US3873151A

US3873151A - Wall mounted fold down seat

Info

Publication number: US3873151A
Application number: US369059A
Authority: US
Inventors: Earl Lavern Morris; Theodore J Sally
Original assignee: Acorn Engineering Co
Current assignee: Acorn Engineering Co
Priority date: 1973-06-11
Filing date: 1973-06-11
Publication date: 1975-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-25

Abstract

A wall-hung, fold-down seat and seat stowage and support structure.

Description

United States Patent Morris et a1.

WALL MOUNTED FOLD DOWN SEAT Inventors: Earl Lavern Morris; Theodore J.

Sally, both of Whittier, Calif.

Assignee: Acorn Engineering Company, City of lndustry, Calif.

Filed: June 11, 1973 Appi No.: 369,059

US. Cl. 297/14, 297/336 int. Cl. A476 l/l26 Field of Search 297/14, 336, 335; 108/38,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1925 Wasmuth 297/14 Mar. 25, 1975 Freise 297/14 Kiser 108/38 X Ritchie 108/38 X Blink 108/38 Purcell 297/14 X Primary Examiner-Francis K, Zugel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ben E. Lofstedt ABSTRACT A wall-hung, fold-down seat and seat stowage and support structure.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATEHTED MAR 2 51975 PATENTEB MAR 2 5 I975 suwaq FIG. 8

WALL MOUNTED FOLD DOWN SEAT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of recessed, wallhung, fold-down seats and seat stowage and support structures.

2. Description of the Prior Art Recessed, wall-mounted fold-down seats are wellknown in the prior art. Such seats have found use in both stationary or movable dwelling structures such as trains, hospitals, and other public and institutional facilities, such as prisons and jails.

ln hospitals, for example, wall-hung, fold-down seats made of stainless steel and/or similar high-strength, non-deteriorating materials have found use in showering and bathing facilities where a patient may find it difficult or unsafe to stand while showering or bathing.

One greatly desired feature of this type of fold-down seat is that it should be completely free of a leg or legs which must rest upon the floor for seat support. Where leg supports are used, in order to adequately clean and sanitize the floor, the seat must be either completely removed from the area, or it must be moved from one position to another in order to clean the floor space in and around and under the legs of such chairs or benches. This procedure is obviously eliminated when a fold-down seat without legs is utilized.

Another much-wanted feature of such a seat is for it to be quickly and conveniently stowed should'it be desirable or necessary to improve freedom of movement in and around the seat mounting area by removing possible obstructions therein. I

When utilized in a shower or the like, such a seat must be water-tight to prevent water from entering the unit. Should this occur, the water may stagnate and support the growth of odor-causing and diseaseproducing bacteria. Further, such captured water could, at least temporarily, increase the weight of the unit and produce additional stresses and strains therein. But, even more importantly, if the water were to be contained within the seat structure, this additional weight would significantly alter the fall-down characteristics of the seat. This added weight would increase the rate at which such seat motion would occur, thereby increasing the potential for harm or injury in the event that it should contact a person during its downward motion.

Another important characteristic of such a seat and seat stowage unit, is that it should be as thin as possible to permit its installation within the thickness of existing walls without the need to create a seat installation accessway completely through the mounting wall. This is virtually a requirement when the opposite side of the mounting wall also faces another room and is not concealed from view.

Due to the anticipated abuse to which such items are typically subjected when placed in public institutions, especially when installed in penal institutions, and the like, the seat must be very rugged and capable of supporting a human even when the seat is jumped upon. Penal institutions are unique in that it is perhaps the only type of institution where the inmates spend a substantial amount of time thinking about ways and means to disable, disassemble or destroy the plumbing fixtures and/or related items such as the seat herein discussed.

I Other important features of this type of seat are well known to those knowledgeable in the seating art.

Generally, a fold-down, wall-mounted seat comprises a seat stowagepan and support structure mounted within a recess in a wall, a seating surface pivotally mounted to the seat stowage and support structure so as to be capable of being stowed in a vertical position and movable to a horizontal position for use as a seat. A handle is disposed on the outside surface of the seat to conveniently permit the seat to be lowered into its horizontal or seating position or raised therefrom to its vertical or stowed position. A releasible locking mecha nism is generally placed along the upper edge of the seat in order to effect locking engagement with the seat stowage pan and support structure to retain the seat in its vertical or stowed position.

Folding seats found in the prior art employed one or two angle brace and support members to carry the weight of a person on the seat. The angle brace and support member(s) are structurally connected between the sides of the seat and the seat stowage pan and sup port structure. The angle brace and support member(s) may comprise either a fixed member pivoted at one or both ends so as to be slideably engageable with either or both the seat or the seat stowage and support structure or a collapsible member pivotally attached to both the seat and seat stowage and support structure.

However, it is obvious that when angle braces and support members are used in a seat of this type that such adds both expense and weight to the seat.

