Chairs and seats – Movable bottom – Tiltable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-09-25
Nelson, Jr., Milton (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Movable bottom
Tiltable
C297S248000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
A chair for use with a plurality of such chairs arranged in rows to provide an aisle between adjacent rows of chairs when the chairs are not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous theater and stadium seats or chairs have been developed to allow assess to such seats and chairs when arranged in a plurality of rows.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,593 is directed to spectator seating adjustable for the comfort of the spectator where the seats in each row are staggered so as to provide proper spectator viewing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,999 shows the seat bottom for each of a row of chairs is hingedly connected between spaced standards supporting the seat backs and arms. Brackets with pivot arms are located on opposite sides of the seat bottom to receive each standard extending toward each seat bottom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,579 relates to a seat therefor including top and bottom walls merging with front, rear and a pair of opposite side walls. The seat is a one-piece homogenous plastic blow-molded construction with a parting line along the front, rear and pair of opposite side walls. Portions of the top and bottom walls are compression fused to each other adjacent the side walls to form reinforced areas adapted for securement to a conventional chair seat support bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,364 teaches a seating structure for a stadium foundation having step faces compiling a plurality of seat members; a plurality of standards; securing means extending substantially uniformly along the length of each step face; an element for each of said standards cooperating with said securing means at any position therealong and rigidly securing the corresponding standard at any desired position along the step face. The entire row of seats may be adapted to length variations. The securing means comprise a groove formed in the step face the mouth of which has a height less than the maximum height of the groove in which the companion element is a clamp comprising a member having a first part received in the groove and a second part projecting out of the groove, and means reacting against the second part and the standard for clamping the standard against the step face while the first part is caused to engage the groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,601 relates to a platform providing stepped vertical and horizontal areas, pedestals anchored to a vertical portion of the platform, a cross beam carried by said pedestals, a pair of back tubes fixed to the beam having portions extending rearwardly and upwardly and short portions extending forwardly, a plastic back carried by the upwardly-extending tube portions and providing also a rear seat segment over the forwardly-extending portions. A pair of seat supports are pivotally mounted on the forwardly-extending tube portions. A plastic seat segment complementary to the first-mentioned rear seat segment is carried by the seat supports. A spring means yieldably urging the forward seat segment upwardly into a position generally parallel with the back the forward seat segment being apertured to clear the forwardly-extending back tube portions when the forward seat segment is raised and the fixed rear seat segment being provided with extensions received within the apertures to substantially fill the apertures when the forward seat segment is in lowermost position.
Additional examples of the prior art are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,310; U.S. Pat. No. D347,947; U.S. Pat. No. D347,332; U.S. D190,230; GB 10,358; GB 211,050 and CH 124,724.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a chair for use in stadiums, theaters and similar venues. More specifically, the chair is intended for use with a plurality of such chairs arranged in rows to provide an aisle or walkway between adjacent rows of chairs when the chairs are not in use.
As described more fully hereinafter, the chair comprises a frame assembly configured to operatively support a seat assembly including a back support member and a seat movable between a raised or upright position when not occupied and a lowered or deployed position when occupied and a seat positioning assembly coupled to the seat to normally maintain the seat in the raised or upright position.
The frame assembly comprises a pair of substantially parallel side frames each including an upright frame member having a corresponding seat support member affixed thereto to operatively support the a back support member and seat respectively therebetween. Specifically, the back support member is affixed between the upper portions of the upright frame members; while, the seat is pivotally coupled between the corresponding seat support members.
The seat positioning assembly comprises a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel seat positioning members and a counter weight affixed for the lower surface of the seat.
When assembled, rows of the chairs are closely spaced in front to back relationship as typically found in a stadium or theater. Each row of chairs comprises a plurality of such chairs in side to side relationship relative to each other.
When the chairs are not occupied, the counter weight of each seat positioning assembly maintains the corresponding seat in the raised or upright position permitting persons to walk between adjacent rows. When occupied, the weight of the person on the seat overcomes the counter weight of corresponding seat positioning assembly to maintain the seat in the lowered or deployed position to so long as the chair is occupied. So positioned, the aisle or walkway is relatively obstructed. Once the chair is no longer occupied, the counter weight of the corresponding seat positioning assembly causes the corresponding seat to return to the raised or upright position again opening the aisle or walkway for foot traffic.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1029821 (1912-06-01), Patterson
patent: 3077364 (1963-02-01), Eppink
patent: 3850476 (1974-11-01), Day
patent: 3889999 (1975-06-01), Mackintosh
patent: 4630867 (1986-12-01), Gulliver
patent: 5375914 (1994-12-01), Donnelly
patent: 5899531 (1999-05-01), Koehler
Buckner Gregory L.
Marsh Donald C.
All Star Bleachers
Fisher, II Arthur W.
Jr. Milton Nelson
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