subject: Safety Bus Seats [print this page] . An improved passenger safety restraint for vehicles having a column of at least two bus seats, each said seat defined by a frame, and each pair of said bus seats having a front seat and a rear seat, said vehicles configured to travel along a geometric plane, the safety restraint comprising: a restraint bar defined by opposing ends having a hinge assembly attached at each said end, each said assembly comprising a shaft adapted to be pivotally attached to said front seat to pivot about a fixed axis, whereby said fixed axis of rotation prevents said bar from engaging in a sliding motion; sensing means for sensing acceleration to the vehicle along the vehicle's driving plane; and locking means for preventing said shaft from rotating, said locking means responsive to said sensing means.
A safety restraint for buses having columns of bus seats, comprising: a U-shaped restraint bar defining a center section and two ends extending perpendicularly therefrom; a pair of hinge assemblies adapted to be attached to one said seat, each said assembly further including a shaft defined by a shaft axis attached at one said end, said shaft configured to permit said restraint bar to rotate about said shaft axis on a fixed rotation axis, said axis of rotation being spacially fixed, thereby confining said restraint bar from undergoing a sliding motion; and a locking mechanism for locking the rotation of said shafts in response to sufficient acceleration or tilting.
. A safety restraint system for bench bus seats, said bus seats comprising seatbacks and said bus seats being aligned in at least one column, comprising: a pivotal restraint bar, said bar pivoting about a pair of attached hinge assembles defined by shaft axes, said hinge assemblies configured to permit said bar to pivot about a fixed axis while preventing said bar from sliding; and a locking means, cooperating with said hinge assemblies responding to lateral acceleration and tilting for locking said pivotal motion.
. The safety restraint of claim 12, wherein each said hinge assembly further comprises a pendulum assembly, each said pendulum assembly being configured to lock said rotation when forces incident upon said bus seats exceed predetermined settings.
