GB2100316A

GB2100316A - Mobile grandstand having booth compartment

Info

Publication number: GB2100316A
Application number: GB8210136A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-04-08
Filing date: 1982-04-06
Publication date: 1982-12-22
Also published as: GB2100316B

Abstract

This is a trailer 11, having an inner floor 17 mounting seats 29, 30, and an extension floor 22, pivotable to the trailer, also mounting seats 26, 27, and a booth compartment, e.g. a bar or restaurant, extending from the side of the trailer opposite the extension floor. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mobile grandstand The present invention relates to mobile grandstands.

There is a need for an easily mobile grandstand for use, for example, at horse shows, motor race meetings, which can be readily towed to the site and simply erected.

The present invention provides a mobile grandstand in the form of a trailer comprising an inner floor including seat mounting means to which seats may be permanently or removably mounted, an extension floor member movable to extend in its extended position from a first side of the trailer and incorporating seat mounting means to which seats may be permanently or removably mounted, roof means extending over the inner floor and adapted to extend above the extension floor member when the extension floor member is extended, and means extendable to provide a compartment extending from the second side of the trailer, opposite said extension floor member.

Where the seats are not permanently attached to the extension floor member or to the inner floor, they may be removed and stacked within the trailer. This reduces the weight of the extension floor member if it is pivotally attached to the trailer.

The extension floor member may pivot upwardly to store in a generally vertical plane.

Alternatively, however, the extension floor member may be pivoted by means of a cranked pivot arrangement so as to be pivotable to its stored position in a generally horizontal disposition within the trailer above the top of the inner floor so that the upperside of the extension floor member when in the stored position may form a convenient flat surface on which other material may be stored during transportation.

In accordance with a further aspect, side and/or end panels of the trailer, which may be of flexible material such as waterproof canvas or nylon or may be in the form of a rigid panel'such as aluminium orfibreglass, can be pivoted or otherwise moved away from the trailer to form roof or wail sections for one or more stall like compartments extending from the side of the trailer opposite the extension floor member.

Preferably the mobile grandstand includes frames which are pivotally mounted about a vertical axis to the front and rear edges of the side of the trailer opposite the extension floor member, the frames being pivotable between a stored position in which they extend parallel to the sides of the trailer to an extended position in which they are perpendicular to the side of the trailer, whereby in conjunction with other removable frame parts a framework is formed to provide a stall like compartment extending from the side of the trailer opposite the extension floor member.

The walls of the compartments may incorporate shelves and the like for use in the compartments.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and with respect to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a grandstand according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan of the grandstand of Figure 1, Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the front and rear of the grandstand in use, Figure 5 is a plan view of the part of an alternative arrangement of the grandstand incorporating an alternative booth 36, Figure 6 is a front view of part of the structure forming the booth of Figure 5, and, Figure 7 is a perspective diagrammatic view showing the frame for providing the booth of Figure 5.

The grandstand 10 is in the form of a lightweight trailer 11 which may be pulled behind a motor car, Land Rover (Registered Trade Mark) or the like. The trailer 11, when closed, is of generally rectangular box-like form having upright sides 12, 13, upright front and rear walls 14, 1 5 and generally horizontal roof 1 6, and an inner floor 17. Within the trailer 11 are provided wheel arches 1 8, 1 9 below which are mounted wheels (which are preferably in close-coupled pairs) and the front of the trailer includes a conventional draw bar (not shown. The inner floor 17 is below the level of the top 18A. 19A, of the wheel arches 18, 19, at least adjacent the wheel arch 1 9.

The grandstand will be described in its erected form and then the manner in which it is closed up to form a movable trailer will be described thereafter.

The roof 1 6 may be raised at its edge 1 5 adjacent the first side 1 3 from its horizontal travelling position.

The second side wall 12 is pivoted about its upper edge so as to form a roof section 1 2A and there is provided within the trailer an extension floor member 22 which may pivot about its lower edge to a generally horizontal position as shown in Figure 1 , the outer edge of the extension floor member 22 including legs 23 whereby it may be spaced above ground level. In general terms, extension floor member 22 extends horizontally under the side wall 12 which forms the roof 12A.

