Robert T Walworth

US Patent:

48611085, Aug 29, 1989

Filed:

Jun 7, 1988

Appl. No.:

7/203742

Inventors:

Hugh C. Acton - Augusta MI
Robert S. Walworth - Grand Rapids MI

Assignee:

American Seating Company - Grand Rapids MI

International Classification:

A47C 504

US Classification:

297445

Abstract:

This auditorium seat has a frame preferably formed of bent steel tubing, the ends being brought together to parallelism in a "Y"-shaped configuration to form a pedestal. A seat is pivotally mounted on a spring hinge assembly between the sides of the frame, and includes a transverse saddle platform to which a "U"-shaped rod extends forward from end-receptacles on the platform. Seat-supporting straps are welded to the central portion of the "U"-shaped member to form a complex bending-torsion deflection system in addition to the cushioning effect of a pad interposed between the plates and the saddle. The back of the chair has limited freedom of articulation about horizontal and vertical axis, with a spring cushion providing a biasing action toward a neutral no-load position. A modified form of the invention provides a tablet arm assembly supported by a bracket embracing one side of the frame at a curved portion.

US Patent:

45570809, Dec 10, 1985

Filed:

Jul 18, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/631919

Inventors:

Robert S. Walworth - Grand Rapids MI
Jay Hinshaw - Grand Rapids MI
Arnold H. LaBotz - Grandville MI

Assignee:

American Seating Company - Grand Rapids MI

International Classification:

E04H 312

US Classification:

52 9

Abstract:

Improved automatic seating for a telescopic system includes stancheons for mounting individual chairs. Each stancheon includes forward and rear frame members which are pivotally mounted to a bracket and arranged to pivot between a raised use position when the rows are extended and a lowered storage position when the rows are retracted for storage. A coil spring is connected between the stancheon frame members and biases them to the raised position so that the seating raises automatically when the rows are extended for use. Each stancheon is secured in the raised position by a self-tightening latching mechanism which is actuated independently of all other stancheon latches so as to compensate for tolerances in an individual stancheon assembly and to latch it securely in the use position, whereas all latches are disengaged in unison by movement of the next lower row to its storage position. The stancheon frame members cooperate not only to tension the coil spring as they are rotated to the storage position to provide a restoring force for raising the seating, but they also rotate the arm rest to become generally aligned with the stancheons as the seating is lowered to the storage position.