Self-leveling seat structure

Claim 2

A self-leveling seat assembly for tractors and the like, including, a. a posterior-receiving seat member, b. a support member beneath the seat member, c. roller and arcuate track guide means securing the seat member to the support member and providing limited movEment of the seat member in a lateral direction relative to said member along an arc of a circle in response to angularity of the support member relative to the horizontal, d. piston and cylinder means secured to the seat member and to the support member for dampening movement of the seat member relative to the support member, said means including i. a piston member secured to one end of a rod, the other end of the rod being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members, and ii. a cylinder member receiving the piston and adapted at one end to slidably engage the rod, the other end of the cylinder being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members to which the rod is not attached, e. hydraulic fluid within the cylinder on either side of the piston, and f. hydraulic fluid bypass and valve means which comprise, i. a conduit exteriorly of the cylinder providing fluid communication from one interior end of the cylinder to the other interior end of the cylinder, and ii. a valve in said conduit for regulating fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 3

A self-leveling seat assembly for tractors and the like, including, a. a posterior-receiving seat member, b. a support member attachable to the tractor beneath the seat member, said support member having a pair of upwardly projecting walls oriented transversely of the seat member, each wall having an arcuate slot the center of curvature of which is above the seat member, c. a pair of truck members secured to the seat member, each truck having rollers slidably engaging within one of the arcuate slots of a wall of the support member, d. piston and cylinder means secured to the seat member and to the support member for dampening sliding movement of the rollers within the arcuate slots in response to angularity of the support member relative to the horizontal, said means including, i. a piston member secured to one end of a rod, the other end of the rod being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members, and ii. a cylinder member receiving the piston and adapted at one end to slidably engage the rod, the other end of the cylinder being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members to which the rod is not attached, e. hydraulic fluid within the cylinder on either side of the piston, and f. hydraulic fluid bypass and valve means which comprises, i. a conduit exteriorly of the cylinder providing fluid communication from one interior end of the cylinder to the other interior end of the cylinder, and ii. a valve in said conduit for regulating fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 4

A self-leveling seat assembly for tractors and the like, including, a. a posterior-receiving seat member, b. a support member attachable to the tractor beneath the seat member, said support member having a pair of upwardly projecting walls oriented transversely of the seat member, each wall having an arcuate slot the center of curvature of which is above the seat member, c. a pair of truck members secured to the seat member, each truck having rollers slidably engaging within one of the arcuate slots of a wall of the support member, d. piston and cylinder means secured to the seat member and to the support member for dampening sliding movement of the rollers within the arcuate slots in response to angularity of the support member relative to the horizontal, said means including, i. a piston member secured to one end of a rod, the other end of the rod being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members, and ii. a cylinder member receiving the piston and adapted at one end to slidably engage the rod, the other end of the cylinder being pivotally secured to either of the seat or support members to which the rod is not attached, e. hydraulic fluid within the cylinder on either side of the piston, and f. hydraulic fluid bypass and valve means which comprises, i. a conduit exteriorly of the cylinder providing fluid communication from one interior end of the cylinder to the other interior end of the cylinder, and ii. a valve in said conduit for regulating fluid flow therethrough.