US2575593A - Collapsible stand - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1951 J. c. PEERY COLLAPSIBLE STAND 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 1, 1947 NVME-NTUR JOHN C. PEERY E7 MJ/M/ 5' TERA/E V5 Nov. 20, 1951- C- PEERY 75,593

COLLAPSIBLE STAND Filed Nov. 1, 194

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Z/ENTQQ N c. PEERY Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE STAND John C. Peery, Milwaukie, Oreg.

Application November 1, 1947, Serial No. 783,485

Claims. (01. 2-0--1.126)

This invention relates to a portable and collapsible stand having a plurality of platforms for supporting persons or objects.

Collapsible structures of the type referred to are not broadly new as they have been known and used before, and so the general object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of construction of greater capacity and which isstronger and more durable, and lighter in weight than the conventional forms of structure. Other objects are to provide a novel arrangement of hinged joints to make the structure fold easily and compactly, to provide a novel arrangement of braces to prevent collapse of the structure after it is erected, to provide similar structures which fold in opposite directions and may be hooked together to brace each other when erected,

to provide a novel arrangement of offset risers I interconnected by special hinges, and to provide a stand which may be erected or collapsed without using loose parts.

The invention comprises a plurality of risers preferably of different heights interconnected by special offset hinges so that adjacent risers are disposed in different vertical planes. preferred embodiment of the present construction, there are three vertical risers each having a horizontal tread or platform hingedly mounted thereon with the risers interconnected by offset hinges so that one of the risers with its platform folds fiat against one side of the riser of intermediate height with the other riser and its platform folding over on top of the first folded riser and platform. In this way, the entire structure folds into a bundle having a thickness substantially equal to the combined thickness of the three platforms and three risers, a width substantially equal to the width of the risers and a length slightly greater than the length of the longest platform.

The ends of the platforms may be cut at an angle with the highest platform longer than the others so that a plurality of similar structures may be connected together to form sides of a polygon. Thus, when the stands are used for choir purposes and the like, if two or three of the structures are joined together in end to end relation they are thereby disposed angularly in the arc of a circle so that all the occupants of the stands will have a clear view of a director standing near the center of the circle.

In order to obtain the greatest advantage from such structures by using a plurality of them in end to end relation in the manner described, the

risers are preferably hinged to their respective In the platforms to fold in opposite directions in adiacent structures. Means are provided for se-- curing the adjacent structures together as sections whereby one section serves to brace another and relieve the stress on the bracing means pro-- vided in the individual structures, since as long as the structures are thus connected together they cannot collapse either individually or collectively;

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment; However, it is to be understood that the present drawings are for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the invention. Various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts and all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a plurality of stand sections embodying the principles of the invention interconnected to form a segment of a polygon;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation view.of the stand section shown in Figure 2; v

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of interconnecting fittings on the ends of the platforms, taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a folding brace;

Figure 7 is a view showing a first step in folding the structure;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the partially folded structure;

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the partially folded structure taken on the line 9--9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing a subsequent folding step; and

Figure 11 is a similar sectional view showing all the parts folded together in a compact bundle.

In Figure 1, two stand sections are shown in full lines and a third in phantom to illustrate how'a plurality of the sections may be connected together in end to end relation to form a polygonal shaped choir stand or the like disposed in a circular are so that a director standing near the center of said circle is readily visible to all the occupants of the stands. The different stand sections are of similar construction but short risers I3, 14 and I to support the lower step or platform [6, a plurality of intermediate risers I1, l8 and 9 to support the intermediate platform 20, and a plurality of tall risers 2|, 22 and 23 to support the top platform 24 Each of these risers has a lower end 25 to rest on the floor and an upper end connected by means. of hinges 26 with the respective steps or platforms. Braces 21 are provided. on the tall risers 2i and 23-. and on the intermediate riser [-8 in the manner shown in Figure 3 to. lock the risers in vertical positions perpendicular to the platforms. to prevent collapse of the. structure after it is erected. Each of the braces 21 comprises a. pair of channel- shaped arms 28 and 29. hinged togetherat 30- and pivotally mounted at their extremities on brackets attached to the. risers and platforms. The arms. 23 and 29 have ends 31., on. one. side of the. joint. 34} adapted to abut when the two arms are straightened out to form a rigid strut, and: a tension spring 32 is provided. on each brace to. hold the arms in this position. The ends of the spring are hooked on struck up tongues 33 on the two arms in a line offset, from the axis of the hinge 30 to give the spring an overcenter action in breaking the joint. The arrangement is. such that after the joint is broken the spring tends to fold the brace and when the brace is straightened the line of action of the. spring passes overcenter with respect to the hinge axis. of this joint to hold the brace straight and rigid. The tongue 3.3 on one of the arms. of the brace is preferably located close to the joint so that. in folding the brace the spring will not be appreciably drawn out of the channels of the arms. Openings 38 are provided in the risers. to receive the arms of the brace when the stand is folded.

