an opening in the vehicle floor and is capable of taking up either an unlocking position or a locking position. 
     The above mentioned inventions all permit a seat to be detached to allow greater room in the vehicle, and also to attach the seat to the vehicle for use. However, all of the inventions lack a mechanism which can be secured so that there is little movement between the base plate and the seat member. Also, the prior art fails to describe a seat mechanism which can be quickly situated and released. The present invention overcomes this and other deficiencies associated with prior art vehicle seat release mechanisms. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a quick release mechanism for a seat of a vehicle. The mechanism generally comprises: a base plate which is rigidly attached to the floor of the vehicle; a riser member which releasably attaches at its bottom surface to the base plate and is secured at its upper extremities to the vehicle seat and a cammed locking means that is rigidly mounted to the interior of the riser member and that secures the riser member to the base plate. 
     The base plate is comprised of a thin, yet strong metallic material and is formed by stamping the material into a generally rectangular form having gently rounded corners and slightly flanged edges on all of its four sides . The base plate is also provided with a number of other features including: apertures that are located near each of the corners of the base plate; detents that are located proximate to the apertures; an elongated slot that is positioned in the central region of the base plate and a T-shaped opening that is situated to the side of the elongated slot. The apertures are used for securing the base plate to the floor of the vehicle with bolts or other types of fasteners. The elongated slot and the T-shaped opening receive elements of the cammed locking means to secure the riser member to the base plate. 
     Like the base plate, the riser member is fabricated from relatively thin metal plate. The riser member generally resembles a U-shaped channel having an elongated, horizontal base portion that when viewed from the top or bottom is rectangularly shaped, and two relatively flat side portions that extend upwardly from opposing ends of the base portion in a generally vertical direction. A plurality of hub-like projections are provided on the underside of the base portion and are located to coincide with the detents provided in the base plate. The hub-like projections are received by the detents and work in cooperation with them not only to align the riser member into locking position, but also to provide a means for engaging the riser member and the base plate. An elongated slot and a T-shaped opening are provided in the base portion of the riser member. The slot and the opening in the riser member correspond in size and location to the slot and opening provided in the base plate. 
     The cammed locking means includes a box-shaped frame through which passes a rotatable shaft. The shaft is provided with a handle portion which is created by a bend in the shaft that is outside of the box-shaped frame. The shaft is further provided with an extending tab and two compression cams, each of which cam is positioned at the outside surface of opposing end portions of the frame. The shaft also passes through a T-shaped locking tab that extends vertically downward and through a slot provided in the bottom side of the frame and that communicates with a spring positioned between a top portion of the frame and the upper end of the locking tab. The cammed locking means is positioned on the bottom portion of the riser member so that the extending tab is aligned with the elongated slot provided through the riser and the locking tab projects through the T-shaped opening. 
     The riser member is principally secured to the base plate by means of the T-shaped locking tab. When the hub-like projections of the riser engage the detents in the base plate, the elongated slot in the base plate receives the T-shaped locking tab of the cammed locking means. By rotating the handle portion of the shaft the compression cams are turned and thereby cause the shaft and the T-shaped locking tab to be moved upwardly so that the locking tab makes contact with the under side of the base plate. At the same time, the extending tab downwardly rotates to fit into the elongated slots in the base plate and in the riser member and thereby acts to reduce any lateral movement between the base plate and the riser member. The extending tab also ensures that the compression cams and the locking tab are secured in a locked position. 
     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved release mechanism for a vehicle seat, which may be quickly attached and detached. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a quick release mechanism for a vehicle seat, which is secure and allows minimal shifting or movement. Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is illustrative of the present invention which provides for a quick release mechanism wherein a base plate is shown in a top perspective view as it may be positioned relative to a riser member which is shown in a bottom plan view prior to the riser member being rotated downwardly on top of the base plate for locking engagement of the two. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the base plate. 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the riser member. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the riser member with a portion broken away to expose the cammed locking means which forms a primary part of the quick release mechanism. 
     FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a hub-like projection of the riser member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5B is a side view of a hub-like projection shown in FIG. 5A as the hub-like projection would appear when it is installed in the base portion of the riser member. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the cammed locking means of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cammed locking means of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the cammed locking means of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is an end view of the cammed locking means of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 cut away end view of the riser member of the present invention showing the cammed locking mechanism attached to riser means 
     FIG. 10A is a side cross-sectional view of the cammed locking means housing 
     FIG. 11A is an end view of the cammed locking means as it is positioned within the riser member and on the base plate in a locked condition; and 
     FIG. 11B is a view similar to FIG. 11A but showing the cammed locking means in the unlocked condition. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A quick release mechanism for a vehicle seat in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is indicated generally in FIG. 1 by the reference numeral  10 . The mechanism  10  is comprised of a base plate  20 , a riser member  30  and a cammed locking means  40 . Base plate  20  is preferably stamped out of a sheet of metal such as steel, which may have a thickness ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm, and which preferably will range in thickness from 20 mm to 40 mm. As shown in FIG. 2, the base plate  20  has a generally rectangular form with gently rounded corner regions  21  and slightly flanged edges  22  on all four of its sides. The base plate  20  also has four depressions  23  which individually are located at its corner regions and are recessed downwardly toward the vehicle floor (not shown) so that the depressions  23  and the flanged edges  22  will make contact with the vehicle floor when the base plate  20  is installed. Thus the effect of the depressions  23  and the flanged edges  22  is to elevate other portions of the base plate  20  and thus prevent them from resting directly on the vehicle floor. Within each of the depressions  23  is a hole  24  intended to receive a bolt or similar fastener (not shown) for secure attachment of base plate  20  to the floor of the vehicle. Disposed about the periphery of the base plate  20  are at least four detents  25 . Each of the detents  25  is comprised of two regions, the first being a downwardly recessed enlarged area  25   a  and the second being a narrowed throat area or notch  25   b  which is spatially positioned above and to the side of the enlarged area  25   a . The detents  25  are positioned proximately to the depressions  23  and configured so that the center points of the semicircular portion of the notches  25   b  define the outline of a rectangle within the boundaries of the base plate  20 . These detents  25  serve initially to orient the riser/cam assembly onto the base plate  20  during installation and later as a securing means. As shown in FIG. 2, some of the detents  25  may be situated such that they are in communication with the nearest of the depressions  23  while others may be located such that they are not. 
     The base plate  20  is further provided with an elongated slot  26  that is positioned in the central region of the base plate  20  and with a T-shaped opening  27  that is situated alongside the elongated slot  26  and oriented with respect to the elongated slot  26  such that the longitudinal dividing line  27   a  of the T-shaped opening  27  and the longitudinal dividing line  26   a  of the elongated slot  26  intersect at right angles. The elongated slot  26  and the T-shaped opening  27  will further be situated in a cross-shaped depression  28  provided for purposes which will be explained below. 
     The riser member  30 , as shown in FIGS. 1,  3  and  4 , preferably is also fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal stock such as steel and is subjected to stamping as well as bending forming processes. The riser member  30  broadly resembles a U-shaped channel having a rectangular, horizontal base portion  31  and two side portions  32  and  33  that extend upwardly from and form substantially equal but opposite angles a with opposing ends  31   a  and  31   b  of the base portion  31 . The upper extremities of the side portions  32  and  33  of the riser member  30  are provided with bracket-like, horizontal extensions  34  that have a plurality of bores  35  capable of receiving fasteners such as bolts or screws (not shown) for fastening a vehicle seat to the riser member  30 . In FIGS. 1 and 4, the extensions  34  are shown to be directed toward the interior of the riser member  30 ; however, the extensions  34  may be oppositely directed away from the interior of the riser member  30  if dimensions and possibly other physical characteristics of the seat so require. The angles α between the side portions  32  and  33  and the base portion  31  may also be varied in accordance with the size and other attributes of the seat to be attached. 
     On the underside  31   c  of the base portion  31 , four hub-like projections  36  are provided. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the projections  36  are arranged so that they will be received by the detents  25  provided in the base plate  20 . As more clearly shown in FIG. 5, each of the projections  36  has a first cylindrical shaft portion  36   a  and a second increased diameter cylindrical shaft portion  36   d  that is provided at one of its ends with an enlarged, disc-like head portion  36   b . The other end of each of the projections  36  is provided extends upwardly first through a hole in the base portion  31  of the riser member  30  and then through a back up washer  70  that cooperate with a force produced by the cammed locking memo to firmly urge the second cylindrical shaft portion  36   d  against the underside  31   c  of the base portion  31 . Dimensionally, the first cylindrical shaft portion  36   a  has a diameter D′ s  that is smaller than the diameter D s ″ of the second cylindrical shaft portion  36   d . The diameter D s ″ of the second cylindrical shaft portion  36   d  is slightly smaller than the width of the narrowed throat area  25   b  of the detents  25  in the base plate  20 . Shaft portion  36   a  has length L s ′ and shaft portion  36   d  has a length L s ″ that permit the surface  36   c  of the disc-like head portion  36   b  to be situated at a distance from the underside  31   c  of the base portion  31 , which is below the lower surface  29  of base plate  20  that is proximate to and thus defines the narrowed throat area  25   b . The length L s ″ is at least equivalent to the thickness of base plate  20 . The diameter D h  of the disc-like head  36   b  exceeds the width of the throat area  25   b . The foregoing dimensional parameters permit the first and second cylindrical shaft portions  36   a  and  36   d  of each of the hub-like projections  36  to be freely moved laterally into and out of the narrowed throat area  25   b  and vertically up and down with respect to the lower surface  29  of the base plate  20  when the cammed locking means  40  is in an unlocked state. The projections  36  may be fabricated from cylindrical pieces of metal stock by turning the stock on a lathe to provide the first and second cylindrical shaft portions  36   a  and  36   d  and the disc-like head portion  36   b.    
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the riser member  30  also includes an elongated slot  37  and a T-shaped opening  38  in the horizontal base portion  31 . The slot  37  and the opening  38  in the base portion  31  are dimensionally similar to the slot  26  and the opening  27  in the base plate  20  and are located so that when the hub-like projections  36  are received by the narrowed throat areas  25   b  of the detents  25  the slots  26  and  37  and the openings  27  and  38  are vertically aligned. 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the cammed locking means  40  essentially includes: a box-shaped outer frame  41 ; a pair of thin, plate-like compression cams  42  and  43 ; an extending tab  44  that generally resembles compression cams  42  and  43  but has a dimensionally longer longitudinal axis; a T-shaped locking tab  45 ; a spring biasing means  46  and a shaft  47 . The outer frame  41  is created by bending an elongated strip of sheet metal to form a first vertical end portion  41   a , a horizontal bottom portion  41   b , a second vertical end portion  41   c , and a horizontal top portion  41   d . As may be seen by reference to FIG. 6, top portion  41   d  extends toward and makes contact with end portion  41   a . End portion  41   a  and top portion  41   d  are fasted together by a weld, a tongue and groove tab or by any other suitable means. Additionally, the outer surface  41   b ′ of the bottom portion  41   b  faces toward the base portion  31  of the riser member  30 , causing the frame  41  to be open on two opposing vertical ends. The end portions  41   a  and  41   c  are each provided with vertically elongated openings  48  having semi-circular end portions. Horizontal bottom portion  41   b  is provided with a rectangular slot  49 , and horizontal top portion  41   d  is provided with a downwardly extending depression  50  having a bore  51  in the central region thereof. The slot  49  and the depression  50  are positioned in their respective members  41   b  and  41   d  such that they are in vertical alignment with one another. 