Further, such members serve as undesirable obstructions to the seat user. Such obstructions require that the seat area be enlarged to permit a person to sit thereon without contacing the angle-brace members. This, of course, increases the size of the seat and its cost.

When thesize ofthe seat is increased, the recess in the wall which is to accomodate the seat must be correspondingly enlarged as well.

In addition, the slideable or pivotal attachment of such members to both the sides of the seat and the seat stowage pan and support member must be accomplished in such a fashion as to make it difficult, if not impossible, to render it water-tight. Water tightness is highly desirable even when the seat and seat stowage pan and support members are constructed of a nonrusting metal such as stainless steel for many reasons. One reason is that water can be captured within the non-water-tight structure and become stale and foulsmelling and harbor disease-causing bacteria and germs.This,obviously, is undesirable, and in fact. is totally unacceptable when such a seat is utilized in a hospital. Another important reason for desiring watertightness is that water captured within the unit greatly adds to the weight of the unit. A still further reason for rendering the unit water-tightis to prevent the situation of having water spilling out of the seat when the seat'is lowered to its horizontal or seatingposition.

For use in penal institutions, the seat must also be tamper proof. It is virtually impossible to render such an item tamper-proof if angle-brace members are employed in the construction of the seat. Such members are easily bent and dislocated. Should either occur, generally theseat-cannot be moved from its open to its stowed position. Further, should these members be broken, the seat will, if in a downpositiombe disposed adjacently to the mounting wall and project outwardly 3 at an angle thereto thereby constituting an undesirable obstruction to freedom of movement within the area about the mouting wall.

If, on the other hand, the seat is in its stowed position, a safety hazard is created. Such a position, under the circumstances, is unsafe because the seat is relatively heavy and if it is pulled downwardly and released it would fail to stop in its normal seating position which is approximately at 90 with respect to the wall and, instead, continue to travel downwardly until it contacts the seat stowage frame. Since one would anticipate that the seat would come to rest prior to this position, the seat may contact someone or something during its continued, unrestrained downward travel.

One design found in the prior art usestwo blade-like angles to support the seat. One end of each of the braces are pivotally connected to a seat stowage frame mounted on a wall by means of a hinge pin'anchored to the seat stowage frame. The other ends of the braces which face each other are filled with discs which are pivotally attached to the braces by means of a single pin mounted within the s ides of the seat and running from the rear to the front of the seat are hollow, rectangular metal sections which are slotted along the entire length thereof. The discs of the angle braces are adapted to slide freely within the hollow section, and the slotted portion is sufficiently large to allow the disc-attaching pin to move freely therein.

As may be readily observed, the use of an open channel along the sides of the seat is unsightly when viewed from the front of the seat in its stowed position or when placed in its seating position. Further, the use of the open channel is undesirable because it forms a difficultto-clean and sanitize crevice. Since it is not inherently self-draining when water enters the channel, it offers a breeding environment for odor and disease-causing bacteria, and such unsightly and harmful accumulations such as mildew. 1

In addition, should the discs path within the channel be obstructed by relatively solid objects such as clothing, bar soap, fingers and the like, the mechanism will either be jammed or, if moved, will tend to damage the obstruction.

In the event that one of the pins which connect the disc to the brace should become disconnected, a dangerous condition would be created since only one brace would be supporting the seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes many of the limitations of the prior art devices by eliminating the use of angle braceimember(s) for supporting the seat in its horizontal or seating position. In addition, the seat is generally constructed of a rectangular box-like, relative thin-wall structure with rigid support members disposed therein which are disposed along the sides thereof running the length of the seat from the front to the back. A stainless steel rod is passed through the rear portion of the seat and perpendicular to the sides of the thin portion of the seat and through the sides of both rigid support members so that both ends overhang the sides thereof.

The rod ends are adapted to be mounted within the holes in the sidewalls of the seat'stowage pan. When mated therewith, the rod ends are captured therein by annular locking members to prevent the rod ends from dismounting. Installed in such a manner, the rod serves as a hinge pin around which the seat may be pivoted. The hollow seat is reinforced with a light-weight, sound-deadening foam.

The seat is retained in its vertical or stowed position within the seat stowage pan by means of a springloaded, bullet-nosed locking member disposed through the top portion and to the inside of the seat stowage pan and support structure. The top edge of the seat contains a hemispherical recess or dimple for receiving the nose of the spring-loaded locking member. As the seat is being positioned into its vertical stowage position, the locking member is brought into alignment with the dimpled area. When alignment is achieved, the spring forces the bullet-nosed locking member into the dimpled area, effectively locking the seat into the vertical or stowed position.

When the seat resides in a vertical position, an integral recessed handle is exposed to view near the top of the seat on the front side thereof. The seat may be lowered from its stowed position by gripping the handle and pulling outwardly thereon so as to overcome the holding force of the spring-loaded locking member disposed within the dimpled area on the seat.

