Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~OJ73~Z
. SUMMl~RY BACECGROUND OF T}IE INVENTION
The present invention relates to bleacher constructions
~nd more particularly to a portable bleacher construction.
Iher2 are numerous instances where events, especially
outdoor events, are to be staged w~ich require the availability
of seating for the viewing audience. Where the event is to be
transported from one location to another portabl2 seating is
almost a necessity unless the event is to ~e limited to areas
having perma~ent seating. ~he difficult~ with portable seating is
that it is cu~bersome, diff-cult to transport and time consuming
to erect. The result is either unavailability of adequate
seating or the utilization o~ an expensive, portable seating
arrang~ment requiring the expenditure o~ a large number of man
hours in set up and tear down. In the present lnvention these
problems are solved~ Here a portable bleacher is provided
having all seats in tact and in the form of sections which
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~ pivotally ~old into each other in a nested arrangement. One
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:~ 17 section o~ seats i~ permanently secured to a wheeled, trailer
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frame and the other sectlon is pLvotally connecte(l thereto. A
winch or other mechanlcal device can be Ised to pivot the movable
sect-lon lnto and out of its nested positlon. With the present
construction it is possible to set up the bleacher sections in
a very short time with the assistance of only two men.
Therefore it is an ob~ect of the present invention to
provide a novel portable bleacher construction in which one
section is pivotally mounted for nesting with a fixed section
whereby a compact, portable structure is provided which can
quickly and easily be set up or taken down.
The above object is met with the present invention
which provides a portable bleacher construction comprising a .
fixed bleacher section, the fixed bleacher section comprising a
- longitudinally extending base, a plurality of first seating
stringers, a plurality of first leg support stringers located
between and below adjacent ones of the first seating stringers,
first support means for fixedly supporting the first seating
and the first leg support stringers to the base in a tiered
arrangement the first seating stringers and the first leg support
stringers extending longitudinally for substantially the full
length of the base; a plurality of movable bleacher sections ;
located side by side for substantially the full length of the ;
fixed bleacher section, each of the movable bleacher sections
comprising a plurality of second seating stringers, a plurality
of second leg support stringers located between and below
adjacent ones of the second seating stringers, second support
means for fixedly supporting the second seating and the second
~! leg support stringers together in a tiered arrangement, hinge
~eans pivotally connecting~each of the movable bleacher sections to
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the fixecl bleacher section for separate movement of each of the
movable bleacher sections approximately 180 from a folded nested
condition witll the fixed bleacher section, and pivot mPans
t operatively connected bet~Jeen the fixed bleacher section and each
of the movable bleacher sectlons and selectively operable wlth a
mechanical advantage for pivoting each of the movable bleacher
sections to its folded and unfolded positions, and wheeled
suspension means connected to the base and including a plurality
of wheels for supporting the bleacher construction and towing
means connectable to a towing vehicle such that the portable
bleacher construction can be towed.
other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the subsequent description
and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompany- ~ .
; ing drawings, in which:
¦ Figure 1 is a side elevational of one form of bleacher
construction embodying features of the present invention shown :
~l with a vehicle tpartially shown) for towing it;
.j Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bleacher con-
~ 20 str~ctlon of Flg~re 1 eh~wn ~ith one section unf~lded ln place,
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.: another section partially unfolded and a final ~ecti~n ~ully
olded in place; . .
~iguse 3 is a side elevational view, to enlarged scale,
I ` o~ the bleacher construction of Figure 1 taken in the direction
of the arrow 3, with one section of the ble~cher construction ::
~hown in its folded position and shown in phantom in it~ :
partially unfolded position, and
Pig~re 4 i9 a perspective view to enlarged scale of :.
the hinge construction pivotally connecting a movable section to
lts associa~ed fixed section~
~ooXing now to the drawings, a portable bleacher con-
! rtruction 10 is shown as connec.ted to a vehicle 12 ~partially
~hown) via a suitable hitch assembly 14. Th_ bleacher construc_ion
10 i~cludes a bleacher assembly 16 mounted onto a trailer assembly
18. The trailer assembly 18 can be constrncted in a conventional
manner with a frame 20 and a suspension system 2~. The suspension
systém 22 is located towards the rear of the asse~bly 18 and
includes tandem axle assemblies 24 supported via lea~ springs 26.