     The compression cams  42  and  43  as well as the extending tab  44  are also fabricated from a thin metallic material and are generally rectangular in shape except for the rounded-off corner portions  42   a ,  42   b ,  43   a ,  43   b ,  44   a  and  44   b  that are provided between edges  42   c ,  43   c  and  44   c . Like the first and second vertical end portions  41   a  and  41   c  of frame  41 , the compression cams  42  and  43  and the extending tab  44  are also provided with circular openings  52 . The T-shaped locking tab  45  is provided with an aperture  53  which is situated in the base portion  45   a  of the tab  45 . (It should be noted that while the locking tab  45  of the present invention is shown to be T-shaped, alternative shapes may be suitable as long as the shape meets the objective of applying pressure from the bottom of base plate  20 . Some other possible shapes include an “L” shaped tab or a “J” shaped tab.) 
     The shaft  47  may be considered to have three basic portions: a first straight portion  47   a , a second straight portion  47   b  and a curved portion  47   c  that is intermediate portions  47   a  and  47   b . It will be observed that dimensionally the first straight portion  47   a  is considerably longer than the second straight portion  47   b  and that the second straight portion  47   b  may thus function as a handle to cause rotation of the first straight portion  47   a  about its longitudinal axis. 
     In its assembled state, the previously described elements of the cammed locking means  40  will appear generally as shown in FIGS. 7,  8  and  9 . The compression cam  43  is positioned vertically adjacent to the first vertical end  41   a  of the outer frame  41  with the rounded corner portions  43   a  and  43   b  generally oriented downward toward the horizontal bottom portion  41   b  and with its opening  52  essentially aligned with the elongated opening  48  in vertical end  41   a . The base portion  45   a  of T-shaped locking tab  45  is engaged in rectangular slot  49  of horizontal bottom portion  41   b  with the aperture  53  in general alignment with the elongated openings  48  in the first and second end portions  41   a  and  41   c . The extending tab  44  is situated vertically adjacent to the second vertical end portion  41   c  of the outer frame  41  with the rounded corner portions  44   a  and  44   b  generally oriented downward toward the horizontal bottom portion  41   b  and with its opening  52  essentially aligned with the elongated opening  48  in vertical end  41   c . The compression cam  42  is positioned vertically adjacent to the side of the extension tab  44  that lies directly opposite to that which is next to the second vertical end portion  41   c . As may be clearly seen in FIG. 8, compression cam  42  and extension tab  44  are arranged such that their top edges lie in the same horizontal plane opening  52  of cam  42  is aligned with opening  52  of the tab  44 . As in the case of the extending tab  44  and the compression cam  43 , the rounded corner portions  43   a  and  43   b  of compression cam  42  are also downwardly directed toward the bottom portion  41   b  of the outer frame  41 . Compression cam  42  and extension tab  44  are permanently affixed to each other and maintained in the above described arrangement by one or more welds or by any other means which are known in the art. 
