Chassis rail system for theater seat

Abstract

A new and improved chassis rail system for theater seating comprises a pair of rails affixed to a theater floor by means of suitable bolts inserted through holes defined within the rails. In addition, upstanding bolts, captured by means of spring-fingered washers affixed to the rails, are provided such that the bolts can project upwardly through holes defined within the legs of the theater seating unit. When nuts are secured upon the bolts, the theater seating units will be fixedly secured to each one of the rails such that the theater seating units are automatically aligned in a linear manner. In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, only a rear rail is employed. The rear rail has a raised lip portion running along its front edge portion such that a rearwardly extending tab of each rear leg of each theater seating unit can extend beneath the raised lip, and engage the same, thereby effectively locking the theater seating unit in place. Then only each front leg of each theater seating unit need be bolted to the theater floor.

What is claimed as new and desited to be protected by letters patent, is: 
     
         1 . A rail system for theater seating, for attaching theater seating units to a theater floor, comprising:
 at least one linear rail/track;   a plurality of fasteners inserted through first predetermined locations along said at least one linear rail/track for fixedly attaching said at least one linear rail/track to said theater floor; and   at least one pair of upstanding fasteners fixedly mounted at second predetermined locations along said at least one linear rail/track for fixedly attaching support legs of a theater seating unit to said at least one linear rail/track.   
     
     
         2 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one pair of upstanding fasteners fixedly mounted at second predetermined locations along said at least one linear rail/track for fixedly attaching support legs of a theater seating unit to said at least one linear rail/track comprises multiple pairs of upstanding fasteners such that multiple theater seating units will be attached to said at least one linear track such that said multiple theater seating units will automatically be aligned with respect to each other as a result of being fixedly attached to said at least one linear rail/track.   
     
     
         3 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one linear rail/track comprises a pair of linear rails/tracks such that both front and rear legs of said theater seating unit can be fixedly attached to said pair of linear rails/tracks.   
     
     
         4 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one pair of spring washers, fixedly mounted upon said at least one linear rail/track for engaging said at least one pair of upstanding fasteners for fixedly mounting said at least one pair of upstanding fasteners upon said at least one linear rail/track.   
     
     
         5 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one pair of upstanding fasteners for fixedly mounting said at least one pair of upstanding fasteners upon said at least one linear rail/track comprises bolt fasteners; and   nuts are threadedly engaged upon said bolt fasteners for fixedly attaching said support legs of said theater seating unit to said at least one linear rail/track.   
     
     
         6 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one linear rail/track comprises a flat, planar linear rail/track having the configuration of a rectangular parallelepiped.   
     
     
         7 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one linear rail/track comprises a planar linear rail/track having a substantially Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein:
 said at least one linear rail/track, having said substantially Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration, has a raised lip portion along a front edge portion of said at least one linear rail/track.   
     
     
         9 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein:
 each rear support leg of said theater seating unit comprises a tab which is adapted to be inserted beneath said raised lip portion of said at least one linear rail/track having said substantially Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration such that said rear support legs of said theater seating unit are secured beneath said raised lip portion of said at least one linear rail/track having said substantially Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
         10 . The rail system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein:
 each front support leg of said theater seating unit is adapted to be fixedly secured directly to said theater floor.