Generally, the seat stowage pan is slightly deeper than the thickness of the seat. However, the lower portion of the pan immediately above the hinge pin holes is much deeper to permit the section of the seat which is below the hinge pin when the seat is in its stowed po-- sition to freely pass therein to where the seat is lowered to its horizontal position.

The lower portion of this deeper section of the pan has a cross-section which is curved rather than forming a right-angle corner to present a self-draining surface. The upper portion of this deeper section is flat and forms a right-angle with respect to the shallower, flat vertical wall of the pan.

When the seat is in its horizontal position the rear portion of the seat engages this flat surface and stops the seat from traveling further in a downward direction.

Both the vertical and horizontal, rigid support members are welded to the backside of the wall of the pan located above the hinge pin to prevent the pan wall from buckling under the forces produced thereon when a person is seated on the seat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded assembly view of the apparatus shown in perspective.

FIG. 2 is a section of the locking mechanism taken along plane 2-2 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the seat and seat stowage pan and support structure.

FIG. 4 is a section of the seat taken along plane 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a section of the seat stowage pan and support structure taken along plane 5-5 of FIG. 6 and depicting the method of anchoring same to the wall.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a section of the handle section of the seat taken along plane 7-7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the seat of the present invention with a partial cutaway portion depicting the foam filling within the hollow seat.

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the seat of the present invention with a partial cutaway portion depicting the honeycomb filling within the hollow seat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continued reference to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a seat, generally designated at 10, a seat stowage pan and support structure, genenrally indicated at 12, and a mounting frame, generally indicated at 14. However, it should be noted at this time that the mouting frame 14, is generally only required when the seat stowage pan and support structure 12 is mounted to wooden studs in a wall. No mounting frame 14 is required for walls constructed of concrete, steel or concrete blocks where access to the opposite side of the wall is available.

While the present invention can be constructed of any suitable material, it is generally preferable to fabricate it from stainless steel sheet metal due to the many desirable characteristics of this material. Stainless steel does not rust and can be polished or brushed to impart an esthetically pleasing appearance to the finished product. Stainless steel is rugged and sanitary and will endure for a great length of time with little or no care. These features are hightly desirable, and, in many cases, necessary for the present invention to gain acceptance for use in showers, hospitals and penal institutrons.

Referring once again to FIG. 1, seat is clearly shown as a generally rectangularly-shaped box-like structure which is a fully-enclosed, seam-welded sheet metal structure.

The front face 15 of the seat 10 is raised in the form of a shallow pyramid in order to improve its resistance to buckling or dimpling.

With reference now also to FIG. 7, a handle 16 is generally shown shaped in the form of a quadrant of a sphere and has a flanged lip 61 disposed about the edge 62 which lies in a horizontal plane. The flanged lip 61 is adapted to be nested into a mating depression 64 formed about a portion of the hemispherically-shaped depression 18 formed in the front face 15 of the seat 10. The flanged lip 61 is then brazed or welded into the depression 64, thereby forming a handle 16 which is rigidly anchored to the seat 10.

Fabricating the handle 16 in this fashion places the exposed welded or brazed surfaces on the flat portion of the face 15 where it can be economically ground smooth and polished. Non-flat welded or brazed surfaces cannot generally be polished. In addition, the flange lip 61 is easily maintained in position by nesting it within the depression 64 for welding and brazing. An edge-to-edge, rim-type weld could not be as easily welded or brazed since additional support tooling would be required to hold the handle 16 in the fixed position necessary for proper alignment during welding or brazing.

By shaping and forming the handle 16 in this fashion, the handle 16 has but a single entrance to the handgripping surfaces 17. This is desirable for many reasons. One reason is to prevent a rope from being passed therethrough for use as a suicide device. Another reason is to prevent water from collecting in crevices and voids which are likely to be created in and around such a handle and seat combination when two entrances are provided for a handle. A still further and important reason is that if a handle has two entrances thereinto and in the event that another person is helping another into the seat, should the person being helped prematurely sit on the partially-opened seat, the other persons hand may be caught between the seat and the handle, thereby causing probable injury to his hand.

The seating surface 20, which is on the side of the seat 10 opposite to the front face 15 of the seat 10 is generally flat as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, but may be contoured slightly to improve seating comfort as desired. However, in the present embodiment, the seating surface 20 is flat to prevent water from collecting on the seat 10 in the form of small pools or puddles.

Along the top edge of the seat as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a dimpled area 22. This serves as a recess into which a spring-loaded, blunt nosed, latching member 39, as illustrated in FIG. 2, can be received to retain the seat 10 in a stowed position as hereinafterwards described.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the internal construction of the seat 10 is shown and illustrated. Rigid Uchannel members 24 are adjacently disposed to the sides 25 and welded thereto along the corner edges thereof. Together with the walls of the seat 10, the U'channel members 24 form a strong, light-weight and rigid structure suitable for use as a seat.

