Passenger safety restraint apparatus

Apparatus for restraining the movement of a passenger seated on a first vehicle seat positioned immediately rearward of a second vehicle seat, said first and second seats each having an associated framework, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a restraint member comprising a horizontally extending safety bar supported by first and second side arms;
• said first side arm extending from one end of said safety bar to a distal end pivotally mounted to a pivot carried by the framework of said second seat, said second side arm extending from an opposed end of said safety bar to a distal end pivotally mounted to a pivot carried by a pivot support member, said pivots permitting said restraint member to rotate about a pivot axis between a first angle of rotation where said safety bar is held by said side arms upwardly and away from the lap of said passenger and a second angle of rotation where said safety bar extends across the lap of said passenger;
• (b) means for releasably latching said restraint member at said second angle of rotation, said latching means comprising male and female latch portions, a first one of said portions being attached in a fixed position to said first side arm, a second one of said portions being attached to a passenger arm rest of said first seat and fixedly positioned to releasably latch with the first one of said portions as said restraint member rotates into said second angle of rotation;
• and,
• (c) fluid resistance means for retarding rotational movement of said restraint member about said axis, said fluid resistance means comprising a fluid cylinder connected at one end to said second side arm and at an opposed end to a cylinder support member.

Apparatus for restraining the movement of a passenger seated on a seat within a bus, said seat extending from an inner wall of said bus to a passenger aisle of said bus, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a restraint member comprising a horizontally extending safety bar supported by first and second side arms, said first side arm extending near said aisle from one end of said safety bar to a distal end pivotally mounted to a first pivot, said second side arm extending near said inner wall from an opposed end of said safety bar to a distal end pivotally mounted to a second pivot, said pivots permitting said restraint member to rotate about a pivot axis between a first angle of rotation where said safety bar is held by said side arms upwardly and away from the lap of said passenger and a second angle of rotation where said safety bar extends across the lap of said passenger;
• (b) a passenger arm rest mounted to said seat adjacent said aisle;
• and,
• (c) means for releasably latching said restraint member at said second angle of rotation, said latching means comprising male and female latch portions, a first one of said portions being attached in a fixed position to said first side arm, a second one of said portions being attached to said arm rest and fixedly positioned to releasably latch with the first one of said portions as said restraint member rotates into said second angle of rotation.