     With the compression cam  42 , the T-shaped locking tab  45 , the extending tab  44  and the compression cam  43 , positioned relative to the box-shaped outer frame  41  as indicated above, the first straight portion  47   a  of the shaft  47  is received first by the elongated slots  52  and  48  in the compression cam  43  and the first end portion  41   a  of the outer frame  41 , next by the aperture  53  in the T-shaped locking tab  45 , then by the slot  48  in the second end portion  41   c  of the frame  41 , and finally by the opening  54  resulting from the assembly of the extending tab  44  and the compression cam  42 . After passing through the opening  54 , the end of the first straight portion  47   a  is extended slightly beyond the outer surface of the compression cam  42  where the end of the first straight portion  47   a  and the compression cam are firmly joined together by a weld or other any other suitable means known in the art. First straight portion  47   a  is also similarly joined to the compression cam  43 ; The first straight portion  47   a  and the T-shaped locking tab  45  are not rigidly fastened to each other, thus allowing straight portion  47   a  to rotate freely within the aperture  53  provided in locking tab  45 . Spring biasing means  46 , which in the preferred embodiment is shown to be a coil spring, is situated within the box-shaped outer frame  41  so that one of its ends is seated about the peripheral edge of the depression  50  provided in the central region of horizontal top portion  41   d  and so that the other of its ends receives the end of the base portion  45   a  of the T-shaped locking tab  45  that extends above the first straight portion  47   a . It will also be observed that spring  46 , being so arranged, will also make contact with the first straight portion  47   a  at two points on its periphery, which are on opposite sides of locking tab  45 . In making such contact, spring  46  will tend to urge straight portion  47   a  of shaft  47  as well as locking tab  45  in toward the horizontal bottom portion  41   b  of outer frame  41  when spring  46  is free to expand. The spring  46  will preferably have a spring constant, k, that ranges in value from k=0.1 to approximately k=15. It will be noted that the higher the k value for the spring  46 , the greater the compressive force there will be between riser member  30  and base plate  20 , and thus the better cammed locking means will be able to prevent rattle or any vertical or sliding movement between riser member  30  and base plate  20 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, cammed locking means  40  is placed upon the upper surface of horizontal base portion  31  of riser member  30  and oriented so that: a segment of first straight portion  47   a  of shaft  47  extends through a T-shaped opening  39  provided in the side portion  33  of riser member  30 ; the lateral portion  45   b  of the locking tab  45  extends through the narrow stem portion of the T-shaped opening  38  in the horizontal base portion  31 ; and the extending tab  44  is aligned with the elongated slot  37 . Such placement of the cammed locking means  40  also causes the curved portion  47   c  and the handle portion  47   b  of the shaft  47  to project beyond the side portion  33  of the riser member  30 . The cammed locking means  40  is kept firmly in the above described orientation by weld material that is deposited either continuously or at intervals along the opposing exposed edges of the bottom portion  41   b  of the outer frame  41  where they adjoin the horizontal base portion  31 . 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the components of the cammed locking means  40  which are located to the interior of the riser member  30  may be enclosed within a housing  60  that extends upwardly from the horizontal base portion  31 , towards the bracket-like extensions  34  and laterally between the side portions  32  and  33  of the riser member  30 . The housing  60  acts to limit any particles such as dust, dirt or fluids from contacting the cammed locking means  40 . The housing  60  when viewed from one of its ends (FIG. 10 a ) resembles an inverted, truncated “V” having a horizontal upper portion  62  and two angled side portions  64  and  66  extending therefrom. The housing  60  is formed from a single piece of sheet metal and its ends are provided with an angled contour that conforms to the angle of inclination α of the side portions  32  and  33 . The housing  60  is secured at its edges to the riser member  30  by welding material applied by conventional welding techniques. Any other conventional means of attachment may also be employed. 