A hinge pin 26 is provided for pivotally connecting the seat 10 to the seat stowage pan and support structure 12 via holes 29. The hinge pin 26 is slideably mated within the body of the seat 10 through the tubular member 38 and is free to rotate therein.

It should be noted that the tubular member 38 is disposed along the common axis of a hole drilled transversely through the lower portion of the seat 10. The ends of the tubular member 38 are welded to the seat sides 25 to affix the tubular member 38 to the seat and to ensure the water-tightness of the seat 10. Thebody of the tubular member 38 is welded to the sides of the U-channel members 24. By placing the tubular members 38 within both of the U-channel members 24, positive spacing between the U-channel members 24 is ensured, and a load transmitting capability is provided for the seat 10 and subsequently carried by the hinge pin 26 to the support structure 12.

The U-channel members 24 provide structural strength and reinforcement for the hollow seat 10. The need for reinforcement has been found to be especially necessary along the edge portions of the seat 10 from the front to the rear thereof. If the seat 10 is not reinforced, the seat 10 will buckle and subsequently collapse under the weight of an average adult.

To further improve the strength of the seat 10 without substantially increasing the weight thereof, the hollow seat 10 may be filled with structural honeycomb material and bonded into place.

However, it has been found that by filling the hollow seat 10 with rigid foam 27 via one or more holes (not shown) through the rear portion 28, an acceptable, light-weight seat reinforcement and spacing of the

surfaces

15, 20 is effected. In addition, the foam 27 provides a very desirable sound-deadening capability as well. After the foam 27 has filled the hollow portions of the seat 10, the holes in the rear portion 28 are closed, generally by welding them closed. In this regard, since the openportions of the U-channel members 24 are disposed so as to face the front face 15 of the seat 10 which is raised in the form of a shallow pyramid, a single foam-till hole may be used. In this arrangement, the foam 27 fills all areas since there typically exists a small gap between at least one end of the U-channel members 24 and the front face 15.

The hinge pin 26 is installed through the hinge pin holes 29 in the side walls 30 in the seat stowage pan and support structure 12 and secured therein by means of locking washers 31 placed over the ends of the hinge pin 26 overhanging the side walls 30. The locking washers 31 prevent the hinge pin 26 and, subsequently, the seat 10 from being removed from the seat stowage and support structure 12 prior to its installation into the recess in the mounting wall, and permanently hold the hinge pin 26 in the desired relationship with seat stowage and support structure 12.

With reference again to FIG. 1, it may be noted that in the event that it should be either necessary or desirable, spacing washers 63 may be used to space and prevent metal-to-metal contact between the inside of the side walls 30 and the seat sides 25.

Referring now also to FIGS. and 6, the seat stowage and support structure 12 is shown which generally comprises a flange'-32,'a recessed pan-like structure 33 having a more deeply recessed portion 34 along the bottom portion thereof and reinforcing members 35,v 36 disposed on the backside of the seat stowage pan 33.

The flange 32 of the seat stowage and support structure 12 extends outwardly in 'a radial fashion and serves as a cover for the roughedges generally found about the wall recess into which-the seat stowage and support structure 12 is seated, especially when such installation is accomplished in an existing building rather than in new construction. It further serves to prevent the seat stowage and support structure 12 from being seated into the recess beyond the plane in which the flange 32 resides. I

A gasket 37 composed of a resilient, foam-like material with removable facing material covering the pressure-sensitive adhesive surfaces is adhesively bonded to the backside of the flange 32 by removing the facing material from one of the adhesively-covered faces of the gasket 37 and pressing it against the flange 32. Immediately prior to installation of the seat stowage and support structure 12 in the wall recess, the facing material is removed from the other adhesively covered face. As the flange 32 is placed in abutment with the surface of the wall about the recess, the gasket 37 adhesively contacts this surface and is bonded thereto and effects a fluid seal therebetween.

With reference now to FIG. 2, a spring-loaded bluntnosed latching member 39 is shown disposed through an aperture located along the top wall 42 of the seat stowage and support structure 12 in adjacent disposition to the flange 32. An annular seat and reinforcing member 40 is disposed between the outwardly directed, radial flange 41 of latching member 39 and the wall 42. The annular seat and reinforcing member 40 is welded-to the wall 42.

The top portion of the flange 41 is welded to a spring member 43in substantially the center thereof. The ends of the spring member 43 are welded to the wall 42. As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the spring member 43 is biased in such a manner so as to urge the blunt-nosed end of the latching member 39 downwardly through the aperture inthe wall. Latching of the seat in its stowed or vertical position is accomplished as the seat is pivoted into the seatstowage and support structure 12 and is adjacently disposed to the pan-like structure 33. Immediately prior to reaching this position, the

I 39. Prior to alignment with the dimpled area 22, the

front edge of the seat 10 forces the blunted nose of the latching member 39 against the spring 43. When the dimpled area 22 is aligned with the blunt-nosed end of the latching member 39, the compressed spring 43 urges the latching member 39 downward into the void within the dimpled area 22 thereby latching the seat 10 into its stowed position.

