Patent ID: 8407943

Claim:
A bleacher seating system comprising: a plurality of deck portions, each of said deck portions configured to support one or more seats, said deck portions being movable relative to one another between a nested configuration in which said deck portions are arranged generally on top of one another, and an extended position in which a lower deck portion is extended outward from an upper deck portion so that the deck portions are arranged in a stepped manner; a lift mechanism for adjustably supporting a respective one of said deck portions at a support surface, wherein said lift mechanism is configured to selectively raise and lower said respective deck portion between a lowered position, a first raised position and a second raised position relative to the support surface; first and second stop members coupled to said lift mechanism; a lock mechanism for limiting lowering of a respective one of said deck portions when said respective deck portion is at one of said first and second raised positions, said lock mechanism comprising: a lock member having a proximal end portion that is pivotally coupled to said lift mechanism and pivotable between a locking position and an unlocking position, and a distal end portion configured to engage said stop members, said distal end portion of said lock member comprising (i) a first stop surface configured to selectively engage said first stop member when said respective deck portion is in said first raised position and said lock member is in said locking position, and (ii) a second stop surface that is spaced from said first stop surface and is configured to selectively engage said second stop member when said respective deck portion is in said second raised position and said lock member is in said locking position; and an actuator coupled between said lock member and said lift mechanism, wherein said actuator is operable to selectively pivot said lock member between said locking position and said unlocking position; wherein said lock mechanism is actuatable to mechanically limit or substantially preclude lowering of said deck portion responsive to said deck portion being moved to one of said first and second raised positions.