Abstract:
A transportable, transformable structure utilizing a tower shuttle apparatus for converting the structure from a closed, transportable unit to an open, stationary unit. The tower shuttle includes a connection post, including a socket joint, connected to a shuttle cart on casters. The socket joint is capable of receiving a ball connection at the base of a structural tower affixed to the transformable structure. This connection allows a single operator to fully assemble a mobile performance stage or other transportable, transformable structure with ease and with no damage to the stage deck. The tower shuttle allows the towers to be moved into position no matter the required direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/279,929, filed Oct. 24, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,213, issued Oct. 1, 2013, which claims priority in U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/406,005, filed Oct. 22, 2010, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosed technology relates generally to an apparatus for raising and aligning the structural towers of a collapsible performance stage, and more specifically to a rolling shuttle which receives the ends of the structural towers of a collapsible performance stage and facilitates positioning the towers in their upright positions supporting a roof over the stage. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Mobile performance stages are commonly used for temporary venues, performances, or rallies. Typical mobile performance stages must be assembled on site. Modern mobile stages may come in the form of a trailer, wherein the mobile stage is collapsible to a compact and mobile unit. The APEX 3224 Mobile Stage, manufactured by APEX Stages of Pittsburg, Kans., is an example of such a mobile stage. 
     Mobile stages generally include a stage deck and can include a stage roof. In order to support the stage roof, columns or towers are often used as structural elements. A mobile stage can be a large structure, and its components are manufactured from steel or other structural, heavy metals. In a typical stage setup situation it may take four laborers to raise the stage roof from the stage deck. In doing so, the laborers may have to drag the base of the stage towers across the stage deck, which may damage the deck or the tower itself. Because these stages are typically rented out for limited use, resiliency and long-term reliability are important features. 
     Mobile stages are often an economical alternative to erecting a permanent stage at a site. The typical reasons for electing to use a mobile stage include temporary use, cost, and reliability. Cutting the costs of using a mobile stage provides additional incentive for using a mobile stage. The simplest way to cut costs would be to reduce the number of persons required to setup and operate the stage. Costs are also saved when the owner of a mobile stage knows the stage will last. These cost savings can be passed on to customers, increasing the incentive to use one mobile stage over another. 
     What is needed is a system of erecting a mobile stage featuring minimal labor, minimal time, and minimal wear on the mobile components. Heretofore there has not been a mobile stage tower-erecting apparatus with the capabilities of the invention presented herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a connection post, including a socket joint, connected to a shuttle cart on casters. The socket joint is capable of receiving a ball connection at the base of a structural tower. This connection allows a single operator to fully assemble a mobile performance stage with ease and with no damage to the stage deck. The tower shuttle allows the towers to be moved into position no matter the required direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the disclosed subject matter illustrating various objects and features thereof, wherein like references are generally numbered alike in the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a tower shuttle embodying an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view thereof taken generally along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3  and showing a ball-and-socket interconnection. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded, isometric view thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an initial step of erecting a mobile stage assembly comprising an aspect of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of an intermediate step of erecting the mobile stage assembly. 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a final step of erecting the mobile stage assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
     As required, detailed aspects of the disclosed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, base, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as oriented in the view being referred to. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention relies on the construction of a tower shuttle  17  using a connection post  1  mounted onto a shuttle cart  2 . The shuttle  17  is used in conjunction with a mobile stage  19  for erection and deconstruction of the stage. 
     II. Tower Shuttle  17   
     Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference numeral  17  generally refers to a tower shuttle.  FIGS. 1-5  demonstrate the assembly of the tower shuttle  17 . The shuttle  17  is comprised of a connection post  1  and a shuttle cart  2 . The connection post  1  may be manufactured from a section of plastic pipe or plastic rod. Ideally, the material must hold a significant amount of weight and be nearly wear-resistant. The preferred embodiment comprises a connection post  1  formed from a plastic rod coated in ceramic, such as the Ceram-Back® line of products manufactured by Progressive Products Inc. of Pittsburg, Kans. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the shuttle cart  2  is a square plastic cart including four plastic casters  4  attached to the cart  2  with plastic caster brackets  6 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  5 , the casters  4  are located on a ball bearing wheel base  9 , which allows the casters  4  to freely rotate 360°, permitting the cart  2  to travel in any desired direction. The connection post  1  is attached to the cart  2  using a securing bolt  7  and washer  8 . 
