US3246613A - Folding turntable - Google Patents

Description

April 1966 D. B. JOHNSTON ETAL 3,246,613

FOLDING TURNTABLE Filed July 2.0, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQRS Qw Qvm M BY QMMN ATTORNEYS.

ll- 1966 D. B. JOHNSTON ETAIL.

FOLDING TURNTABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1964 INVENTORS ,3 W mm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,246,613 FOLDING TURNTABLE David Bruce Johnston, 132 Skyline Lane, Stamford,

Conn., and Nicholas G. Cristy, 9 S. View Sh, Pleasantville, N.Y.

Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,663 11 Claims. (Cl. 108-20) This invention relates to turntables such as are used for stage productions and display purposes; and more particularly to folding turntables.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved turntable which folds so that it becomes small enough for transport by truck from place to place without requiring disassembly. With a sixteen-foot turntable of conventional construction, four or five or more men may require three hours to assemble it at a new location to which the turntable is delivered in a state of disassembly that is necessary for transportation. The turntable of this invention can be rolled down a ramp from a truck, rolled into position and unfolded and put into operation by two men in five minutes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding turntable of the character indicated with a platform having a center portion and flaps hinged to opposite sides of the center portion, and corresponding to sections of the base and being constructed to fold with the sections of the base about parallel hinges. The platform is supported from the track by wheels at angularly-spaced locations around the platform, and the wheels that support the flaps of the platform are attached to parts of the assembly so as to fold. with the other parts of the turntable.

Another object is to provide a folding turntable with a platform having flap portions that fold along parallel hinges at opposite sides of a center portion of the platform, and with a base that has a circular track made with sections that fold like the flap portions but about hinges that are offset from the hinge connections of the flap portions so that the flap portions and track sections can fold upwardly without interfering with one another.

In the preferred construction, the flap portions of the platform are connected with the track sections so that the folding of the flap portions of the platform lifts the track sections into folded positions, but the connections are detachable to permit the track to be put down and leveled at a new location before being covered by a flap portion of the platform.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the improved turntable of this invention in operating position;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but shows the first step in the folding of the turntable;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are views similar to FIGURES 1 and 2, but showing subsequent steps in the folding of the turntable;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top plan view of the turntable with the platform panels removed to show the underlying supporting structure, the wheel supports and the driving mechanism;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic view on the plane 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary detail view of one of the supporting rollers for the turntable; and

FIGURES 8 and 9 are enlarged, fragmentary sectional views taken on the lines 8-8 and 9--9, respectively, of FIGURE 5.

3346513 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 FIGURE 1 shows a turntable 12 which is of circular shape and which has a center portion 14 and flap portions 16 and 17 connected to the center portion along hinge lines 18. The turntable is supported on a circular track 20 which is made up of a center section 22 and two folding sections 24 and 25 which are connected to the center section 22 by hinges 27 The center portion 14 and the flap portions 16 and 17 are supported from the track 24 by wheels 31 and 3 2. These wheels are preferably of similar construction and in the preferred embodiment of the invention they are caster wheels. The wheels 31 are attached to the flap 16 and the wheels 32 are attached to the center portion 14. There are similar wheels 31 attached to the other flap portion 17, but these wheels are not visible in the drawing.

The flap portion 16 has two wheels 31, and so does the flap portion 17. The center portion has four wheels 32, two at each end, thus making a total of eight supporting wheels for the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

When the turntable is in folded condition, it may be transported from place to place on other caster wheels 34, attached to the center portion 14, and capable of vertical movement, as will be explained more fully in connection with FIGURE 9. For the present, it is sufficient to understand that the wheels 34 can be raised into positions above the level of the track 20 soas not to interfer with the rotation of the turntable on thetrack 20; and the wheels 34 can be lowered into a position in which they support the track 2i and all other parts of the turntable with a clearance above an underlying surface on which the wheels 34 roll for moving the folded turntable from one location to another.

FIGURE 2 shows the first step in folding the turntable. A frame 38 is placed on top of the center portion 14. The bottom of this frame is of substantially the same width as the center portion 14, and the frame 38 has sloping sides 39 which converge toward one another as they extend upwardly. The flap portion 17 is swung upwardly along the hinge line 18 and into position to rest against one of the sides 39 of the frame 38. Since the flap portion 17 passes beyond its vertical position before contacting with the frame 38, it will be held against the frame by gravity.

