Patent US1523351A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3908787A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Portable acoustical shell and riser structure
Assignee: Wenger Corp
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Filing: 1974-10-09
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A portable acoustical shell and riser structure including a step unit with a pivotal linkage frame system movable between an operative position with a series of vertically-spaced steps and a compacted position wherein floor-engaging wheels are positioned for floor engagement and an acoustical shell pivotally hinged to the step unit for movement between a transport position wherein the acoustical shell is closely spaced to the step unit for movement of the entire structure to various locations on the floor-engaging wheels and for storage. Additionally, the acoustical shell can be moved to an operative position extending generally upright and at an angle to the step unit whereby performers, such as a choral group, may stand on the steps and with the acoustical shell enhancing the sound. The structure additionally has mechanisms for placing parts of the acoustical shell at a desired angle relative to each other and a filler panel assembly for spanning the space between adjacent structures and with further mechanisms to assure locking of the components in operative use positions and to assure a fixed relation between the components when the structure is being transported on the floor-engaging wheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerry A Wenger
- 👤 David L Paine
- 👤 Harvey M Urch
- 👤 Ronald C Dobrunz
- 👤 Ronald N Probst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:35
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04H; E04H3/00; E04H3/10; E04H3/12; E04H3/126; E04B; E04B1/00; E04B1/62; E04B1/74; E04B1/82; E04B1/8227; E04B1/8236; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/20; E04B1/84; E04B2001/8414
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A portable acoustical shell and riser structure including a step unit having a pivotal linkage system movable between transport and operative positions and having floor-engaging wheels positioned for floor engagement in the transport position and a series of vertically-spaced steps for use in the operative position, an acoustical shell, and means for piviotally hinging said acoustical shell to said step unit for movement between a transport position in closely spaced relation to said step unit and an operative position extending generally upright and at an angle to said step unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A portable acoustical shell and riser structure including a step unit having a pivotal linkage system movable between transport and operative positions and having floor-engaging wheels positioned for floor engagement in the transport position and a series of vertically-spaced steps for use in the operative position, an acoustical shell, and means for piviotally hinging said acoustical shell to said step unit for movement between a transport position in closely spaced relation to said step unit and an operative position extending generally upright and at an angle to said step unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said pivotal hinge means carries additional floor-engaging wheels to provide added stability in transport.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 including means for latching said acoustical shell to said step unit in both of said shell positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said acoustical shell includes upper and lower panels with said pivotal hinge means connected to said lower panel, second hinge means pivotally connecting said upper panel to said lower panel, and means for locking said upper panel at one of a plurality of different angles with respect to said lower panel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said locking means includes a spring loaded lock pin on one part of said second hinge means and a series of lock pin receiving openings on a second part of said second hinge means and which are arcuately disposed about a pivot axis for said two parts of the second hinge means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A structure as defined in claim 4 including a filler panel assembly for extension laterally of said acoustical shell when the latter is in operative position to close the gap between acoustical shells of two of said structures positioned adjacent to each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said filler panel assembly includes upper and lower pivotally interconnected filler panels generally coextensive with the upper and lower shell panels, and said lower filler panel and shell panel being vertically hinged together along an adjacent edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
a structure as defined in claim 7 including a filler panel latch for holding said filler panels in folded back-to-back relation with the acoustical shell when in transport position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structure as defined in claim 8 including means mounting said filler panel latch for engagement with a filler panel of an adjacent structure when two of said structures are positioned adjacent each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said upper filler panel and upper shell panel are movable independently of each other and means for holding said last-mentioned parts in overlapped fixed relation and in variable amounts to set the angle of the lower filler panel relative to said lower shell panel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
175 words
A portable acoustical shell structure including upper and lower shell panels, hinge means interconnecting said shell panels for movement between a transport position wherein the panels are in face-to-face relation and an operative position wherein the upper shell panel extends upwardly from the lower shell panel, means associated with the hinge means for locking said panels in any one of several different angular relations, a filler panel assembly including upper and lower filler panels hinged together along adjacent edges, said lower filler panel being hinged to said lower shell panel along adjacent edges and an axis extending heightwise thereof, means for latching said filler panel assembly to said lower shell panel for transport with said filler panels in face-to-face relation, and means for locking said upper filler panel to said upper shell panel when in operative position with the filler panels extended laterally of the shell panels and with varying degrees of overlap dependent upon the angularity of the lower filler panel to the lower shell panel, and floor-engaging rollers for transport of said structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
