Patent Publication Number: US-4544199-A

Title: Adjustable boat seat

Description:
The present invention is directed to adjustable reclining double seats for boats and like applications, and more particularly to an improved track arrangement for use therein. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining double seat having an improved adjustment track arrangement which renders the seat more economical to fabricate and assemble, easier to adjust, and structurally stronger and more reliable over an extended operating life than are prior art seats of similar type. 
    
    
     The invention, together with additional objects, features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanyin drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a presently preferred embodiment of a reclining double seat in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing the seat in the fully extended reclining position; 
     FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned side elevational view of the seat of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing a portion of FIG. 4 viewed in the direction 5--5 therein; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 2; 
     FIGS. 8-9 are front and rear elevational views of one seat track in accordance with the invention; 
     FIGS. 10-11 are front and rear elevational views of the opposing seat track in accordance with the invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is an elevational view showing a modification to the track of FIG. 8. 
    
    
     Referring to the drawings, a boat seat 10 according to the invention is illustrated therein as comprising a hollow rectangular support box 12 having laterally spaced sidewalls 14,16, longitudinally spaced end walls 18,20, and open top and bottom. In the embodiment illustrated, the upper edges 22,24 of box sidewalls 14,16 are inclined slightly downwardly from their opposite ends to the central portions of the two sidewalls. These edges define a pair of complementary inwardly and downwardly inclined flat seat support surfaces along each side of support box 10. The upper edges 26,28 of box end walls 18,20 are coplanar and are positioned slightly below the adjacent ends of the edges 22,24 of the sidewalls as shown in FIG. 5. Suitable slats 30 or the like are affixed to the lower edges of walls 14-20 for mounting seat support box 12 on a boat deck. 
     A pair of seats 32 arranged back to back are adjustably mounted on seat support box 12. Each seat 32 includes a bottom cushion 36 having a flat base panel 38 of sheet plywood or the like with a pad 40 of foamed rubber mounted thereon and overlaid with a vinyl cover 42. A back cushion 44 includes a flat base panel 46 of sheet plywood having a foamed rubber pad 48 mounted thereon and overlaid with a vinyl cover 50. The base panels 38,46 of each seat are joined to each other by a piano hinge 52 and have widths greater than the dimension between box sidewalls 14,16, so that both panels 46,38 may rest flat upon and be supported by the inclined upper edges 22,24 of the box sidewalls. The base panels 46 of the two seats are joined at their upper edges by a piano hinge 54. 
     A slide panel 56 of sheet plywood or the like is affixed to the base 36 of each bottom seat cushion 36 and projects rearward therefrom toward the longitudinal center of seat support box 12. The width of each panel 56 is less than the dimension between box sidewalls 14,16, so that panels 56 lie below the seat support surfaces 22,24 when the seat bottom cushions rest thereon, as best shown in FIG. 7. A locking bar 58 of tubular steel is affixed to the underside of each panel 56 adjacent to the rearward edge thereof and extends laterally within box 12 between sidewalls 14,16. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the upper end wall edges 26,28 are spaced below the adjacent ends of the seat support surfaces 22,24 by at least the thickness of panels 56. To the extent thus far described, seat 10 is basically the same as prior art seats of similar type. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a pair of laterally opposed tracks 60,62 are respectively affixed to the inner faces of sidewalls 14,16 adjacent to the upper sidewall edges 22,24. Tracks 60,62 are each of one-piece molded plastic construction. Track 60 includes opposite longitudinally extending track sections 64,66 which are mirror images of each other about the lateral center plane of seat box 12. Each track section 64,66 is of generally C-shaped cross section (FIGS. 6-7), having upper and lower walls 68,70 integrally connected by a sidewall 72 which is parallel to and spaced in assembly from the associated box sidewall 14. A channel 74 is formed in each sidewall 72 and extends longitudinally of the associated track section 64,66. Channel 74 is defined by upper and lower channel walls 76,78 contiguous with base wall 72, and a channel bottom wall 80 integrally bridging walls 76,78. Lower channel wall 78, bottom wall 80 and the forward or outer end portion of top wall 76 are smooth and straight. The rear or inner end portion of upper channel wall 76 has a plurality of upwardly extending spaced semi-circular recesses 82. Internally of each slide section 64,66, that is, on the side thereof facing the associated sidewall of the box, and as best seen in FIG. 9, a plurality of integrally molded strengthening ribs 83 extend between walls 76,68 and 78,70 from sidewall 72 to channel bottom wall 80 (FIG. 7). A number of these ribs 83 are enlarged to form bosses 84 through which openings extend for mounting slides 60,62 to the box sidewalls. It will be observed that ribs 83 are greater in number and are more closely spaced along the forward or outer end portion of each track section than at the portion thereof in which recesses 82 are formed. An upwardly opening V-shaped slot 86 (FIG. 8) is formed by integral walls extending between walls 68,76 in track sections 64,66. A separate filler block 88 is adapted to be received and affixed within slot 86. Track 62 is identical to track 60 with the exception of slots 86 and blocks 88, which are omitted from track 62. 
