EP0072265A1 - Transportable stand equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Transportable stand for rapid mounting. The transportable stand according to the invention comprises a base (12) to which are articulated two groups of longitudinal members (27, 28 and 29) which can open out parallel to define two rails (32) between which boards (40) can be locked; a jack (53) then enables the equipment to be swung up to obtain a tiered stand. The boards (40) contain fold-away seats.

Description

The invention relates to an installation forming a portable platform, in particular for outdoor shows.

The installation of an open-air grandstand for a spectacle such as a military parade or the arrival of a cycling race involves significant costs for a municipality. Indeed, the grandstand is generally entirely constructed of wood and requires specialized labor for several days, this for a show which is sometimes very brief. Disassembly is almost as long. In total, it is not uncommon for the construction of such a platform in traditional materials, then its dismantling, to occupy several people for several weeks, for a spectacle which can last only a few minutes, as is the case. , for example, the arrival of a cycling race. On the other hand, in the field of the arts, we meet more and more theatrical companies which occur from city to city, mainly in summer. For such shows, also often outdoors, the layout of the stage and the reception of spectators is a crucial problem. A grandstand stands ideal for spectators, but the financial means of such theater companies most often prohibits them from having the opportunity, except to be helped, again, by the municipality. But in this case, the operation is only possible in a major city where the show can be given several evenings in a row. In small towns, you most often have to settle for a stage for the actors, in front of which there are folding chairs.

The invention provides a solution to all these problems, since it provides a portable platform capable of being deployed in a few minutes, and whose size in the folded position is such that transport by truck becomes possible.

More specifically, the invention therefore relates to an installation forming a portable platform, characterized in that it comprises a tilting base, having a given lift base, a rigid frame fixed to said base, at least two guide rails each articulated to said framework and at a distance from each other to be deployed parallel to each other beyond said lift base, each spar comprising a guide element so as to materialize two parallel rails in a deployed position of the installation and at least one floor of width corresponding to the spacing of said beams in said deployed position, comprising rolling means ment side cooperating with said rails.

According to another feature of the invention, the proposed installation includes lifting means by screw jacks to allow the base to be hoisted to the height of the platform of a truck or a trailer. These screw jacks can be movable relative to the base, so that they can be positioned outside the base for supporting the base, during a loading (or unloading) phase of the installation folded over. the aforementioned trailer.

According to another important characteristic of the invention, swivel seats are integrated into the thickness of the aforementioned floors, so that, as soon as the latter are in position between the side members, several rows of stepped seats can be deployed in a few seconds ; the straightening of a row automatically controlling the straightening of the next row.

• - les figures la à Ic montrent la silhouette de l'installations en position repliée, et illustrent son déchargement de la plateforme d'une remorque;
• - la figure 2 est une vue de dessus d'une partie de l'installation dans la position repliée de la figure 1;
• - la figure 3 est une vue de dessus illustrant schématiquement la première phase du déploiement de l'installation; les planchers étant omis pour plus de clarté dans ce schéma;
• - la figure 4 est une vue de profil illustrant schématiquement la seconde phase du déploiement de l'installation, c'est-à-dire plus particulièrement le déploiement des planchers;
• - la figure 5 est une vue de détail de l'assemblage des planchers les uns par rapport aux autres, pendant la phase illustrée à la figure 4;
• - la figure 6 montre l'installation complètement déployée avant basculement;
• - la figure 7 montre la position finale de l'installation;
• - la figure 8 est une vue de détail partielle d'un plancher abritant des rangées de sièges repliés; et
• - la figure 9 illustre le déploiement de ces sièges.

The invention will be better understood, and other advantages thereof will appear better in the light of the description which follows, of a currently preferred embodiment of an installation in accordance with the invention, given solely by way of example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

• - Figures la to Ic show the silhouette of the installations in the folded position, and illustrate its unloading from the platform of a trailer;
• - Figure 2 is a top view of part of the installation in the folded position of Figure 1;
• - Figure 3 is a top view schematically illustrating the first phase of the deployment of the installation; the floors being omitted for clarity in this diagram;
• - Figure 4 is a side view schematically illustrating the second phase of the deployment of the installation, that is to say more particularly the deployment of the floors;
• - Figure 5 is a detailed view of the assembly of the floors relative to each other, during the phase illustrated in Figure 4;
• - Figure 6 shows the installation fully deployed before tilting;
• - Figure 7 shows the final position of the installation;
• - Figure 8 is a partial detail view of a floor housing rows of folded seats; and
• - Figure 9 illustrates the deployment of these seats.