175 words
A portable acoustical shell structure including upper and lower shell panels, hinge means interconnecting said shell panels for movement between a transport position wherein the panels are in face-to-face relation and an operative position wherein the upper shell panel extends upwardly from the lower shell panel, means associated with the hinge means for locking said panels in any one of several different angular relations, a filler panel assembly including upper and lower filler panels hinged together along adjacent edges, said lower filler panel being hinged to said lower shell panel along adjacent edges and an axis extending heightwise thereof, means for latching said filler panel assembly to said lower shell panel for transport with said filler panels in face-to-face relation, and means for locking said upper filler panel to said upper shell panel when in operative position with the filler panels extended laterally of the shell panels and with varying degrees of overlap dependent upon the angularity of the lower filler panel to the lower shell panel, and floor-engaging rollers for transport of said structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A sTructure as defined in claim 11 wherein said filler panel latching means includes a latch member pivoted to said lower shell panel and extendable beyond a rear face of the lower shell panel to engage a filler panel, said latch member also being engageable with an operatively positioned filler panel of an adjacent structure when a plurality of said structures are associated in use.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A structure as defined in claim 11 including a step unit, means hinging said shell structure to said step unit, and said floor-engaging rollers being both on said step unit and on said shell structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A structure as defined in claim 13 wherein said last-mentioned hinging means permits disposition of said shell structure adjacent said step unit for transport and extension of the shell structure upwardly from the step unit in operative position, and locking means associated with the hinging means to maintain the last-mentioned relation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
273 words
A portable acoustical shell and riser structure including a step unit having a pivotal linkage frame system movable between transport and operative positions and having floor-engaging wheels positioned for floor engagement in the transport position and a series of vertically-spaced steps for use in the operative position, an acoustical shell, means for pivotally hinging said acoustical shell to said step unit for movement between a transport position in closely spaced relation to said step unit and an operative position extending generally upright and at an angle to said step unit, said acoustical shell having upper and lower shell panels hinged together along an adjacent edge by hinge structure, detent means associated with the hinge structure for the shell panels and engageable in a selected one of a plurality of arcuately arranged openings in a hinge member of said hinge structure for locating the upper shell panel at a predetermined angle relative to the lower shell panel, releasable means for locking the acoustical shell to the step unit when in said transport position, releasable means for locking the acoustical shell in operative position relative to said step unit, and a filler panel assembly including upper and lower filler panels positioned to extend laterally from the acoustical shell panels when in operative position and with the lower filler panel hinged to the lower shell panel along an adjacent edge, and means for connecting the upper filler panel to the upper shell panel at different locations with differing degrees of overlap between said latter panels to cause and be dependent upon the desired orientation of the lower filler panel relative to the lower acoustical shell panel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
273 words
A portable acoustical shell and riser structure including a step unit having a pivotal linkage frame system movable between transport and operative positions and having floor-engaging wheels positioned for floor engagement in the transport position and a series of vertically-spaced steps for use in the operative position, an acoustical shell, means for pivotally hinging said acoustical shell to said step unit for movement between a transport position in closely spaced relation to said step unit and an operative position extending generally upright and at an angle to said step unit, said acoustical shell having upper and lower shell panels hinged together along an adjacent edge by hinge structure, detent means associated with the hinge structure for the shell panels and engageable in a selected one of a plurality of arcuately arranged openings in a hinge member of said hinge structure for locating the upper shell panel at a predetermined angle relative to the lower shell panel, releasable means for locking the acoustical shell to the step unit when in said transport position, releasable means for locking the acoustical shell in operative position relative to said step unit, and a filler panel assembly including upper and lower filler panels positioned to extend laterally from the acoustical shell panels when in operative position and with the lower filler panel hinged to the lower shell panel along an adjacent edge, and means for connecting the upper filler panel to the upper shell panel at different locations with differing degrees of overlap between said latter panels to cause and be dependent upon the desired orientation of the lower filler panel relative to the lower acoustical shell panel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
58 words
A structure as defined in claim 15 wherein said means pivotally hinging the acoustical shell to the step unit includes arms connected to the acoustical shell, and floor-engaging wheels carried by said arms to be positioned at a distance from the floor-engaging wheels of the riser structure to provide added stability in transport and storage of the structure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |