GB1603613A

GB1603613A - Grandstands

Info

Publication number: GB1603613A
Application number: GB2100977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-05-19
Filing date: 1977-05-19
Publication date: 1981-11-25
Also published as: BE874293A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO GRANDSTANDS (71) We, JOHN EDWARD SAN DERS and DAVID HIRAM STRINGER, both British Subjects, of Grove Farm, Chorlton, Near Chester, England and 31 Village Road, Oxton, Birkenhead, England respectively, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to grandstands for use in providing seating capacity at various public functions.

British Patent Specification No. 1,413,325 discloses a mobile grandstand comprising a base which can be moved to any desired location, means for supporting said base above the ground, a plurality of seats mounted on the base in tiered rows ready for use, and a seat extension formed by interconnected rows of seats hinged to an edge of the base and arranged to be hinged downwardly to provide seats up to the level of the base and to be hinged upwardly ready for transportation.

In practice the base is the flat top of a lorry or articulated trailer, the seats and seat extensions being custom built on the existing flat top. This custom building results in a complete, ready for use, mobile grandstand which can be driven to an area in which it is to be operated. However, if the grandstand is to be exported the complete grandstand presents a bulky and costly item to ship. Further, when not in use, the complete grandstands are bulky items to park or store.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a simple grandstand unit which can be transported to anywhere in the world as cheaply as possible, and which may be conveniently stored when not in use for a period of time.

According to the present invention there is provided a grandstand unit comprising a plurality of seats mounted on a base in tiered rows, the base incorporating I.S.O.

transport container corner units for use in securing the base to a standard container transporting vehicle.

Preferably the grandstand unit according to the present invention includes a seat extension formed by interconnected rows of seats hinged to an edge region of the base.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention, the grandstand unit is built within a rectangular box-like container framework, the seat extension or seat extensions being hinged to a position within the framework when not in use and ready for transportation. Thus the units may be readily and relatively cheaply shipped to all quarters of the World by conventional container transport e.g. stacked in a container ship. On arrival at a destination the unit or units may be conventionally handled and secured on a standard container carrying articulated trailer, trailer, or flat top lorry, the grandstand being ready for immediate use once the seat extension or seat extensions have been hinged downwards towards ground level. If required the framework may be boxed-in to protect the seating during transport and to provide shelter when the grandstand is in use.

Whilst the grandstand unit of the present invention may be permanently mounted on, for example, an articulated trailer, the unit may of course be lifted off the trailer at a desired location and mounted, in the required position. If a seat extension or extensions are provided, the unit can be lifted from the trailer, at a desired location, and mounted with its base on a raised support of some other kind e.g. legs, a fixed solid or hollow structure, or a mound. The seat extension or extensions may then be hinged downwardly providing seating to ground level. The trailer may then be used for transporting a further grandstand unit or conventional cargo container. A unit without a seat extension may be mounted on top of a sited unit to provide a raised stand with additional seats, the I.S.O. container locks enabling the units to be secured together.In such a case steps must be provided to allow access to the upper unit.

The grandstand unit is also preferably provided with an aisle of steps, and when one or more seat extensions are provided, at least part of the aisle is hinged to the said edge region of the base so that the aisle can be moved in a similar manner to the seat extension or extensions, the aisle in use allowing easy access to and from the grandstand.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grandstand unit according to the present invention, and partially disassembled; Figure 2 shows the unit of Figure 1 being mounted on a lorry; and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 3 schematically illustrates an arrangement of units constructed according to the present invention.

The grandstand unit constructed according to the present invention and illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a rectangular boxshaped framework 1 having standard I.S.O.

container locks 2 at each of its corners.

Mounted on the base 3 of the framework are rows of tiered seats 4 in a ready-for-use position, and hinged to an edge of base 3 are two extensions 5 and 6, each comprising a number of interconnected rows of seats 7.

As can be seen from Figure 1, each seat extension can be hinged upwardly to a transport position and downwardly to a ready-for-use position, by means not shown e.g. winch or hydraulic means. The framework 1 is boxed-in as illustrated in Figure 1, it only being necessary for the front side 8 to be removable or hinged to open the grandstand. By boxing in the unit the seats can be protected during transportation and shelter can be provided for spectators when the stand is in use. However, alternatively the framework 1 may be open if so desired.

To allow for access to the tiered rows of seats an aisle of steps 9 is provided, part of which can be hinged upwards from the position illustrated in Figure 1 to a position within the space defined by framework 1, when the grandstand unit is to be moved.