In Figure 1, there is shown in broken lines the general silhouette of the installation 11 in the folded position. This installation comprises, in particular, a tilting base 12, having a given lift base relatively small compared to the span of the deployed installation, as well as a rigid frame 13 fixed to this base and with respect to which s articulate the various moving parts of the installation which have not been shown in detail in FIG. 1, for greater clarity. Figure la shows the assembly mounted on the platform 14 of a trailer 15. The installation is provided with autonomous lifting means, essentially consisting of four vertical screw jacks 16. Each cylinder therefore comprises a telescopic rod 17, directed towards the ground, and the movement of which is controlled by a motor 18, for example a geared motor. The jack is secured at its lower part to a horizontal arm 19, mounted pivotally (pivot axis 20) on the edge of the base. During transport, the arms 19 occupy the positions shown in FIG. La, so that the jacks 16 are grouped towards the middle of the folded installation. On the other hand, when loading or unloading, the arms 19 are made to pivot horizontally by about 180 °, so as to place the jacks 16 outside the support base of the base 12. Locking means 21 improve fixing the arms 19 along the base 12 in this new position. Figures Ib and lc illustrate this situation. Thus, unloading is carried out very simply once the jacks 16 occupy their new position. It suffices to control the motors 18 (electronically synchronized) to lower the telescopic rods 17 until they come into contact with the ground. Additional displacement of these rods causes the installation 11 to be raised relative to the platform 14 of the trailer 15. The latter can then be released without difficulty. This is the situation illustrated in Figure 1b. It then suffices to control the motors 18 in the opposite direction so that the installation It slowly lowers to the ground. This is the situation illustrated in Figure lc. From this moment, the deployment of the installation can take place. The jacks can remain in the position illustrated in Figure lc; they can also be dismantled. Loading the installation on the trailer is also easily obtained by performing the same operations in reverse.

In the following description, made with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9, the screw jacks 16 have been omitted, so as not to overload the drawings.

Figure 2 illustrates about a quarter of the folded installation, since it consists of four similar sub-assemblies A, B, C and D. Sub-assemblies A and B occupy half the length of the installation and have a generally symmetrical structure with respect to the central core 25 of the framework 13. The same is true of the subsets C and D. Thus, if we consider the subset A, we see that it is mainly consisting of two groups Ga and Gb of three guide rails 27, 28 and 29, articulated to each other, in each group, by their ends. The side members 27a and 27b are articulated by respective hinges 36, to the frame 13 and more particularly to the ends of lateral supports 30a and 30b, respectively, fixed and parallel, both perpendicular to the base 12 and to the middle core 25. The side members 27-29 and the support 30 have at their upper part guide elements 31 with a C profile (see FIG. 4) connecting end to end and in alignment in the deployed position of the installation, so as to define two parallel rails 32a and 32b, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thus, these rails 32a and 32b extend from the central core 25 to the free ends of the side members 29a and 29b, respectively. The guide elements 31 are pierced with holes 35, arranged at regular intervals and whose role will be explained later. The open parts of the rails 32a and 32b with a C profile face each other in the deployed position of the side members. As can be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the longitudinal members 27, 28 and 29 have an increased rigidity thanks to a structure of metallic lattice beams, underlying the corresponding guide element. They are generally trapezoidal, to allow the tilting of the assembly. Thus, for two consecutive spars, the smallest base (b _l ) of the trapezium forming a spar (27b) is of the same dimension as the largest base (b ₂ ) of the trapezium forming the neighboring spar (28b) and these two spars are articulated by hinges (38) along these two bases. The lateral supports 30a and 30b also have a structure of metal lattice beams subtending the corresponding guide element and the larger base of the trapezoid forming the spar 27 is articulated by a hinge 36 at the outer edge of the support 30. The hinge 37 between two beams 28 and 29 is arranged in the vicinity of the internal planes of these beams, to allow a 180 ° pivoting of the beam 29 relative to the beam 28. On the other hand, the articulation hinge 38 between a beam 27 (c '' i.e. the spar closest to the base) and the neighboring spar 28 is offset inwardly to allow the folding of all of the beams 28 and 29 against the internal surface of the beam 27. Thus, the deployment of the beams is ensured by pivoting thereof, sweeping only the ground surface which corresponds to that of the installation deployed. The installation can thus be, for example, deployed between two rows of trees without difficulty. The lateral support 30b is shorter than the lateral support 30a, to take account of the thickness of the groups of side members in the folded position, as is evident from FIG. 2. Furthermore, each sub-assembly has four floors 40 arranged vertically side by side in the vicinity of the central core 25 and parallel to it. Each floor has a length corresponding to the spacing of the longitudinal members of the groups Ga and Gb, in the deployed position of the installation, that is to say the spacing of the supports 30a and 30b. Each floor is provided with lateral rolling means cooperating with the rails 32a and 32b. More specifically, these lateral rolling means consist essentially of two rollers 42, located respectively along the lateral edges of said floor and engaged in the neighboring rail 32, said rollers being on the same axis and each located substantially in the middle of the corresponding lateral edge. from the floor. Thus, the floor 40 can pivot at least 90 ° relative to the rails 32, while remaining substantially in a state of indifferent equilibrium.