With particular emphasis once again to FIG. I, there is shown a strip 45 of resilient, foam-like material which is bonded to the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33 and is adjacently disposed to the wall 42. This strip 45 serves to cushion the seat in its stowed position and to prevent the seat 10 from contacting the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33. Should these surfaces contact, the undesirable sound of metal contacting metal would be generated and the strip 45 is employed to prevent this from occuring. Another equally important reason for using the strip 45 is that in the event that it should be desirable or necessary to detachably anchor the pan 33 to the mounting wall via fasteners 66 (only one of as many as four fasteners is shown in FIG. 1) through holes 59, the strip 45 will prevent the seating surface 20 from contacting the fastener ends when the seat 10 is stowed.

Of course, it should be noted at this time that the strip 45 can be conveniently separated into a number of small strips or patches and, in fact, do not have to be formed into a continuous strip as shown.

The seat 10 may be withdrawn from its stowed position by merely gripping the hand-gripping surfaces 17 of the handle 16 and pulling outwardly thereon until the latching force effected by the coaction of the spring member 43 and the blunted end of the latching member 39 is exceeded.

As the seat is lowered into its open position as it is pivoted about the hinge pin 26, the rear portion 28 of the seat 10 starts its upswing within the more deeply recessed portion 34 of the pan-like structure 33.

A relatively flat, horizontal surface 47 divides the pan-like structure 33 into a shallow zone 44 and a deeply recessed portion 34.

As shown and illustrated in FIG. 3, another strip 46, similar to strip 45, is bonded to the bottom of surface 47.

As the seat assumes its horizontal or seating position, the rear portion 28 contacts the strip 46 and is, in turn, prevented from further downward pivotal travel about the hinge pin 26, by the horizontal surface 47.

In earlier prototypes of the present invention under 1,000 pound seat loading, the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33 would buckle and yield under the force transmitted thereto by the rear portion 28 through the horizontal surface 47.

It was discovered that in order to prevent this the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33 had to be reinforced vertically by welding U-channel members 35 thereto.

In addition, in order to space the vertical U-channel members 35 properly during installation and to improve distribution of the forces transmitted from the seat 10 to the U-channel members 35 and the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33, an L member 36 is disposed transversely to the U-channel members 35 and welded thereto and also to the horizontal surface 47.

In order to provide for uniformity between the polished texture of the

structures

33 and 12, the pan-like structure 33 is pre-polished prior to assembly. Another reason for pre-polishing is that it is simply virtually impossible to uniformly polish and texturize a deepdrawn, pan-like structure such as 33.

However, it may be desirable in some installations to texturize the stainless steel by sandblasting the surfaces instead of polishing them. Sandblasting would avoid this need for pre-polishing prior to assembly.

However, when pre-polished materials are used in order to avoid discoloration of the rear wall of the panlike structure 33 produced by welding temperatures, the vertical U-channel members 35 are welded to the side walls of the seat stowage and support structure 12 only along the corners thereof. If weld temperatures were applied to the rear wall of the pan-like structure 33 discolorations would show through to the front or exposed side thereof, and for esthetic reasons, would require polishing for removal of the discoloration. This extra step would add measurably to the manufacturing expense of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Further, it should be noted that the bottom portion of the more deeply recessed portion 34 of the seat stowage pan and support structure 12 contains an upwardly directed slope starting from the front portion thereof. This sloping surface is provided to render the bottom of the recessed portion 34 self-draining when water is placed upon it, and is an important part of the subject invention.

As previously noted, installation of the seat into a concrete, steel or masonry type block wall does not require the use of the mounting frame 14 shown in FIG. 1. With particular reference now to FIGS. and 6, it may be seen that in such installations the seat stowage and support structure 12 is bolted thereto by means of threaded studs 56 (only two of four are shown) which are passed through holes 67 (only two of four are shown) in the transversely-mounted U-channel support members 72 which bridge the'rear opening 70 of the wall recess 71 and subsequently threadably engage with nuts 58 welded to vertical U-channel member 35. The threaded studs 56 are rotated until the ends thereof bottom out in the nuts 58. Additionally, nuts 69 are then threadably engaged with the opposite ends of the studs 56 and tightened so as to force the U-channel members 72 into intimate abutment with the wall 73, thereby in turn, bringing the flange 32 and the fluid sealing gasket 37 disposed thereabout into sealing relationship with the mounting wall 73. This fastening arrangement renders the present invention tamper-proof because it can only be removed from the backside of the mounting wall which, of course, generally is not accessible to the user's side of the present invention.