FIGURE 3 shows the next step in the folding of the turntable. The other flap portion 16 is swung upwardly along the hinge line 18 and into position to rest against the other sloping face of the frame 38.

The flap portions 16 and 17 are then held against the sides of the frame 38 by a die 40 which connects with a hook 42 on each of the flap portions 16 and 17. This die 40 is merely representative of the means for holding the flap portions 16 and 17 in their folded positions in contact with the frame 38.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the next step in the folding of the turntable. The track section 24 is swung upwardly on the hinges 27. In the preferred construction, the center section 22 of the track is slightly wider than the center portion 14 of .the turntable so that the section 24 of the track can swing upwardly into at least a substantially vertical position without interference from the folded flap portion 16. A corresponding track section 24' (FIG- URES 5 and 6) is folded up on the other side of the turntable. FIGURE 6 shows the way in Which the track section 24 can move into a substantially vertical position about its hinge 27 before coming in contact with the folded flap portion 17 because of the extra Width of the center track section 22 with respect to the center portion 14 of the turntable.

The track sections 24 and 24' are held in their upright,

folded positions by clips 46, best shown in figure.

The center portion 14 and the flap portions 16 and 17 are preferably made with plywood panels 51 and 52, respectively, supported on frame elements which are shown in FIGURE 5.

For example, the center portion 14 has side frame elements 56 extending for the entire length of the center portion 14 and along both of the side edges of the center portion. These side frame elements 56 are connected together at their ends by arcuate frame elements 58 and are connected together at spaced inter-mediate locations by other transverse frame elements 59. In the preferred construction, the frame elements 56, 58 and 59 are square tubes, as shown in FIGURE 6, and their top surfaces are in a common plane so as to provide spaced areas of support for the plywood panel 1.

The flap portion 17 is made with a side frame 62, an arcuate peripheral frame element 64 and intermediate transverse frame elements 66. In the preferred construction, all of these frame elements 62, 64 and 66 are preferably square tubes with their top surfaces in a common plane for supporting the plywood panels 52. It will be understood that the other flap portion 16 is of similar construction.

FIGURE 6 shows the way in which the flap portion 17 is connected to the center portion 14 along the hingle line 18. -A hinge 70, which may be a continuous piano-type hinge or which may consist of a number of of spaced and aligned elements, is connected one one side to the side frame element 56 and on the other side to the frame element 62. The axis of the hinge is on the hinge line 18.

In the preferred construction, the hinge 70 is shaped so that the panel 52 can swing from the folded position shown in FIGURE 6 to a horizontal position in alignment with the panel 51 and then somewhat further beyond this horizontal position. However, in the opera tion of the turntable, the track is located so that all sections are in the same plane and the wheels which support the flap portion 17 maintain the plywood panel 52 in alignment with the panel 51 during rotation of the turntable. Thus the weight of the turntable when loaded is carried from the flap portion 17, through the wheels to the track instead of making the flap portion 17 a cantilever element supported from the hinge 70, as would be likely to occur if the hinge 70 could not swing somewhat beyond the position which leaves the panels 5 1 and 52 in a common horizontal plane.

FIGURE 7 shows one of the wheels 31 located on the track 20. The track construction illustrated is a channel section, with its open side facing downward and with a track pad 74 extending across the open end and welded to the channel section to provide contact elements for more effectively supporting the track '20 on uneven ground.

The wheel 31 has an axle 76 connected with a yoke 78 which has a pivot bearing 80 at its upper end; and the yoke 78 is preferably shaped so as to locate the axle 76 behind the axis of the pivot bearing 80 so that the wheel 31 rolls on the track 20 as a caster wheel. The construction of all of the wheels 31, and also the wheels 32, is preferably similar.

The pivot bearing 80 is connected to a plate 82 (FIG- URE 5) secured to auxiliary frame elements 84 which are connected to and extend between successive transverse frame elements 66. The pivot bearings for the wheels 32 are connected with plates 82 attached to the side frame elements 56 of the center portion 14.

The center track section 22 includes arcuate rail portions 90 secured to connecting frames 92 which extend under the frame elements 59 of the center portion of the turntable. The arcuate rail portions 90 extend beyond the connecting frames 92 in the direction of the length of the track and this locates the hinges 27 beyond the sides of the center portion 14, as has already been explained in connection with FIGURE 6.

There are cross frames 94 connected between the connecting frames 92 at the center region of the turntable. These cross frames 94 support a plate 96 (FIGURE 8) by which a hub 98 is carried. This hub 98 holds the rotary portion of the turntable centered with respect to the track and also supports the weight of the center of the turntable.