On the other hand, the adjacent longitudinal edges of two consecutive floors 40 are hinged to each other by connecting yokes 44, lateral, and they have toothed sectors 45 in mutual engagement. This is illustrated in FIG. 5. It can also be seen that biasing means (constituted here by gas cylinders 46) are mounted articulated between each yoke 44 and the floor 40 furthest from the base 12 which is connected to this screed. These jacks exert a pushing force between the yoke and the corresponding floor, facilitating the deployment of all the floors.

Now considering more particularly FIG. 4 where the structure of the beams has been simplified to better show that of the floors, it will be noted that one or more cables 48, ensuring the control of the deployment, is fixed in the vicinity of the free edge of the floor. further away from the base 12, that it passes around a pulley 49 mounted in the vicinity of the free edge of the floor closest to the base, and that it winds around a control shaft 50 mounted on the said base. This shaft can, for example, be rotated by a gear motor or the like. Furthermore, the free edge of the floor closest to the base 12 is provided with two opposite lateral rollers 51, subject to movement along two respective vertical guides 52, integral with the base 12. Finally, it is note that the lower part of the base 12 is in two parts 12a and 12b, connected to one another by two articulations 57a, 57b parallel and selectively unlockable each located along a long side of the base 12, and that tilting cylinders 53, for example of the pneumatic bellows type, are interposed between the two parts 12a and 12b at equal distances from the two joints 57a, 57b. The part 12a of the base is integral with the framework 13 or is part of the latter while the lower part 12b carries the jacks 16 mentioned above.

When the installation rests on the ground as in Figure lc, we start by unfolding the beams of group Ga, then those of group Gb, for each subset A, B, C and DA at this time, the floors 40 are still held vertically between the supports 30a and 30b. The cable 48 is completely wound around the shaft 50. By slowly unwinding this cable, the floors 40 begin to progress along the rails 32a and 32b, under the action of the jacks 46, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 The floors stabilize horizontally between the rails to arrive at the situation illustrated in FIG. 6. The floors are then joined laterally to the side members, in a manner which will be described in detail below. After unlocking a joint 57 ((for example 57b), the actuation of the pneumatic bellows cylinders 53 causes the entire installation, the integral part 12a, to tilt relative to the part 12b; the installation then takes its final position (fig. 7). Braces 55, placed under the raised part of the installation, complete the stabilization in this position. The part 12b of the base 12 can itself be raised in the position of use by means of the jacks 16.

We will now describe in more detail the structure of a floor 40, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. Indeed, each floor 40 has rows of retractable seats in its thickness. For each row, the legs 54 of the seats are pivotally mounted around a rigid tube 56 of the floor. The tubes 56 corresponding to the different rows of seats therefore extend parallel, at regular intervals, over the entire length of a floor, that is to say over a distance slightly less than the spacing of the rails 32a and 32b. In addition, each tube has in each of its end portions locking rods 58 capable of sliding axially and projecting laterally beyond the floor, to engage in one of the holes 35 formed in the elements of guide 31. Thus the floors are blocked with respect to the side members, and the loads are entirely taken up by the side members 27 to 29 via the tubes 56, so that the rest of the floor structure can be made as light as possible. In the same spirit, a step plan 59 is provided for each row and is pivotally mounted around the corresponding rigid tube 56. It is raised automatically at the end of the pivoting of the corresponding base, being driven by "stops" 63 which meet the path of said base. The free edge of this tier plane comprises locking means 60 cooperating with cooperating means 61 carried by legs of the neighboring row. More specifically, the locking means 60 are constituted by a number of hooks with an inverted U profile arranged along the free edge of the step plane 59 while said cooperating means 61 are constituted by as many movable stops along the length of the floor ( that is to say perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 8) and biased in a position given by a spring. The lower part of each stop has a cam profile designed to cause its erasure when it meets the hook when the step plane is raised. Thus, the locking in the position of use of the step planes 59 is fully automatic. The rows of seats are folded manually by pulling on the movable stops. The legs 54 are biased to straightening by coil springs 62 hung between the ends of these legs and respective fixed points inside the floor. Rocking latches 65 are mounted on the floor in a suitable position to keep the legs 54 folded, they are actuated at the end of straightening the legs of the front row. Thus, the release of the first row of seats causes the recovery in cascade of all the others. The seats 67 pivot relative to the backrest 68 (a backrest is common to several seats) about an axis 69 so that the seats can be brought back parallel to the backrest. The backrest 68 can pivot about 180 ° with respect to the legs 54, around an axis 70 located under the axis 69. Consequently, in the folded position, the backrest and the seats are arranged parallel along the legs.