Of course, the above described procedure presupposes that there exists access to the rear of the mounting wall 73 and there is no need for holes 59in the panlike structure 33 as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

In the event that access does not exist to the backside or rear of the mounting wall 73 of whatever construction the mounting frame 14 may be used as hereinafterwards described for mounting in a wall having wooden studs.

When installation is in a wall having wooden studs, the mounting frame 14 is used. In most modern wall construction, the spacing between the wooden studs is 16 inches. In order to, therefore, accomodate the mounting frame 14, the spacing between the two vertical side walls of the mounting frame 14 is selected to mate therebetween and is, therefore, 14-% inches.

It should be clearly understood that the mounting frame 14 is utilized in order to facilitate installation and removal of the seat 10 and the seat stowage and support structure 12 combination.

Referring once more to FIG. 1, the mounting frame 14 comprises a generally rectangular, box-like structure 48 having a pair of opposed openings therein for receiving the seat stowage and support structure 12. For this purpose, the openings are slightly larger than the peripherial boundary of the rear portion of the seat stowage and support structure 12 and is conformable therewith.

Two U-channel support members 49 disposed in parallel relationship, lie transverse to the rear side of the structure 48 and are welded thereto. Holes are drilled through the bottom portion of the U channel support members 49 to provide a means for securing the members 49 to the wall by means of fasteners such as those shown at 66.

The mounting frame 14 is placed in the recess 71 of the wall 73 to which the seat 10 and seat stowage and support structure 12 is to be mounted and secured to the studs in the wall disposed about the structure 48 by means of nails 54 (only one is shown) which pass through holes 55 in the structure 48.

Holes then are drilled through the wall studs in order to receive fasteners 66 (only one out of the typical four is shown) so as to strongly secure the mounting frame 14 to the wall studs.

The rear portion of the seat stowage and support structure 12 is slideably mated into the structure 48 of the mounting frame 14 and secured thereto with fasteners 66 which pass through holes in the U-channel support members 49 after passing through the holes 59 in the pan-like structure 33.

The above wall installation and anchoring may be rendered tamper-proof by using bolts 66 having beads thereon which may only be rotatably engaged through the use of special tools whose distribution is limited to authorized personnel.

Other forms and arrangements will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and the invention should not therefore be regarded as limited.

For example, the box-like shape of the present invention could easily be changed without in any way detracting from its usefulness. In addition, the support members 49 and vertical members 35 should not be considered as being limited to U-channel stainless steel members. Still further, it is obvious that a single trans verse U-channel could be easily utilized instead of using the two U-channel members 49 as hereinbefore described. And similarly, a single U-channel member could be utilized in place of the two U-channel members 72.

We claim:

1. A fold-down seat for mounting in a recess in a wall comprising:

a. seating means;

b. pivot means for said seating means, said pivot means further dividing said seating means into first and second portions;

c. seat stowage and support structure means, comprising:

a duct having front and rear openings, said front opening adapted to receive said seating means therein;

a wall joined to the rim of said rear opening to said duct, and having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being spaced apart from the plane of the rim of said front opening to said duct by at least a substantial portion of the thickness of said seating means and said lower portion of said wall projecting rearwardly and outwardly away from said upper portion of said wall to form a shoulder and thereafterwards projecting forwardly and downwardly until it joins with said duct;

d. means for connecting said seat dividing and pivot means to said duct so that when a portion of said first portion of said seating means moves from a position within said seat stowage and support structure means to a position outside of said seat stowage and support structure means, said second portion of said seating means moves towards abutting engagement with the shoulder formed by said rear wall joined to the rim of said rear opening of said duct and visa versa;

, e. latching means for securing said seating means within said seat stowage and support structure means; and

' f. handle means on said seating means, said handle means disposed on the face of said seating means .which is exposed when said seating means is stowed within said seat stowage and support means.

2. The fold-down seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a flange disposed about the rim of. the front opening of said duct of said seat stowage and support structure means, said flange being directed outwardly in a radial fashion therefrom.

3. The fold-down seat of claim 2, further comprising:

agasket disposed about the rearwardly facing surface of said flange, said gasket forming a fluid seal'between said flange and said wall about said recess when said seat is mounted therein.

4. The fold-down seat of claim 2, further comprising:

means for anchoring said seat stowage and support structure means to said wall about said recess. 5. The fold-down seat of claim 4, wherein said means for anchoring, comprises:

a. a duct having at least one opening thereinto and being sufficiently large to conformably receive the rear portion of said seat stowage and support structure means thereinto and while preventing said seat stowage and support structure means from passing into said opening beyond said flange of said duct;

b. a U-channel member of sufficient length to bridge the other end of said duct as well as bridging the rear opening to said wall recess, said U-channel member being disposed transversely to said other end of said duct and bonded to said other end and furtherhaving at least one threaded hole within the bottom of the U of said U-channel member disposed between the bonding points of said U- channel member; and I c. means for adjustably fastening said U-channel member to said rear wall of said seat stowage and supportvmeans. 6. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said seating means comprises: 1