The connection of the center portion 14 with the hub 98 includes a stud 100 secured to a plate 102 carried by auxiliary frame elements 104 and 106, the former being connected to the latter and the latter being connected with two of the frame elements 59, as shown clearly in FIGURE 5. The stud 100 extends through a bushing 108 and there are thrust bearings 110 for supporting the weight of the turntable. This bearing construction, shown in FIGURE 8, is representative of a center bearing connecting the turntable to the stationary, underlying frame to which the circular track is attached and to means for carrying both radial and vertical loading of the rotating portion of the turntable at the center of the turntable.

A cylindrical flange extends downward from the transverse frame elements 66; and power for rotating the turntable is supplied to the flange 120 by a driving roller 122. This roller 122 is at the low speed end of a speed reducer 124 secured to a plate 126. Power is transmitted to the high speed end of the speed reducer 124 from an electric motor 128 by a chain-and-sprocket drive 130. The motor 128 is secured to the same plate 126 as the speed reducer; and the plate 126 is supported by frame angles 132 attached at opposite ends to the frame elements 66.

The plate 126, the roller 122, the speed reducer 124 and the motor 128 are movable as a unit toward and from the horizontal flange 120. There are rods 134 extending along the plate 126 on opposite sides of the motor 128. These rods are secured to the fixed frame of the apparatus; and the rods 134 extend through bearing sleeves 136 which are attached to the plate 126 by brackets 138. A helical spring 140 on each of the rods 134 is compressed between the sleeves 136 and the fixed structure at one end of the rod. These springs urge the plate 126 toward the left in FIGURES 5 and 9 to maintain pressure between the roller 122 and the flange 120 to develop the friction necessary to drive the turntable.

FIGURE 9 shows one of the wheels 34 by which the turntable is supported when in folded condition, and on which the turntable is trundled into a truck or from one location to another. Each wheel 34 is a castor wheel with an axle 142 attached to a castor frame 144. The castor frame swivels about a vertical axis in a sleeve 146 and has a thrust bearing 148 for carrying the weight of the turntable.

The sleeve 146 is vertically movable in a guide bearing 152 welded or otherwise secured to the frame of the turntable. The sleeve 146 is movable up and down in the guide bearing 152. In FIGURE 9 the sleeve 146 is shown in full lines in its lowered position. The top of the sleeve 144 is practically even with the upper end of the guide bearing 152 when the sleeve 146 and the wheel 34 are in their lowered position when trundling the turntable.

When the sleeve 146 is moved upward in the guide bearing 152, the upper end of the sleeve extends above the upper end of the guide bearing 152 as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 9. A pin 155, extending through the side of the guide bearing 152 and into any one of several holes 156 at different levels in the sleeve 146, holds the sleeve 146 in any desired extended or retracted position wit-h respect to the guide bearing 152.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, but changes and modifications can be made and some features can be used in different combinations without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A turntable comprising a base having two sections of track thereon, other sections of track hinged to the base at opposite sides thereof and forming with the sections on the base a complete circle of track, a platform having wheels that run on the track and by which the platform is supported from the track, the platform being made of a plurality of portions including a center portion and flap portions hinged to the center portion for folding the platform, characterized by the center portion of the platform corresponding with the base and the flap portions of the platform corresponding to the sections of track that are hinged to the base, the hinge connections of the track sections to the base being parallel to the hinge connections of the flap portions to the center portion of the platform for one position of the platform about its axis of rotation.

2. The turnable described in claim 2 charactertized by the hinge connections of the flap portions of the platform being spaced from one another by a distance greater than the spacing of the hinge connections of the track sections from one another whereby the flap portions can swing upwardly and inward of the positions of the track sections when the platform is to be folded.

3. The turnable described in claim 2 characterized by connections between each of the flap portions of the platform and a corresponding section of the track and by which the flap portion lifts the section of track into folded position as the flap is moved into folded position.

4. The turntable described in claim 3 characterized by the connections being detachable for release and lowering of the track sections at a new location before the flaps are lowered to cover the track sections.