The right-hand folding section H is similarly constructed except that. the hinges 2.6 and braces 21 are mounted on the opposite sides of the risers to cause the risers to fold to the rightv in Figures 1 and '7 instead of to the left as in the case of the section III.

The ends of the platforms are provided. with book plates 34 and socket plates 35 as shown in Figure 5 to fasten adjacent stand sections together. As viewed in, Figure 1, the left end of each platform is provided with. a hook 34 and the right end of each platform is provided with a socket. 35, regardless of whether the stand be a so-called left-hand folding stand. or a righthand folding stand, so that any number of the stand sections may be fastened together in end to end relation to increase the number of sides of the polygonal segment shown. in Figure 1. It will be apparent that if any of the braces 21 fail to operate properly, the. risers in the stands l0 and It would have to lean. toward each other before these sections could fold and collapse, and the risers in the stands [0 and [2 would have to. lean away from each other before these sections could fold. and collapse. The cooperating hook and socket elements 34 and 35 hold the ends of the corresponding platforms in the stands l0 and H in abutment with each other to prevent leaning of the risers in either of these two stands, and with respect to the stands I. and [2 they operate as a tension connection between the corresponding platforms to prevent separation thereof and leaning of any of the risers. Thus, if left-hand folding stands and right-hand folding stands are alternated with each other in sequence in connecting a plurality of the stand sections together in end to end relation as shown in Figure 1, the resulting structure will be inherently stable and rigid 15 and will possess an additional safety factor for stability without depending entirely upon the braces 21. The braces 21, however, are adequate in themselves to prevent collapse of the structures'.

The risers are connected together in groups by offset hinges as shown in Figures 2 and 4. Thus, the risers l4. and 38 are connected together by hinges 40 at the front edge of riser i3 having an offset angular strap 4| to accommodate the thickness of. the riser l4 when the stand isfolded. The. risers l3 and, I! and i5 and 19 are connected by similar hinges. The risers l3 and 22 are connected by oppositely disposed hinges 42 on the same face of riser 18 at the rear edge thereof having offset angular straps 43' to accommodate the combined thickness of riser i l and platform l6 when the stand is folded. The risers I! and 2| and I9 and, 23 are connected by similar hinges 42. All of the hinges used in the present construction are preferably attached by bolts. rather than screws to prevent any possibility of the threads pulling out of the wood or working lose to weaken the structure.

The forms of the hinges and the arrangement of they various members and braces enable these stands to be folded very compactly in a series of. steps as shown in Figure '7 to 11. In collapsing a stand, it is preferably first inverted to rest on its platforms as shown in Figure 7, the braces 2,! then being collapsed and all the risers folded over to the left in unison, in a left-hand folding stand, In collapsing a right-hand folding stand, the risers would fold to the right in Figure 7. As the risers fold into a flat position in a lefthand folding stand, the lower and intermediate platforms l6 and 20 are carried to the left in staggered relation, and when this step of the operation is completed the various members are disposed as shown. in Figures 8 and 9. The short risers l3, I4 and I5 carrying the lower platform 15 are then folded over in the direction of the arrow 45 in Figure 9 to rest upon the central platform 20 and its risers IT, IS and I9. The parts then assume the position shown in Figure 10 where it will be observed that the offset straps 4| on the hinges 40 elevate the pivotal axis of these hinges high enough above the top surfaces of intermediate risers l1, l8 and !9 to accommodate the thickness of the risers I3, l4 and I5 beneath the platform E6. The final step of the folding operation is then accomplished by folding the top platform 24 with its risers 25, 22 and 23 in the direction of the arrow 46 to lay these parts on top of the platform [6, it being observed that the offset straps 43 on the hinges 42 are long enough to elevate the axis of these hinges to the level of the top exposed surface of the platform I 6.