a. a box-shaped hollow metal structure having two pairs of oppositely disposed sides forming the edges of said seating means and two relatively larger, oppositely disposed sides forming the inside and outside surfaces of said seating means, said inside surface forming a surface upon which to sit and said outside surface having a depression therein;

b. a handle having a single entrance thereinto and disposed across said depression;

c. a first U-channel member disposed between said inside and outside surfaces, said first member being adjacently disposed to one of said oppositely disposed edges and bonded thereto and having the two legs of the U of said U-channel member being abutted against said inside surface; and

d. a second U-channel member disposed between said inside and outside surfaces, said second member being adjacently disposed to the other of said pair of oppositely disposed edges and bonded thereto and having the two legs of the U of said U- channel member being abutted against said inside surface.

7. The fold-down seat of claim 6, wherein said hollow metal structure is filled with rigid foam.

8. The fold-down seat of claim 6, wherein said hollow metal structure is composed of stainless steel.

9. The fold-down seat of claim 6, wherein said hollow metal structure is filled with structural honeycomb bonded thereto.

10. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said seat stowage and support means further comprises:

a. a substantially pan-like structure at least as deep as the thickness of said seat, said pan-like structure further having a lower portion below said point where said seat dividing and pivotal connection means is connected to the sidewall of said structure and an upper portion thereabove, said lower portion being projected rearwardly beyond the rear of said upper portion to form a shoulder and thereafterwards sloping forwardly and downwardly to the front rim of the sidewall of said structure;

b. a first rigid U-channel support member bonded to the backside of the upper portion of said pan-like structure along the outer vertical corner of said c. a second rigid U-channel support member bonded to the backside of the upper portion of said panlike structure along'the other outer vertical corner of said pan; and

d. an L shapedrigid member transverse to said first and second rigid U-channel support members and bonded thereto and being further bonded to said shoulder.

11. A fold-down seat as in claim 10, further comprising: resilient spacing means secured to said upper portion of said wall joined to said rim of said rear opening to said duct of said seat storage and support structure means and disposed between said seat and said upper portion of said wall to prevent direct contact therebetween when said seat is placed within said structure in its stowed position.

12. A fold-down seat as in claim 1, further comprisrngz resilient spacing means secured to said seat and disposed between said second portion of said seating means and said shoulder to prevent direct contact between said seat and shoulder when said seat is disposed in said seating position.

13. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said pivot means comprises: i

a. a hinge pin through one end of said seat and the ends of said hinge pin extending beyond the edges of said seat;

b. a seat stowage and support structure means further having spaced sidewalls with oppositely-disposed holes therein, said holes adapted to receive the ends of said hinge pin thereinto so as to be freely rotatable therein;

c. a first locking ferrule disposed about one end of said hinge pin protruding beyond the sidewall of said seat stowage and support structure means; and

d. a second locking ferrule disposed about the other end of said hinge pin protruding beyond the other side wall of said seat stowage and support structure means.

14. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said latching means comprises:

a. a spring-loaded, blunt-nosed member disposed within a hole in the top portion of said seat stowage and support structure and adapted to be movable in and out of said hole, said blunted nore portion protruding downwardly therebeyond; and

b. a dimpled surface within the forwardrgi'ost edge of said sheet, said dimple lying in substantially the same vertical plane as said blunt-nosed member, so that when said seat is placed in a vertically stowed position the blunt-nosed member is operably disposed in said dimple to retain said seat in the stowed position.

15. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said handle means further comprises:

a. a handle in the front surface of said seat, said handle being shaped generally in a semi-hemispherical form and having a flange disposed outwardly in a perpendicular fashion therefrom and about one end thereof; and

b. a hemispherically shaped depression within the front surface of said seat, said depression having a recessed portion halfway thereabout adapted to matingly received said flange of said handle thereinto so that said flange can be bonded therein. 1:

Claims

1. A fold-down seat for mounting in a recess in a wall comprising: a. seating means; b. pivot means for said seating means, said pivot means further dividing said seating means into first and second portions; c. seat stowage and support structure means, comprising: a duct having front and rear openings, said front opening adapted to receive said seating means therein; a wall joined to the rim of said rear opening to said duct, and having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being spaced apart from the plane of the rim of said front opening to said duct by at least a substantial portion of the thickness of said seating means and said lower portion of said wall projecting rearwardly and outwardly away from said upper portion of said wall to form a shoulder and thereafterwards projecting forwardly and downwardly until it joins with said duct; d. means for connecting said seat dividing and pivot means to said duct so that when a portion of said first portion of said seating means moves from a position within said seat stowage and support structure means to a position outside of said seat stowage and support structure means, said second portion of said seating means moves towards abutting engagement with the shoulder formed by said rear wall joined to the rim of said rear opening of said duct and visa versa; e. latching means for securing said seating means within said seat stowage and support structure means; and f. handle means on said seating means, said handle means disposed on the face of said seating means which is exposed when said seating means is stowed within said seat stowage and support means.