The roof 1 2A may be held in its raised position in Figure 1 by means of struts 24 extending from the extension floor member 22.

Two rows 26, 27 of seats are removably mounted to the extension floor member 22, the first row 26 being formed by cushion members provided on the outside edge of the extension floor member 22. The seats are in bench form as is clear from the plan view in Figure 2. Further seats are mounted removably or otherwise to the inner floor 17, the rear row 30 being mounted above one wheel arch 18, a fourth row 29 being mounted in the middle of the inner floor 1 7, and third row 28 being mounted above the opposite wheel arch 19, and facing outwardly from the side 12 of the trailer.

The height of the seats decreases from the rear row 30 to the front row 26 so as to afford a person seated anywhere in the seats a suitable grandstand view.

As is clear from Figure 2, the extension floor member 22 is provided in two separate portions 22A, 22B, which allow for ease of handling.

Furthermore, there may be provided an aisle centrally through the rows of seats if required.

The front 14 and rear 1 5 walls are pivoted about their vertical edges adjacent side 1 3 to form the rear of the two compartments 32, 33 and there may be pivotally connected to the front and rear walls 14, 1 5 further rigid panels or in the case illustrated panels of flexible material such as waterproof canvas or nylon which, in combination with rigid poles 34 may provide closed compartments 32, 33 having roofs thereover which mayform booths. Between these two booths 32, 33 there may be provided a compartment in the form of a further extended booth 36 (which may be in the form of a bar) the booth 36 being protected by a roof 1 3A formed by the side wall 13, an inner side wall 37 forming a rear wall of the booth 36.As with the booths 32, 33, vertical poles 34 may be provided to support the roof section and also to supportfurtherflexible wall members whereby to enclose the booth 36.

In this way, in addition to the grandstand there are provided the two booths 32, 33 which may be used to sell items such as ice cream, and a central booth 36 which may be used as a bar. Various bar fittings may be pivotally or detachably connected to the side wall 13 and the front and rear walls 14, 1 5 to form counters and the like.

In use, to transport the grandstand, the first and second rows of seats are removed from the extension floor member 22 and stacked within the trailer (by stacking them adjacent the third, fourth and rear rows); the extension floor member 22 is then pivoted upwardly about its inner edge so as to be disposed vertically as shown at 22B; the roofs 1 2A and 13A are released from the struts 24 and 34 and pivot down about their upper edges to form the side walls 12 and 13 of the trailer and are suitably attached thereto by means of a releasable coupling; the roof 1 6 is lowered from its raised position so as to be horizontal (as shown at 1 6A); the flexible roof sections and wall sections are collapsed and folded appropriately; and the front and rear walls 14, 15 are pivoted about their vertical edges so as to form the front and rear walls of the trailer; the removable or pivotable counter members are removed and suitably stored or pivoted to their closed position; any jacks under the trailer may then be closed and the trailer is then ready to be towed away.

Opening the trailer is the reverse of the above.

The dimensions and weight of the trailer are such that it may be readily pulled by a large motor car (its overali weight being of the order of 2 tons).

In an alternative arrangement the extension floor member 22 may be pivoted to the trailer by means of a cranked pivot arrangement in which case in its stored position it may be horizontally disposed within the trailer above the inner floor so that its upperside in the stored position provides a flat surface on which chairs and other material may be stored.

Such a cranked pivot arrangement allows the extension floor member to be below the level of the inner floor when extended.

Figures 4 to 7 shown an alternative arrangement of trailer 11 including a booth 36. In the Figures 4 to 7, the trailer 11 includes, as before, upright sides 12, 1 3 and upright front and rear walls 14, 15.

There are provided two frame structures 100 of the type shown in FIGURE 5 of tubular steel, each comprising an upright post 101 to the upper end of which is welded a braced truss 102 comprising a roof beam 103 which extends outwardly and slightly downwardly from the horizontal and a lower horizontal beam 104 which is welded at its outer end to the roof beam 103. Bracing 106 is welded to and extends between the two beams 103, 104. The upright post 101 of one of the structures 100 is hinged to the corner between the side 13 and front 14 and another structure 100 is hinged to the corner between the side 1 3 and rear 1 5 of the trailer. The hinge of the rear frame structure 100 is disposed outwardly by 1 2 inches (4 centimetres) with respect to the hinge of the front frame structure 100.

