Seat assembly for mass transit vehicle

Abstract

An improved seat assembly for mass transit vehicles and an improved methodology for providing seating in mass transit vehicles. The seat assembly includes a universal seat frame which is formed of aluminum extrusions welded together and which is usable in combination with a variety of support bracketry so that a single common seat frame may be utilized to provide a variety of seating positions and seating attitudes within the vehicle. The seat frame includes side rails and cross rails extending between the side rails. Each cross rail includes an upper tube portion and a lower track portion formed integrally with the bottom wall of the upper tube portion and defining a groove. A slot in the bottom wall of the track portion communicates with the groove. Fastener assemblies mounted on the associated bracket hardware include a nut slidably positioned within the respective groove and a bolt extending upwardly from a mounting portion of the bracket and through the slot in the lower wall of the track portion of the rail for threaded access to the nut. The bracketry may comprise a pedestal positioned beneath the seat frame and supported on the underlying floor surface; a cantilever beam structure secured at one end to a side wall of the vehicle and secured at its free end to the cross rails of the seat frame; or sundry other bracketry to allow the seat frame to be mounted within the vehicle in overlying relation to wheel housings or the like.