Row folding seating structure

Abstract

In a row seating structure a series of telescoping rows are provided, each row having spaced vertical carriage-mounted columns, each having a cantilever arm adapted to rest upon the next adjacent column when the telescoping structure is extended and a transverse rear riser beam connecting the columns in the row and equipped with forwardly extending supporting arms anchored at their rear upon the riser, and a spectator tread or platform supported by the arms, the arms also providing a seat above the forward end of the tread panel or platform.

We claim: 
     
       1. A seating structure comprising a plurality of telescoping rows .Iadd.each having a bleacher seat portion at the forward end thereof and .Iaddend.arranged for movement between extended and retracted positions, each row .Iadd.further .Iaddend.including two wheel-equipped carriage members, a vertical column mounted on each carriage member and provided with a cantilever arm adapted to be supported on the top of the next adjacent row toward the front of the seating structure when the structure is in extended position, a rear riser member .Iadd.comprising a metal beam, said beam .Iaddend.connecting the upper portion of the columns, forwardly-extending support arms anchored upon said rear riser and structurally supported over the rear riser member of said next adjacent row when the seating structure is in extended position, and a platform on said support .[.arms..]. .Iadd.arm; said metal beam having means for continuously supporting the rear edge of said platform, said riser providing sufficient structural support to permit the seat portion of a row to be removed to provide an aisle at the footrest level. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       2. The structure of claim 1 in which said support arms anchored upon said riser have at their front upwardly- and rearwardly-turned portions with .Iadd.cantilevered .Iaddend.seatboards carried by said rearwardly-turned portions.[...]. .Iadd.said structure providing unobstructed toe room beneath said seatboards for each row section. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       3. The structure of claim 1 in which said riser is a channel with upper and lower flanges facing forwardly and with the lower flange providing a rest for the rear edge of said platform, said riser providing the only transverse structural member. 
     
     
       4. The structure of claim 2 in which said support arms are Z-shaped in cross-section. 
     
     
       5. The structure of claim 2 in which said support arms have upwardly-turned rear portions anchored to the rear of said riser. 
     
     
       6. The structure of claim 1 in which the forwardly extending arms of one row are positioned slightly above the top of the columns of the next adjacent forward row, so that the arms and columns may move freely with respect to each other when the seating structure is unloaded, but with said arms deflecting and contacting said columns for support when the structure is extended and a spectator load is applied. 
     
     
       7. The structure of claim 2 in which seatboard portions of adjacent rows are cut away to provide an aisle.[...]. .Iadd.at the foot rest level. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       8. The structure of claim 2 in which an upper riser can be secured to the upwardly-extending portions of the support arms. 
     
     
       9. The structure of claim 8 in which said upper riser and seatboard thereabove are cut away at a selected area in adjacent rows to provide an aisle. 
     
     
       10. The structure of claim 1 in which locks equipped with tabs extending are provided near the bottom of the row sections for locking the sections in extended positions, but are released by the trip action of the front lower riser engaging the tab extensions on the locks as the row sections are retracted. 
     
     
       11. The structure of claim 1 in which the platforms in the front rows of the seating structure are equipped at their outer extremeties with wheel-equipped posts. 
     
     
       12. A seating structure comprising plurality of telescoping seat rows arranged for movement between extended and retracted positions, each row including at least a pair of wheel-equipped carriage members, a vertical column mounted on each carriage member and provided with a cantilever arm adapted to be supported on the top of the column of the adjacent row toward the front of the seating structure when the structure is in extended position, a rear riser member mounted upon the upper portions of the columns in the row, seat support arms anchored upon said riser and extending forwardly above and beyond the rear riser member of said next adjacent row when the seating structure is in extended position, cable and pulley members connecting successive rows so as to guide seat rows in parallel movement during the movement of the structure to extended and retracting positions, and row locks securing the rows together when the seating structure is in extended position and being automatically unlocked as the rows are moved to retracted position, with handle mechanism stored below first row in a locked position. 
     
     
       13. The structure of claim 12 in which said carriage members are provided with side walls enclosing wheels therebetween and said carriage members are provided with antifriction rollers mounted upon vertical pivots. 
     
     
       14. The structure of claim 12 in which said support arms carried by said rear riser member are Z-shaped in cross section. 
     
     
       15. The structure of claim 1 with said rear riser recessed in relation to said forwardly extended support arms of the adjacent row, having said upwardly- and rearwardly-turned portions at the front of said support arms providing an .[.unobstructive.]. .Iadd.unobstructed .Iaddend.area for spectator foot movement and platform maintenance operations. .Iadd. 16. The structure of claim 1 wherein said support arms include means for supporting said platform from beneath and are located at spaced intervals along the length of said platform. .Iaddend..Iadd. 17. In a seating structure including a plurality of telescoping row sections arranged for movement between an extended position in which said row sections are in stepped relation and a retracted position in which said row sections are vertically aligned, each row section including a pair of wheel-equipped carriages for support, a vertical column mounted on each carriage, a forwardly-extending cantilever arm secured to each column and adapted to be supported on the top of the subjacent row section when the system is in said extended position, the improvement comprising, in each row section: a rear riser being a metal beam connected between said columns and including upper and lower horizontal flanges and a web between said flanges, said lower flange extending forwardly of the bottom of said web to provide a recess for increased heel room extending beneath the forward portion of the next higher row section when said structure is in said extended position; a plurality of forwardly-extending support arms mounted to said rear riser; the forward portions of said cantilever arms and said support arms extending above the rear riser of the subjacent row section when the system is in said extended position and being equipped with upright members at the forward ends thereof and rearwardly extending upper members extending from the tops of said upright members; seatboards mounted on said rearwardly extending upper members; and a platform supported by said support arms and said cantilever arms; the rear edge of said platform supported by said lower flange of said riser beam; said improvement characterized in that said seatboards are supported in cantilever whereby the space beneath said seatboards is wholly unobstructed for increased toe room and ease of platform maintenance, and in that the front-to-back foot room of each row section is greater than the row-to-row spacing of said system. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. The structure of claim 17 wherein said platform extends horizontally from the base of said web of said riser beam to a location adjacent the base of said upright members at the distal end of said cantilever and support arms. .Iaddend.