GB2256373A - Mobile stages - Google Patents

Description

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MOBILE STAGING The present invention relates to mobile staging apparatus of the type suitable for outdoor concerts etc, having a platform raised above ground level.

In a known type of mobile staging apparatus, the main stage platform is permanently supported by its carrying vehicle, such as a lorry, trailer of similar transporting means. The mobile staging is normally stored and transported in a generally rectangular container, and the side walls of the container pivot downwards with respect to the base to provide one to four auxiliary platforms extending horizontally outwards from the base of the staging. Such an arrangement restricts the location of any heavy operating equipment, such as rams for moving said side walls, or any associated lighting or audio equipment, to the strong central platform of the staging. There is also a tendency for the known arrangements to distance performers using the staging further away from the audience.

According to one aspect of the present inventidn, there is provided mobile staging apparatus, comprising a main stage platform, main support means for supporting said platform, an additional support platform having a plurality of hinged sections arranged to extend from said main stage platform and secondary support means for supporting said plurality of hinged sections.

Thus, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the same overall floor space may be provided as that provided by known apparatus, however, the main platform (capable of supporting a far greater load than additional platforms) is provided at the front of the stage, instead of the middle, without requiring substantially improved additional support means.

Preferably, said additional floor sections extend from said main platform in a concertina-like fashion and are supported by secondary support means.

Preferably, means are provided for holding the additional floor sections in a substantially vertical position during transportation of the apparatus.

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According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of erecting stage apparatus, transported on a vehicle, comprising the steps of raising a stage platform from the vehicle by means of adjustable legs, thereby making the vehicle available for other purposes, adjusting the adjustable legs to arrange said platform at the desired working height, extending additional floor sections from the rear of said platform. and supporting said additional floor sections by means of secondary extendable

i legs.

Preferably, the roof of the staging is raised from a transporting position to a working position to provide extra stage height during use thereof.

T Preferably, side platforms extend from said central floor section to provide additional space for equipment or stage flooring, which are pivotable into respective raised upright positions for transportation purposes.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying Figures, in which: Figures 1A and 1B are respective front and side elevations, in diagrammatic form, of mobile staging in use; Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the staging shown in Figures 1A and 1B, illustrating in more detail various erected components thereof, ready for use; Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of the erected staging shown in the previous Figures; Figure 4 is a partial side elevation of an additional flooring arrangement used in the staging shown in the previous Figures; Figure 5 is a partial side elevation of part of the additional flooring arrangement shown in Figure 4, illustrating a rear wall for the staging; Figure 5A is a section of a roller used in the additional flooring and rear wall arrangements shown in Figure 4 and 5; and,

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Figures 6A and 6B are, respectively, partial plan and side views of a hinge arrangement for supporting tracks for the additional flooring.

Referring firstly to Figures 1A and 1B, a mobile staging, indicated generally at 1, which has been transported to a desired location upon a trailer (not shown), has been demounted therefrom by means of adjustable legs 2.

The staging 1 is demounted from the trailer by lowering the legs 2, which are initially in a raised position, until the staging is just lifted off the trailer base.

The trailer is then towed away, leaving the staging 1 standing on the four legs 2 which are now adjusted so that the main platform is at the required working height for the staging 1, which can be at just above ground level or at a height above ground level equal to the maximum extension of the legs 2, in this case, approximately 2 metres. At this point, the staging is in a generally rectangular, container type configuration and in an unerected state.

Auxiliary side platforms 3 are provided by pivoting respective end flaps about horizontal axes 4, located at either end of the main platform 5, and the roof 6 is raised to its upper height, in this case, approximately 5 metres above the main staging floor level. An additional platform at the rear of the main platform 5 is provided by panels 7 which are pivoted together at 8, the left panel 7 being pivoted, in turn, adjacent the rear edge of the main platform 5 at 9 and the right panel 7 being pivoted at 10 in the region of the bottom edge of a rear wall 11. A flexible roof 12 is provided between the raised roof 6 and the rear wall 11, to protect the additional platform at the rear of the main platform 5. At either end 13,14 of the main platform, suitable supports,

indicated generally at 20, are provided for the associated equipment, such as í the hydraulic apparatus for operating the various components of the staging and electrical controls.