     In assembly, tracks 60,62 are mounted in opposed alignment to the box sidewalls. It will be noted that slots 74 in track sections 64,66 are not parallel to sidewall upper track edges at walls 68, and that the vertical extent of the successive recesses 82 decreases in a direction forwardly or outwardly of the track section edges. However, the upper ends of recesses 82 are aligned straight with each other and with the forward end of the channel upper wall 76 on a line 85 (FIGS. 8 and 10) parallel to top wall 68 and also to the upper box edges 22,24 and spaced therefrom by the thickness of panel 56. With filler blocks 88 removed from track 60, seats 32 are positioned over box 12 and one end of each bar 58 is positioned within the channels 74 of track 62. The opposite end of each bar is then directed downwardly through slot 86 into channels 74 of track 60, and blocks 88 are mounted within slots 86 by the screws 91 so as to capture bars 58 in position, and thus to affix seats 32 to box 12. 
     To adjust the position of each seat 32, the forward edge of the associated seat bottom is lifted off of box 12 and pivoted upwardly as shown in FIG. 3. Since seat base 38 is wider than box 12 (FIG. 7), and panel 56 is narrower than box 12, the rear edge of panel 56 is pivoted downwardly by such upward lifting of the seat forward edge, so that bar 58 is pivoted downwardly from within a recess 82. Continued upward lifting of the seat forward edge will bring bar 58 into engagement with the flat channel bottom wall 78. Bottom cushion 36 may now be slid forwardly to desired position, such as the semi-reclining position illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1 or the fully-reclining position illustrated in FIG. 2. The front end of bottom cushion is then lowered so that base 38 engages box 12. In the semi-reclining position (FIG. 1), bar 58 is engaged with one of the forward locking recesses 82. To position the seats in the fully reclining position, both seat cushions may be slid to the forwardmost position (FIG. 2) so that each bar 58 is shifted to the forward end of its associated channel 74. In this position, the base panels 38,46 of both seats are flush with and supported on the upper edges 22,24 of the box sidewalls. It will be appreciated that since the two seats are hinged together adjacent their upper ends as at 54, both back cushions are tilted to a partially reclining position when either of the bottom cushions are shifted forwardly. 
     As previously noted, the upper edges 22,24 of box sidewalls 14,16 form an inclined V-shaped contour. Preferably, all slides 60,62 are constructed so that the upper walls 68 of each slide section are likewise inclined at this contour. The bottom cushion 36 of each seat 32 is constructed such that its top supporting surface is similarly inclined as shown in FIG. 1 when the tracks are mounted on the box sidewalls as shown in the drawings. Slide sections 64,66 are interconnected by the spaced integral webs 90, leaving an inverted V-shaped opening 92 bounded by webs 90 and the opposing inner ends of slide sections 64,66. The sum of the included angle of opening 92 and the included angle of upper walls 68 equal one hundred eighty degrees. Thus, if it is desired to have the support surfaces of the bottom cushions horizontal where the upper edges 22,24 of the box sidewalls are straight rather than V-shaped, the lower web 90 of each track can be cut away as shown in FIG. 12 and the tracks can be mounted on the box with the inner ends of the two track sections pivoted together in abutting relation. 
     The slide arrangement so described provides significant improvement in terms of strength, and economy of fabrication and assembly over prior art arrangements which comprise a strip of wood fastened to the inner face of each box sidewall and having downwardly facing locking recesses cut along one edge thereof. In such prior art arrangements, the seat bottoms slide along the box itself, while in the present invention, the seat bottoms ride on the bars 58 during adjustment, with the bar being slidably retained in associated plastic tracks. With filler blocks 88 in place, the track channels of the present invention are closed and capture the ends of bars 58. Thus, seats 32,34 may not be inadvertently separated from box 12 during position adjustment. Strengthening ribs 83 and bosses 84, coupled with the C-shaped cross section of the track sections, impart rigidity and strength to withstand rugged use and abuse over an extended useful life. The provision of the closely spaced ribs 83 adjacent forward ends of the track sections is especially desirable since in the fully reclined position of the seats the bars 58 engage the forward ends of the track channels to support the bottom cushions of the seat in an over hanging cantilever manner relative to the opposite ends of the seat support box.