       FIG. 3  demonstrates the tower shuttle  17  in further detail. The connection post  1  includes a base  5  which may be of a larger diameter than the main body of the post  1 . The base  5  physically contacts the shuttle  2  to disburse the force of a supported tower downward, and includes a chamfered bottom edge  11 . The connection post  1  further includes a chamfered top face  10  and houses a socket joint  3  at the apex of the post  1 . The socket joint  3  is adapted for receiving a ball joint connected to an appropriate tower. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the tower shuttle  17  showing how the socket joint  3  accepts the ball joint  20  of a stage tower  18  or other structural element. The connection forms a ball-and-socket joint that allows the tower  18  to raise no matter which direction the shuttle  17  is pushed. 
       FIG. 5  shows the complete assembly of the tower shuttle  17  in an exploded view. The bolt  7  threads through the washer  8 , the bolt-hole  12  located in the shuttle cart  2 , and into the connection post  1 . This forms a rigid connection between the post  1  and the cart  2 . 
     III. Mobile Stage  19   
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , in an embodiment of the present invention a mobile stage  19  is hauled to a performance site and is erected thereon. In the preferred embodiment, the mobile stage  19  will transform from a trailer hauled by a truck or other vehicle into a fully functional temporary performance stage. 
     The mobile stage  19  includes a roof section  13 , roof wing  14 , side walls  25 , a rear wall  26 , a stage deck  15  suspended upon a number of retractable stage jacks  27 , and at least two towers  18 . As shown in the progression demonstrated by  FIGS. 6-8 , the roof wing  14  includes two attached towers  18 . As the towers  18  are moved from a starting, folded position in  FIG. 6  to a final, standing position in  FIG. 8 , the roof wing  14  fully extends over the stage deck  15 . This forms a complete stage with a roof covering for protecting performers and allowing lights and other equipment to be mounted above the performers. 
     The roof section  13  is also held suspended above the stage deck  15  via expanding pillars  23 . The pillars may expand using hydraulics, or other mechanical means; or they may expand as the towers  18  are moved into place. Once the roof section  13  is at an apex, and the towers  18  are in a final position, the expanding pillars  23  lock to maintain a final roof height. 
     Side walls  25  and a rear wall  26  are affixed to the roof section  13 . As the roof section  13  raises, the side walls  25  and rear wall  26  are also raised. These walls act to enclose the performance space of the mobile stage  19 . 
     Each tower  18  includes proximal and distal ends  22 ,  24 . The proximal end is attached to the roof wing  14  via a hinged connection. The distal end  24  includes a ball joint  20  capable of being seated into the socket joint  3  of the tower shuttle  17 . Once the tower ball joint  20  is connected to the tower shuttle  17 , the shuttle aids in moving the tower  18  from a folded position as shown in  FIG. 6  to a standing position as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     Upon the towers  18  and tower shuttles  17  reaching their final positions as indicated in  FIG. 8 , the tower  18  is disconnected from the tower shuttle  17 , and the tower ball joint  20  is attached to a socket joint  16  affixed to the stage deck  15 . This secures the tower  18  in a final standing position that will ensure the stage  19  remains structurally supported during the duration of the performance. 
     Once the performance has been completed, the mobile stage  19  must be deconstructed and returned to its mobile form. The tower  18  is disconnected from the stage mounted socket joint  16  and reseated into the tower shuttle  17 . The shuttle  17  will guide the towers  18  from the standing position indicated in  FIG. 8  back to a folded position indicated in  FIG. 6 . The roof section  13  and stage deck  15  may then be folded up and the mobile stage  19  transported to a new location. A standard trailer hitch  28  is affixed to the mobile stage  19  at an end, and allows the stage to be hauled by a standard truck or transport tractor. A number of wheels, not shown, may be affixed to the mobile stage  19  to accommodate transportation of the stage. 
     Because the mobile stage  19  may include hydraulic power for moving the towers into place, the person operating the stage simply ensures that the tower ball joints  20  are firmly seated into the shuttle socket joints  3 , and then activates the stage&#39;s hydraulics. The towers will move into position, where the operator can then transfer the tower  18  from the shuttle socket  3  to the stage mounted socket  16 . This allows a single operator to setup and deconstruct the entire mobile stage  19  without additional labor. 
     It will be appreciated that tower shuttle  17  can be used for various other applications. For example, the transforming structural element does not need to be a mobile performance stage  19 . The structural element could be a store-front which transforms from a closed position to an open position by erecting towers to support said store front. Moreover, the tower shuttle  17  can be compiled of additional elements or alternative elements to those mentioned herein, while returning similar results. 
     It is to be understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.