Figure 2 illustrates the grandstand unit in a closed position, being located on a standard container carrying trailer 10, I.S.O.

locks 2 on the unit being complementary to the locks 11 on the trailer. The provision of locks 2 at all eight corners of the unit facilitates stacking if the unit is to be shipped by boat. Otherwise locks 2 need only be provided on base part 3.

The grandstand unit as illustrated in Figure 1 can be transported by standard container transport i.e. road, rail, boat and/or aeroplane, to a desired location and whilst the unit may be readily used when mounted on a mobile wagon or trailer, it may equally well be located with its base 3 on any other form of raised support e.g.

legs, a solid or hollow structure or even a mound.

As schematically illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, units according to the present invention may be stacked and locked together by means of the I.S.O.

locks or other suitable means, to provide additional raised seating. In such a case additional steps must be provided to allow for access to the raised seating. Such stacking may also be beneficially used for storing such units when not required for use.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A grandstand unit comprising a plurality of seats mounted on a base in tiered rows, the base incorporating I.S.O. transport container corner units for use in securing the base to a standard container transporting vehicle.

2. A grandstand unit as claimed in claim 1, in which an extension formed by interconnected rows of seats, is hinged to an edge region of the base.

3. A grandstand unit as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the tiered rows of seats are located within a rectangular box-like framework.

4. A grandstand unit as claimed in claim 3 when dependent upon claim 2, in which the seat extension can be hinged to an out-of-use position within the framework.

5. A grandstand unit as claimed in claim 3 or 4, in which I.S.O. corner units are provided at each corner of the box-like framework.

6. A grandstand unit as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, in which at least some of the sides of the framework are closed by panels.

7. A grandstand comprising at least two of the units claimed in claim 3 when dependent upon claim 1, stacked one on top of the other.

8. A grandstand unit constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

9. A grandstand unit constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. conventional cargo container. A unit without a seat extension may be mounted on top of a sited unit to provide a raised stand with additional seats, the I.S.O. container locks enabling the units to be secured together. In such a case steps must be provided to allow access to the upper unit. The grandstand unit is also preferably provided with an aisle of steps, and when one or more seat extensions are provided, at least part of the aisle is hinged to the said edge region of the base so that the aisle can be moved in a similar manner to the seat extension or extensions, the aisle in use allowing easy access to and from the grandstand. The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a grandstand unit according to the present invention, and partially disassembled; Figure 2 shows the unit of Figure 1 being mounted on a lorry; and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 3 schematically illustrates an arrangement of units constructed according to the present invention. The grandstand unit constructed according to the present invention and illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a rectangular boxshaped framework 1 having standard I.S.O. container locks 2 at each of its corners. Mounted on the base 3 of the framework are rows of tiered seats 4 in a ready-for-use position, and hinged to an edge of base 3 are two extensions 5 and 6, each comprising a number of interconnected rows of seats 7. As can be seen from Figure 1, each seat extension can be hinged upwardly to a transport position and downwardly to a ready-for-use position, by means not shown e.g. winch or hydraulic means. The framework 1 is boxed-in as illustrated in Figure 1, it only being necessary for the front side 8 to be removable or hinged to open the grandstand. By boxing in the unit the seats can be protected during transportation and shelter can be provided for spectators when the stand is in use. However, alternatively the framework 1 may be open if so desired. To allow for access to the tiered rows of seats an aisle of steps 9 is provided, part of which can be hinged upwards from the position illustrated in Figure 1 to a position within the space defined by framework 1, when the grandstand unit is to be moved. Figure 2 illustrates the grandstand unit in a closed position, being located on a standard container carrying trailer 10, I.S.O. locks 2 on the unit being complementary to the locks 11 on the trailer. The provision of locks 2 at all eight corners of the unit facilitates stacking if the unit is to be shipped by boat. Otherwise locks 2 need only be provided on base part 3. The grandstand unit as illustrated in Figure 1 can be transported by standard container transport i.e. road, rail, boat and/or aeroplane, to a desired location and whilst the unit may be readily used when mounted on a mobile wagon or trailer, it may equally well be located with its base 3 on any other form of raised support e.g. legs, a solid or hollow structure or even a mound. As schematically illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, units according to the present invention may be stacked and locked together by means of the I.S.O. locks or other suitable means, to provide additional raised seating. In such a case additional steps must be provided to allow for access to the raised seating. Such stacking may also be beneficially used for storing such units when not required for use. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A grandstand unit comprising a plurality of seats mounted on a base in tiered rows, the base incorporating I.S.O. transport container corner units for use in securing the base to a standard container transporting vehicle.