Patent ID: 9394708
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: B60P,E04H

Claim Text:
1. An articulated floor structure for a mobile stage framework having a horizontally-extending elongated base, the floor structure having a folded transport configuration and a deployed working configuration, the floor structure including: a plurality of actuators; at least two pairs of adjacent elongated floor panels forming altogether a set of at least four successive floor panels that are pivotally attached in juxtaposition at corresponding major lateral side edges using a plurality of concealed panel hinges and that are being movable along a lateral horizontal direction between a vertical transport position and a horizontal working position using the actuators, an innermost one of the floor panels being pivotally attached to the base around a corresponding horizontal pivot axis, each floor panel including a top surface and the top surfaces of the floor panels defining altogether an unobstructed and planar upper stage floor surface when the floor structure is in its deployed working configuration; at least one linkage assembly for at least each floor panel pair beyond an innermost one of the floor panel pairs, each linkage assembly being located underneath the floor panels and including a pair of tandem arms where each arm has an upper end pivotally attached to a respective one of the floor panels of the floor panel pair at a corresponding horizontal pivot and where both arms of the same linkage assembly have a bottom end that are pivotally attached together at a corresponding common horizontal pivot, the arms of each linkage assembly being movable within a vertically-orientated plane by a corresponding one of the plurality of actuators, each actuator having a first end pivotally attached at a corresponding first horizontal pivot axis located on the linkage assembly of the corresponding floor panel pair and a second end pivotally attached at a corresponding second horizontal pivot axis located on the same floor panel pair; at least two spaced-apart joists, each joist having a proximal end attached to the base and extending perpendicularly from the base in the lateral horizontal direction, underneath the floor panels, when the floor structure is in its deployed working configuration; and a plurality of followers disposed underneath each floor panel pair, the followers being in weight-supporting engagement with corresponding top edge surfaces provided on the joists when the floor structure is in its deployed working configuration.