5. A turntable comprising a base having two sections of track thereon, other sections of track hinged to the base at opposite sides thereof and forming with the sections on the base a complete circle of track, a platform having wheels that run on the track and by which the platform is supported from the track, the platform being made of a plurality of portions including a center portion and flap portions hinged to the center portion for folding the platform, characterized by the base including a center bearing and a platform having a complementary bearing that runs on the center bearing to give the platform a rotation about a center that is fixed with respect to the base, a driving roller on the base, mechanical operating mechanism for driving the roller, and a circular rail extending down from the platform and into contact with the roller.

6. The turntable described in claim 5 characterized by the circular rail having parts of its angular extent connected with the center portion of the platform and having other parts of its angular extent connected with the flap portions as a unitary assembly with said flap portions and adapted to fold therewith, the mechanical operating mechanism including a reversible electric motor and retractable spring means urging the roller against the rail, and means for changing the speed of the turntable.

7. A turntable comprising a base having two sections of track thereon, other sections of track hinged to the base at opposite sides thereof and forming with the sections on the base a complete circle of track, a platform having wheels that run on the track and by which the platform is supported from the track, the platform being made of a plurality of portions including a center portion and flap portions hinged to the center portion for folding the platform, characterized by the flap portions of the platform having angular movement about their hinge connections to the center portion of the platform g ter t an 90, and being movable from substa tially horizontal positions to vertical positions and then beyond the vertical positions so that the flap portions converge toward one another over the center portion as they extend upward, and a support on the center portion of the platform against which the flap portions lean and for preventing further movement of the flap portions toward one another when they are in predetermined upwardly-extending angular positions.

8. A turntable comprising a base having two sections of track thereon, other sections of track hinged to the base at opposite sides thereof and forming with the sections on the base a complete circle of track, a platform having wheels that run on the track and by which the platform is supported from the track, the platform being made of a plurality of portions including a center portion and flap portions hinged to the center portion for folding the platform, characterized by the track sections and the flap portions of the platform being foldable about parallel hinge connections when the platform is in a predetermined angular position about its center of rotation and with respect to the base, and wheels on the base for moving the folded platform from one location to another.

9. The turntable described in claim 8 characterized by the wheels on the base being connected to the base by extendable connections movable into a retracted position to raise the wheels above the level of the bottom of the track, and into an extended position to lower the wheels below the level of the bottom of the track whereby the entire weight of the folded turntable is carried on said wheels.

10. The turntable described in claim 9 characterized by the wheels on the base vbeing connected to the base by telescopic connections, means for locking the telescopic connections in extended and in retracted positions, and the connections of the wheels to the base including swivel brackets connected to the base at locations which make the wheels operate as caster wheels for rolling in different directions.

11. A turntable comprising a base assembly having a center frame, side frames on either side of the center frame, hinges connecting the side frames to the center frame and on which the side frames swing upward into folded positions to reduce the width of the turntable, a platform assembly having a center portion, flap portions on either side of the center portion, hinges connecting the flap portions to the center portion and on which the flap portions swing upward into folded positions to reduce the width of the turntable, a sectional track connected to and forming a part of one of the assemblies and made in sections for folding with the other parts of the assembly, and wheels connected to and forming a part of the other of the assemblies and some of which are connected with different parts of said other of the assemblies and located in position, when both assemblies are in unfolded position, to run on the track and to support the platform assembly from the base assembly.

References (Zited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 809,321 1/1906 Peters 108-94 X 905,018 11/1908 Sulliran et a] 108-20 1,553,528 9/1925 Hartong 108-20 1,789,562 1/1931 Penniman et al. 108-20 2,075,918 4/1937 Waakes 108-20 X 2,447,072 8/ 1948 Jones 108-22 2,494,242 1/1950 Hardy 108-20 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TURNTABLE COMPRISING A BASE HAVING TWO SECTIONS OF TRACK THEREON, OTHER SECTIONS OF TRACK HINGED TO THE BASE AT OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND FORMING WITH THE SECTIONS ON THE BASE A COMPLETE CIRCLE OF TRACK, A PLATFORM HAVING WHEELS THAT RUN ON THE TRACK AND BY WHICH THE PLATFORM IS SUPPORTED FROM THE TRACK, THE PLATFORM BEING MADE OF A PLURALITY OF PORTIONS INCLUDING A CENTER PORTION AND FLAP PORTIONS HINGED TO THE CENTER PORTION FOR FOLDING THE PLATFORM, CHARACTERIZED BY THE CENTER PORTION OF THE PLATFORM CORRESPONDING WITH THE BASE AND THE FLAP PORTIONS OF THE PLATFORM CORRESPONDING TO THE SECTIONS OF

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