The completely folded stand is shown in sec.- tional view in Figure 11, the intermediate platform 20 being on the bottom, the short risers l3, l4 and I5 being disposed Within the height of the offset portion of hinge strap 4| and these risers together with the bottom platform I6 being disposed within the height of the offset portion of the hinge strap 43. The offset relation of the risers shown in Figure 4 thereby permits the parts to fold compactly without any waste space to make a bundle having a thickness equal to the combined thickness of the three platforms and three sets of risers. A number of such stand sections sufficient to accommodate a relatively large number of people can thus be carried in a small space and in individual bundles of no great weight. The dimensions and proportions of the parts may be varied for different purposes as the present construction isalso suited for a variety of other uses such as displaying merchandise and the like.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A collapsible stand comprising a plurality of stand sections having vertical risers, said risers having offset hinge connections disposing them in offset vertical planes when the stand is erected, and horizontal platforms hingedly connected with each of said risers, the hinged connections between the platforms and the risers folding in opposite directions in adjoining sections, and means to connect the platforms of said sections together in end to end relation so that the opposed hinge action in adjoining sections serves to brace one section against another, said risers being foldable against the platforms, and the risers and platforms being then foldable to achieve a compact tier assembly.

2. A collapsible stand comprising three platforms, one platform being intermediate between two outside platforms, and a riser hingedly connected with each of said platforms, the riser on the intermediate platform being hingedlyconnected on one edge with the riser on one of said outside platforms and hingedly connected on the other edge with the riser on the other outside platform, said risers having offset hinge connections disposing them in offset vertical planes when the stand is erected, said stand being collapsible by operation of said hinged connections by folding said risers in parallel relation with and against the platforms and folding said outside platforms and risers over in tier arrangement with said central platform and riser to form a compact bundle of said parts.'

3. A collapsible stand comprising a plurality of risers hinged together, a platform hingedly mounted on each of said risers, said risers having offset hinge connections disposing them in offset vertical planes when the stand is erected and in offset horizontal planes when the risers are folded against the platforms, said platforms being disposed in parallel relation to the risers upon col- ,1 lapsing said risers fiat against said platforms,

the risers and platforms being then foldable so as to lie in compact arrangement with'all the risers and platforms in a single tier.

4. A collapsible stand comprising at least three risers hinged together, said risers having offset hinge connections disposing them in offset vertical planes when the stand is erected, a platform hingedly mounted on each of said risers and foldable against said riser, the hinges connecting the first and second risers being offset to accommodate the thickness of said first riser, the hinges connecting the second and third risers being offset to accommodate the thickness of the third riser and its platform, said risers and platforms being foldable so as to lie in compact arrangement with all the risers and platforms in a single tier.

5. A collapsible stand comprising a plurality of risers hinged together for disposition in offset vertical planes when the stand is erected, a platform hingedly mounted on each of said risers, said risers being connected by hinges oflset to accommodate the thickness of the parts connected thereto by each such hinge, said risers being foldable against the platforms and the risers and platforms being then foldable to achieve a compact tier assembly.

JOHN C. PEERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 157,232 Simmons Nov. 24, 1874 435,604 Hasselman Sept. 2, 1890 1,125,194 Sigmund Jan. 19, 1915 1,320,310 Brady Oct. 28, 1919 1,760,801 Wetzel May 2'7, 1930 1,818,428 Paysen Aug. 11, 1931

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