2. The fold-down seat of claim 1, further comprising: a flange disposed about the rim of the front opening of said duct of said seat stowage and support structure means, saId flange being directed outwardly in a radial fashion therefrom.

3. The fold-down seat of claim 2, further comprising: a gasket disposed about the rearwardly facing surface of said flange, said gasket forming a fluid seal between said flange and said wall about said recess when said seat is mounted therein.

4. The fold-down seat of claim 2, further comprising: means for anchoring said seat stowage and support structure means to said wall about said recess.

5. The fold-down seat of claim 4, wherein said means for anchoring, comprises: a. a duct having at least one opening thereinto and being sufficiently large to conformably receive the rear portion of said seat stowage and support structure means thereinto and while preventing said seat stowage and support structure means from passing into said opening beyond said flange of said duct; b. a U-channel member of sufficient length to bridge the other end of said duct as well as bridging the rear opening to said wall recess, said U-channel member being disposed transversely to said other end of said duct and bonded to said other end and further having at least one threaded hole within the bottom of the U of said U-channel member disposed between the bonding points of said U-channel member; and c. means for adjustably fastening said U-channel member to said rear wall of said seat stowage and support means.

6. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said seating means comprises: a. a box-shaped hollow metal structure having two pairs of oppositely disposed sides forming the edges of said seating means and two relatively larger, oppositely disposed sides forming the inside and outside surfaces of said seating means, said inside surface forming a surface upon which to sit and said outside surface having a depression therein; b. a handle having a single entrance thereinto and disposed across said depression; c. a first U-channel member disposed between said inside and outside surfaces, said first member being adjacently disposed to one of said oppositely disposed edges and bonded thereto and having the two legs of the U of said U-channel member being abutted against said inside surface; and d. a second U-channel member disposed between said inside and outside surfaces, said second member being adjacently disposed to the other of said pair of oppositely disposed edges and bonded thereto and having the two legs of the U of said U-channel member being abutted against said inside surface.

10. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said seat stowage and support means further comprises: a. a substantially pan-like structure at least as deep as the thickness of said seat, said pan-like structure further having a lower portion below said point where said seat dividing and pivotal connection means is connected to the sidewall of said structure and an upper portion thereabove, said lower portion being projected rearwardly beyond the rear of said upper portion to form a shoulder and thereafterwards sloping forwardly and downwardly to the front rim of the sidewall of said structure; b. a first rigid U-channel support member bonded to the backside of the upper portion of said pan-like structure along the outer vertical corner of said pan; c. a second rigid U-channel support member bonded to the backside of the upper portion of said pan-like structure along the other outer vertical corner of said pan; and d. an L shaped rigid member transverse to said first and second rigid U-channel support members and bonded thereto and being further bonded to said shoulder.

11. A fold-down seat as in claim 10, fUrther comprising: resilient spacing means secured to said upper portion of said wall joined to said rim of said rear opening to said duct of said seat storage and support structure means and disposed between said seat and said upper portion of said wall to prevent direct contact therebetween when said seat is placed within said structure in its'' stowed position.

12. A fold-down seat as in claim 1, further comprising: resilient spacing means secured to said seat and disposed between said second portion of said seating means and said shoulder to prevent direct contact between said seat and shoulder when said seat is disposed in said seating position.

13. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said pivot means comprises: a. a hinge pin through one end of said seat and the ends of said hinge pin extending beyond the edges of said seat; b. a seat stowage and support structure means further having spaced sidewalls with oppositely-disposed holes therein, said holes adapted to receive the ends of said hinge pin thereinto so as to be freely rotatable therein; c. a first locking ferrule disposed about one end of said hinge pin protruding beyond the sidewall of said seat stowage and support structure means; and d. a second locking ferrule disposed about the other end of said hinge pin protruding beyond the other side wall of said seat stowage and support structure means.

14. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said latching means comprises: a. a spring-loaded, blunt-nosed member disposed within a hole in the top portion of said seat stowage and support structure and adapted to be movable in and out of said hole, said blunted nore portion protruding downwardly therebeyond; and b. a dimpled surface within the forwardmost edge of said sheet, said dimple lying in substantially the same vertical plane as said blunt-nosed member, so that when said seat is placed in a vertically stowed position the blunt-nosed member is operably disposed in said dimple to retain said seat in the stowed position.

15. The fold-down seat of claim 1, wherein said handle means further comprises: a. a handle in the front surface of said seat, said handle being shaped generally in a semi-hemispherical form and having a flange disposed outwardly in a perpendicular fashion therefrom and about one end thereof; and b. a hemispherically shaped depression within the front surface of said seat, said depression having a recessed portion halfway thereabout adapted to matingly received said flange of said handle thereinto so that said flange can be bonded therein.