In Figure 2, the additional platform in the form of panels 7', 7"is shown in both folded and extended positions, the former in concertina fashion and the latter as dashed lines in the Figure. A hydraulic piston/cylinder

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t arrangement is employed to move the additional platform panels 7', 7" between respective folded and extended positions, the panels being movable upon rollers 30, as shown in detail in Figure 5A, which are supported upon tracks 22. These tracks 22,22'are shown more clearly in Figure 3, wherein end tracks 22 and a centre track 22'are provided, together with track bracing struts 23 and a floor support prop 24. As shown in figure 2, these props 24 are employed to support the respective tracks 22,22'. Raisable and lowerable guard rails for the front of the main platform 5 are pivotably arranged at the front thereof, as indicated at 25 in Figures 2 and 3.

Also shown in Figure 3, there are support beams 26 for the auxiliary side platforms 3, together with a base frame 27 for the main platform 5 and support beams 28 for raising and lowering the roof 6.

A rail, shown partially at 29 in Figure 3, is located on the roof 6 for supporting an associated banner for advertising or similar purposes, during use of the staging 1.

Also in Figure 3, one side of the additional flooring at the rear of the main staging floor 5 is shown as ready for use with the two panels 7', 7"in the fully extended position, whilst the other side of that additional flooring is shown in its concertina-style folded, storage and transportation position. The rear wall has been omitted from Figure 3, so that such flooring arrangements can be seen clearly.

In Figure 4, the concertina arrangement of the folded panels 7 is shown more clearly than in the previous Figures, with the left hand pair of panels 7', 7"in the fully folded position and the right hand pair of panels, in a partially extended position. The hydraulic piston/cylinder arrangement 21 is also shown in its respective, generally vertical and horizontal orientations, with the panels 7', 7"being pivotable about respective front and rear axes 9,10 and the common axis 8. The vertical rear wall 11 and associated roller 30 and track 7 are further shown in Figure 4.

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Figure 5 illustrates in more detail the arrangement of the rear wall 11 and the associated rollers 30 which, as shown in Fig. SA, are supported upon a structural box member 31 for rotation about an axis 32, the rollers 30 running upon respective ends of centre tracks 22,22'.

Each roller-bearing, end track 22 is pivotable about a pin 40, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, between closed and open positions, the latter position of each track being shown in Figures 1B, 2 and 3. Preferably, the length of each end track is half the length of the staging itself, so that when the end tracks are in their closed, storage and transportation position, parallel to the longer axis of the staging, their free ends do not overlap. The centre track 22'is detachable from the staging, so that it can be stored therein for transportation purposes.

The flexible roof 12, as shown in Figures 1B and 2, is made of any suitable waterproof material, whilst side"sheets"may be provided to enclose any otherwise open sides of the erected staging.

Unlike known arrangements, the main platform is positioned at the front of the stage allowing the ancillary/auxiliary service equipment, lighting and other electrical apparatus, such as, loudspeakers, to be located in this region and permitting any performers on the staging to be located comparatively close to an audience.

Claims (10)

1. Mobile staging apparatus, comprising a main stage platform, main support means for supporting said platform, an additional platform having a plurality of hinged sections arranged to extend from said main stage platform and secondary support means for supporting the hinged sections of said additional platform.

2, Apparatus according to claim 1, arranged to be mountable onto a vehicle for transportation to a venue and demountable from said vehicle on arrival at said venue, wherein said main support means are arranged to support said main platform independently of said vehicle, -

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said additional floor sections extend from said central floor section in a concertinalike fashion.

4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, including means for holding the additional floor sections substantially vertical during transportation of the apparatus.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, including auxiliary side platforms pivotably mounted to said central floor section.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including a main roof section supported above said main platform by adjustable roof support means, wherein the height of said roof above the main platform may be adjusted.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including an additional roof section over said extended additional platform.

8. A method of erecting stage apparatus, transported on a vehicle, comprising the steps of raising a stage platform from the vehicle by means of adjustable legs, thereby making the vehicle available for other purposes, adjusting the adjustable legs to arrange said platform at the desired working height, extending additional floor sections from the rear of said platform and

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supporting said additional floor sections by means of secondary extendable legs.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the height of a roof above the central floor section is adjusted to a desired position.

10. Mobile staging apparatus substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.