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US 8,296,999 B2Granted
Bleacher system
AssigneeCentury Industries, LLC
InventorRobert D. Uhl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bleacher system comprises: a support structure mounted on wheels; two or more tiers mounted on the support structure, each tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in each tier; and at least one actuator operably connected to and extending between the support structure and a selected tier, such that extension of a rod of the hydraulic actuator causes the selected tier to pivot from a transport position into a deployed position, while also causing a corresponding movement of the remaining tiers from the transport position into the deployed position.
Claims17
A bleacher system, comprising:
- a support structure mounted on wheels;
- an upper tier and a second tier mounted on the support structure, with the upper tier being connected to the second tier by a pin connection defining a pivot point, and each tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in each tier;
- and
- at least one actuator operably connected to and extending between the support structure and the second tier, with the extension of the rod of the actuator causing the second tier to pivot about a pivot point relative to the support structure in a first direction, while causing the upper tier to pivot about a pivot point relative to the second tier in an opposite direction, such that the upper tier and the second tier move away from one another during the transition from a transport position into a deployed position;
- wherein, in the transport position, each girder of each tier is in an upright orientation relative to the support structure.
2 more elements
A bleacher system, comprising:
- a support structure mounted on wheels, said support structure including two parallel rails that are spaced from one another and extend the length of the bleacher system and multiple cross members that extend between and connect the two parallel rails;
- an upper tier mounted on the support structure, said upper tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in the upper tier;
- a second tier mounted on the support structure and pivotally connected to the upper tier about a pivot point, said second tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in the second tier;
- and
- at least one actuator for transitioning the second tier from a transport position into a deployed position, while also causing a corresponding movement of the upper tier from the transport position into the deployed position;
- wherein, in the transport position, each girder of the upper tier and each girder of the second tier is in an upright orientation relative to the support structure;
- and
- wherein, in the transport position, the pivot point between the upper tier and the second tier is below an uppermost surface defined by the two parallel rails and is also at or below an uppermost surface of the respective cross members, such that portions of the upper tier and/or the second tier can extend below and fit between the two parallel rails and the respective cross members.
5 more elements
A bleacher system, comprising:
- a support structure mounted on wheels;
- an upper tier mounted on the support structure, said upper tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in the upper tier;
- a second tier mounted on the support structure and pivotally connected to the upper tier about a pivot point, said second tier including multiple girders at spaced intervals that are operably connected to the support structure, each girder supporting a plurality of seat supports and a plurality of foot board supports, with seat planks then secured to the seat supports and foot planks secured to the foot board supports in the second tier;
- at least one actuator for transitioning the second tier from a transport position into a deployed position, while also causing a corresponding movement of the upper tier from the transport position into the deployed position;
- and
- a canopy assembly, including
- an overhead frame with a front truss,
- a canopy supported by the overhead frame,
- multiple rear struts that are pivotally connected to the rear of the overhead frame and pivotally connected to the upper tier,
- two diagonal support struts, one at each end of the bleacher system, with each diagonal support strut being pivotally connected to the upper tier at a first end and pivotally connected to an end of the front truss of the overhead frame at a second end, and
- two vertical support struts, one at each end of the bleacher system, with each vertical support strut being pivotally connected to the front truss of the overhead frame at a first end and pivotally connected to the second tier at a second end, each vertical support strut being adapted to transition between an extended position and a retracted position.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.