As is clear from FIGURE 4, the frame structures 100, in use, are hinged so as to lie flat along the side 1 3. Because each frame structure is longer than half the length of the side 13 they overlap and in a preferred arrangement the frame structures 100 are substantially the same length as the length of the side 13.

When folded to the outward position the outermost point of the trusses 102 are linked together by a removable tubular eave pole 107 and three further removable tubular roof poles 108 are slotted into suitable supports to extend between the upper edge of the side 1 3 and the eave pole 107. Furthermore, a first removable telescopic pole 109 is slotted into engagement with the centre of the eave pole 107 and extends to the ground to support the eave pole and further removable upright telescopic poles 111, 112 slot into engagement with the opposite ends of the eave pole 107 and extend to ground level in a similar manner to the telescopic pole 1 09. A removable footbrace pole 113 extends between the upright pole 112 and the telescopic pole 109 at a height of about 1 8 inches from ground level and two further removable footbrace poles 114, 11 5 slot into engagement between upright poles 111,112 and posts 101.

Each of the telescopic poles 109,111,112 include telescopic feet at their base as is clear from FIGURE 5.

The components 101 to 11 5 may all be of mild steel tube of round or square cross section.

The frame structure thus far described can be covered in suitable canvas or like material. As before the booth 36 may form a bar and the entrance may be provided between the telescopic pole 109 and the upright pole 111.

Within the booth 36 there may be provided a separate bar. The trailer may include a power supply, for example, batteries or a small engine to provide power, for example, for refrigerators, freezers, lights as desired.

Two of the grandstands may be disposed side by side so as to provide a grandstand double the length of a single trailer, and in this case the two booths 36 may be interconnected by removing the wall between them to provide an extended area for a bar or restaurant.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing examples.

Claims

1. A mobile grandstand in the form of a trailer comprising an inner floor, including seat mounting means, an extension floor member movable to extend, in its extended position, from one side of the trailer and incorporating seat mounting means, roof means extending over the inner floor and adapted to extend above the extension floor member when the extension floor member is extended, and means extendable to provide a compartment extending from the second side of the trailer, opposite said extension floor member.

2. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat mounting means of the inner floor mounts seats.

3. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 1 in which the seat mounting means of the innerfloor removably mounts seats.

4. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the seat mounting means of the extension floor member mbunts seats.

5. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the seat mounting means of the extension floor member removably mounts seats.

6. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the extension floor member is arranged to pivot upwardly to store in a generally vertical plane.

7. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 in which the extension floor member is arranged to pivot by means of a cranked pivot arrangement so as to be pivotable to a stored position in a generally horizontal disposition within the trailer above the inner floor.

8. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 7 in which the extension floor member is arranged in its extended position to be positioned below the level of the innerfloor.

9. A mobile grandstand as claimed n any of claims 6 to 8 in which the extension floor member is divided into separate sections, the separate sections each being pivotable.

10. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 in which side and/or end panels of the trailer are movable away from the trailer to form roof and/or wall sections for one or more stall like compartments extending from the side of the trailer opposite the extension floor member.

11. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 10 in which the side and/or end panels are of flexible material.

12. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 11 in which the side and/or end panels are of rigid material.

13. A mobile grandstand as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 in which frames are pivotally mounted about a vertical axis to the front and rear edges of the second side of the trailer, the frames being pivotable between a stored position in which they extend parallel to the second side of the trailer to an extended position in which they are perpendicular to the second side of the trailer, whereby, in conjunction with other removable frame parts, a framework is formed to provide the compartment extending from the second side of the trailer.

14. A mobile grandstand as claimed in claim 13 including a flexible covering for said framework to provide a covered compartment.

1 5. A mobile grandstand, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A mobile grandstand, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.