Claims (18)

1. Installation forming a portable platform, characterized in that it comprises a tilting base (12) having a given lift base, a rigid frame (13) fixed to said base, at least two guide rails (27) each articulated at said frame and at a distance from each other to be deployed parallel to each other beyond said lift base, each spar comprising a guide element (31), so as to materialize two rails ( 32) parallel in a deployed position of the installation and at least one floor (40) of width corresponding to the spacing of said rails in said deployed position, comprising lateral rolling means (42) cooperating with said rails. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two groups (G _i , G ₂ ) of such articulated beams, for each group, to each other by their ends. 3. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two aforementioned rails (32) have a C profile, their open parts facing each other in said deployed position, in that said lateral rolling means of the or each floor (40) comprise two rollers (42) located respectively along the lateral edges of said floor and engaged in the neighboring rail (32), said rollers being co-axial and each located substantially in the middle of the corresponding lateral edge of said floor, so that it can rotate about 90 ° relative to said rails, while remaining substantially in a state of indifferent equilibrium. 4. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said framework comprises two lateral supports (30a, 30b) fixed and parallel, for example with a structure of metallic lattice girders, in that each support is perpendicular to said base (12) and carries an aforementioned guide element constituting a part of the rail (32) corresponding and in that a guide spar (27) above is articulated by hinge along this support. 5. Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that certain guide rails, preferably made in the form of a structure of metal lattice girders, are in general trapezoidal shape, to allow the tilting of said base. 6. Installation according to all of claims 2 and 5, characterized in that, for each aforementioned group, the smallest base (b _l ) of the trapezoid forming a spar (27) is of the same dimension as the most large base b ₂ of the trapezium forming the neighboring spar (28) and that they are articulated to one another by hinge (38) along these two bases. 7. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, comprising several aforementioned floors capable of being deployed between the two aforementioned rails, characterized in that the adjacent longitudinal edges of two consecutive floors (40) are articulated to one another by lateral connecting yokes (44) and that said adjacent edges comprise toothed sectors (45) in mutual engagement. 8. Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that biasing means (46), such as for example gas cylinders, are mounted articulated between each yoke (44) and one of the floors which is connected to this yoke , to facilitate the deployment of said floors. 9. Installation according to claim 8, characterized in that at least one cable (48) for deployment control is fixed in the vicinity of the free edge of the floor furthest from said base (12), passes around a pulley ( 49) mounted in the vicinity of the free edge of the floor closest to said base, and is wound around a control shaft (50) mounted on said base; said shaft being rotated by a geared motor or the like. 10. Installation according to claim 9, characterized in that said free edge of said floor closest to said base is provided with two side rollers (51) opposite, subject to move along two vertical guides (52) respective, integral of said base. 11. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one tilting cylinder 53 housed in said base. 12. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises lifting means by screw jacks (16), to allow hoisting said base (12) up to the height of the platform (14) a truck or trailer (15). 13. Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that these lifting means comprise four vertical screw jacks, actuated by respective geared motors, secured to horizontal arms (19) mounted on the edges of said base and movable relative to it- ci, so as to be able to place said jacks (16) outside of the lift base of said base. 14. Installation according to one of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that each aforementioned group comprises three beams (27, 28, 29) articulated to each other and in that the articulation hinge (38) between the beam closest to said base and the next is offset laterally to allow the folding of all of the other two beams, so that the deployment of said beams is ensured by pivoting sweeping only the ground surface which corresponds to that of the installation deployed. 15. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or each floor (40) carries rows of retractable seats in its thickness. 16. Installation according to claim 15, characterized in that, for each row, the legs (54) of said seats are pivotally mounted around a rigid tube (56) of said floor, in that each tube has in each of its portions ends of the locking rods (58) capable of sliding axially and projecting laterally beyond said floor, to engage in corresponding housings (35) formed in said beams, so that the loads are taken up by the latter via said tubes. 17. Installation according to claim 16, characterized in that, for each row, a plane of steps (59) is pivotally mounted around the same rigid tube (56) of said row, and that its free edge comprises locking means ( 60) cooperating with complementary means (61) carried by legs of the neighboring row. 18. Installation according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that said legs are biased to straightening by springs (62) hung inside said floor.

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