Safety seat assembly for industrial vehicles

Abstract

A safety seat assembly for use with industrial vehicles, such as forklift trucks, which protects operators from being ejected out of the seat or thrown excessively from side to side in the seat in the event of a lateral overturn or other accidental or unintended erratic maneuver. The safety seat assembly includes a seat member and a back support member mounted generally perpendicular to the seat member and having protective wings on opposite sides positioned in the approximate area of the upper arms of a normal size adult operator. The side portions of the wings may be of a generally rectangular or frustoconical shape and preferably have a frame near the periphery thereof and an opening near the forward end of the wing to minimize visual restriction by the wings and to provide a hand-hold for the operator as he enters and leaves the truck. The safety seat assembly normally includes a safety belt to restrain the lower part of the body of the operator and may consist essentially of a conventional vehicle safety belt having two parts with the parts connected on opposite sides of the assembly near the rear of the seat and having a latch to connect the two parts in the hip region of the operator. The seat assembly is so designed and constructed that it can effectively be used with a variety of industrial vehicles and in various positions or locations in or on the vehicle.