     Installation and removal of a vehicle seat which has already been attached to the bracket-like, horizontal projections  34  of the riser member  30  may be accomplished by simply fastening and unfastening the riser member  30  to the base plate  20 . To fasten the riser member  30  to the base plate  20 , the following steps will be taken. Each of the four hub-like projections  36  on the underside  31   c  of the horizontal base portion  31  of the riser member  30  is aligned with and inserted into a corresponding downwardly recessed enlarged area  25   a  of one of the four detents  25  provided in the base plate  20 . Simultaneously, the lateral or head portion  45   b  and the lower end of base portion  45   a  of the T-shaped locking tab  45  are inserted into the cross member portion  27   a  of the T-shaped opening  27  in the base plate  20 . The hub-like projections  36  are then moved laterally toward and into the narrowed throat area  25   b  of each of the detents  25  until the second cylindrical shaft portion  36   d  of each of the projections  36  makes firm contact with the semicircular edge of each of narrowed throat areas  25   b . As such movement is occurring, the head portion  45   b  and the base portion  45   a  of the T-shaped locking tab  45  are translated laterally toward the narrow base member  27   b  of the T-shaped opening  27  in the base plate  20  so that the head portion  45   b  of the locking tab  45  is positioned below the edges of the narrow base member  27   b  of the T-shaped opening  27  and the base portion  45   a  of the locking tab  45  traverses the base plate  20  within the narrow base member  27   b  of the T-shaped opening  27 . After such movement of the hub-like projections  36  and the T-shaped locking tab  45  has been accomplished, the handle portion  47   b  of the shaft  47  of the cammed locking means  40  is turned, preferably through an angle of 90 degrees, to cause compression cams  42  and  43  to rotate toward and make contact with the upper surface  31   d  of the horizontal base portion  31  of the riser member  30  (FIG.  11 ( a )). As the compression cams  42  and  43  are so rotated, the straight portion  47   a  of the shaft  47 , which is free to move within the elongated openings  48  in first vertical end portion  41   a  and second vertical end portion  41   c  of outer frame  41 , is forced move upwardly toward the horizontal top portion  41   d  of frame  41 . Such upward movement of the straight portion  47   a  causes the spring  46  to become compressed and the T-shaped locking tab  45  to be upwardly translated. The compression cams  42  and  43  continue to be rotated until surfaces  45   e  and  45   f  formed by projections  45   c  and  45   d  of the head portion  45   b  of locking tab  45  make contact with the underside of base plate  20  at the edges of T-shaped opening  27 . 
     At the same time that the head  45   b  of the T-shaped locking tab  45  is being upwardly translated, the end of the extending tab  44  having the rounded-off corner portions  44   a  and  44   b  rotates downwardly first into elongated slot  37  in the horizontal base portion  31  of the riser member  30  and then into the elongated slot  26  in the base plate  20 . The cross-shaped depression  28  in the base plate  20  is provided so that the T-shaped opening  27  and the elongated slot  26  are dimensionally separated from the bottom surface  31 C of the riser member  30  at such a distance as will not only allow the extending tab  44  to be engages in the slot  26 , but also result in the surfaces  45   e  and  45   f  of the head  45   b  to make firm pressing contact with the underside of base plate  20 . With the extending tab  44  engaged in the slot  26  and the head portion  45   b  firmly pressed against underside of the base plate  20  and thereby securely drawing the riser member  30  and the base plate  20  together, the hub-like projections are maintained in the narrow throat areas or notches  25   b  of the detents  25  and vertical as well as sliding motion between the riser member  30  and the base plate  20  are prevented and the vehicle seat is held firmly in place. 
     For removal of the vehicle seat, the riser member  30  need only be separated from the base plate  20 . Separation may be accomplished easily and quickly by rotating the handle  47   b  in a direction opposite to that required to secure the riser  30  and the base plate  20  (FIG.  11 ( b )). Such opposite rotation of handle  47   b  causes the head  45   b  to translate downwardly away from surface  31   c  and the extending tab  44  to rotate upwardly and out of the slot  26 . With the head  45   b  and tab  44  so disengaged, riser member  30  may be translated laterally so as to disengage projections  36  from the detents  25  and the riser member  30  with its attached vehicle seat may be lifted upwardly away from base plate  20 . In a released configuration the longitudinal axes of the cams  42 , 43  and  44  will essentially be in a parallel orientation with the horizontal base portion  31   b  of riser member  30 . 
     The dimensions of the quick release seat mechanism  10  and its respective parts will vary according the size of the vehicle, seat, or available room. The release mechanism  10  should be made of sturdy materials which can endure high levels of stress which will caused by weight of the person(s) sitting or other objects having weight on the chair. The preferred embodiment is fabricated from steel. Other alternative materials maybe used as long as they meet the desired objective of enduring high stress-strain. The preferred embodiment may also be coated with paint material that would resist rusting. 
     Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.