The front of the frame 2n terminates in a towing structure 28 .
and a support rod 30 such that when the vehicle 12 i~ unhitched
the support rod can be threadably moved downwardly to support the
forward end of the trailer assembly 18. Other supports; such as
19 (Fig. 3) could be located along the frame 20 to provide
additional support and also relieve the trailer suspension 22
from the static load when the-bleachers are being used.
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bleach~r assen~lly 16 incl~de~ a ~ixed bleacher
tion 32 and three movable ~leacher sections 34a, 34b and 34c
~so~iated th~rewith.
She f~xed ~leacher section 32 is ~ixed directly to the
` 5 ~ra~e 20 via a ladder-like base structure 36 formed with
~` longitudinal and lateral supports 38 and 39 respectively. ~leacher
Bection 32 includes a plurality o~ longitudinally Pxtending
~oating stringers 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48. Alternate stringers 40, ,,
i4 and 48 are connected to and supported on vertical supports 50, ,,
~~0' ~~4 and 58, respëctively,'whlch connect directl~ from the base 36 ~-
to-~he associated stringer. ~he vertical supports 50, 54 and 58
-~ro of progressively decreasing height, as shown, to provide the
de~red tiered seating arrangement. The remaining intermediate
tringers ~2 and 46 are connected to and supported on vertical
'''''-15 '' '~ upports'52 and 56, respectively.~ Vertical supports 52 are in
turn supported by vertical supports 50 and 54, with iateral struts
50 ~onnected between supports 50 and aligned supports 52 and with
lateral ~truts 62 connected between supports 52 and aligned
supports 54. In a similar manner vertical su~ports 56 are
i 20 supported by vertical supports 54 and 58, with lateral struts 65
~ ~~~~3nnected between supports 54 and aligned supports 56 and with ~ ~
,' I lateral struts 66 connected between supports 56 a~d aligned supports ,~ '
; , 58. The struts 60, 62, 64 and 66 are located a preselected
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vert,ical distance down from seating stringers 40, 42, 44 and 4G,
respectiv^ly, to provide ample leg room ~or spectators. Ihe
; leg support stringers 70, 72, 74 and 76 extend longitudinally o~
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~~the~~railer 18 and are-conn~cted t~ and-supported on struts 60, r
62, 64 and 66, respectively. A ~ence-like railing 68 is
~cured to the bacX of vert.Lcal ~upports 50 and extends above
the top seat stringer 40 to provide a guard or person~ seated
S on the top row.
The movable bleacher ~ections 34a, b, and ~ are
lde~tieal with one another and liXe structure ~ill be given ~he
~ams ~ume~al designation with the addition o~ the appropriate ;~
~~ letter postscript ~a~, n~ ~r "c~-~or---the section 34a, b or c
- -- ~0 _ ~ ith which that part is associated. Each of the movable
sections 34a, b and c extends for one third the longitudinal
~ength of the fixed bleacher ~ection 32.
~ ~o~ing now t~ Figure 2, the movable section 34a
- -inc~u~eR seating ~tringers 7Ga, 72a, 74a and 76a which are
~onnected to and supported by vertical supports 80a, 82a, 8~a
-~nd 86a, respectively, to provide a tiered seating arrangement.
- ~ront vertical supports 86a are provided with enlarged feet
88a to provide good, well distributed ground support.
~ Vertical supports 80a are connected to aligned vertical
`~. 20 supports 82a via lateral struts 90a. Vertical supports 82a
are connected to aligned vertical supports 84a via lateral
~truts 92a and vertical supports 84a are connected to aligned
vertical supports 86a via lateral struts 94a. Vertical supports
80a are connected to a plurality of aligned vertical supports 96a
` ~5 via lateral struts 98a. A cross bar 78a connects each of the
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j oupports 96a at their upper end3. Leg support stringers lOOa,
102a, 104a and 108a extend longitudinally o~ s2ction 34a and are
~o~nected to and supported cn ~truts 90a, 92a, 94a and 98a,
pectively.
