Mobile folding choral riser with high-speed cylinder lift-assist mechanism and partially independent back railing linkage

A mobile folding choral riser comprising

• a base frame;
• a plurality of casters mounted to a bottom side of the base frame and configured to support the choral riser during movement and storage of the choral riser;
• a folding deck linkage connected to a front side of the base frame;
• a plurality of tiered decks attached to the folding deck linkage and configured to move to and from an at least substantially horizontal orientation corresponding to an unfolded use position of the folding deck linkage and a generally vertical orientation corresponding to a folded moving and storage position of the folding deck linkage;
• and
• a high-speed cylinder assembly having a first member and a second member slidably connected to the first member for movement of the members between fully contracted and fully extended positions, the first member having a first end connected to the base frame and the second member having a second end connected to the folding deck linkage;
• wherein the cylinder assembly contains compressed fluid adapted to produce a force tending to move its members apart from each other to extend the assembly toward the fully extended position,
• wherein extending the cylinder assembly toward the fully extended position causes the decks to fold upwardly and rearwardly toward the folded position, and
• wherein the cylinder assembly produces substantially no damping force to oppose extension movement of the assembly.