! 5 Dhe -qtringers are apprcximately 9" wide: the seat
~t~inger~ (of both fixed and movable sections) are approximately
18~ above the associated leg support stringer to thus provide
~dequate leg rocm. The centers of adjacent seat stringers are
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approximately 21~ apart with successive seat stringers being
appro~imately 10" lower than the preceding one. All o~ the
~ above iq to pr~vide a comfvrtable seating arrangement. While
: the stringers of the ~ixed section 32 and of the movable sections
34a, b and c can be made of wood. aluminum or other suitable
~aterial the lower seat stringer 48 of the fixed sec;tion 32
is preferably a ru~ged steel C-channel construction since it
! provides support for the connection between the fixed section
32 and the movable sections 34a, b, and c. Thus a hinge
assembly 110 pivotally connects the movable sections 34a, b and c
~ to the fixed section 32. ~he assembly 110 (see Figure 4)
j 20 includes a plurality of short lengths of steel tubing 112 which
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are uniformly spaced along the outer leg of the channel stringer
1 48. The tubing 112 can be welded to the stringer 48. A plurality
of similar short lengths.of tubing 114a are welded along cross
~ bar 78a a' spaced mtervals and are adapted to fit in between
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ad~a~:ent tubes 112. A ~teel rod 116 extends th~ough the tube~
1~4a and 112 resulting in a hinged connection whereby movable
~e~:t$ons 34a, b and ~:: can be pi~oted approxi~rla~cely 180.
~ote that the leg support stringer 98a, whi-::h in the
~ir~t string~r on the mo-table 3cction 34a, prot~ides the associated
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; i,~ leg ~upport for the seat stringer 48 on the fixed section 32.!he sections 34a, b and c are designed to nest with
~ixea section 32 when in the folded condition and hence the width
0~ said movable sections 34a, b or c is no greater than the width
o~ the fixed section 32. q~hU5 in the fo~aed condition, the seat
rtringers 70a, 72a, 74a and 76a of movable section 34a are in
confrontation with and engagé and rest upon seat stringers 46,
440 42 and 40, respectively, of the fi~ed section 32. ~is is
accompli$hed b~- locating assoeiated seat stringers 70a and 46,
- 15 72a and 44, 74a and 42, and 76a and 40 subs~antially the same
distance from the hinge connection 110 and also by properly ~-
selecting the relative vertical height of the associated stringers.
-~ In order to assist in folding and unfolding the movable
sections 34a, b and c a ~oom assembly 118 (Figures 2 and 3) is : ~`
provided. The boom assembly includes a beam structure 120
comprised of a vertical portion 122 and an upwardly angulated
portion 124. An end pulley 126 is located at the end o~ the
angulated portion 124 while a mid pulley 128 is located at the
~end defined by the juncture of portions 122 and 124. A hand
operated winch assembly 130 is locate~7 along the vertical beam
portion; 22 at a height accessible to the operator. The boom
asse~bly 118 can be positionally located manually to three
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~parate lo~ations substantially at point~ mid way of ths length
- of e~ch of the ~ovable sections 34a, b and c. These locations
~ are defined by suitable slots in the base 36 ~uch as slot 132
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¦ (see Figore 3). A flange 134 on beam po~tio~ 122 provide~ vertical
1 5 downward support while a pin 136 locks the boom assembly 118 from
i ~pward vertical movement. With th~ boom a~3emb1y 118 in its
operat~ve position, i.e. supported in a slot 132, the beam
i ~txucture 120 extends substantially above the movable sections
34a, b or c when nested with ~he fixed section 2 (Figure 3);
at the same time the angulated section 124 locates the end pulley
126 substantially in vertical alignment with the axis of the hinge
, aRsembly 110. To unfold the movable sections 34a, b, or c, the
wi~h cable 138 can be connected to a connection such as 140c
(~ee Figure 3) on the movable section 34c and that section can be
; 15 unfolded as shown in Figure ~ ~see also Figure 2). ~he movable
~ection 34c can be raised or folaPd back in the same manner.
It ~an be seen that th~ result is ~ comp ct readily
portable bleacher construction. ~ith the assistance of the boom
assembly 118 two men can set the assembly up in a very short time.
'A group of portable bleacher constructions can be arranged in
any Pashion to accomodate the shape of the available area,
playing field or the like. In addition the portable bleacher
construction could be used to supplement existing seating in a~
stadium for example. Since all components are connected
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'together, 1099 of component:s through theft i3 minimized; also
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- e~n~e th~ bleacher construction can be set up and folded
back ~o easily it is mo~e c:onducive to quick storage in a safe
locati~n again minimizing t:he possibility of theft, vandalism,
~` 5 etc. The ~tructure i9 rugged with the vertical and lateral
'~ ~upport- being of a tubular construction and with gussets,
- JUCh~9 140 in Figure.2, providing additional corner support. ~:
~' While it will be apparent that the preferred embodi-
~ents of the invention disclosed are"well calcuiatea to fulfil~
the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the
.i~vention is susceptible to modification, variation and chan~e
- ~ithout departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the ~-
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invention.
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