Floor support arrangement

Claim 2

An improved floor support arrangement for theatrical, dancing and athletic activities comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. an inflatable pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means, said pneumatic support means substantially enclosed by said rigid support means; E. said rigid support means adapted for receiving and supporting a floor load transferred thereto from said inflated pneumatic support means; and F. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means for transferring said floor load from said pneumatic support means to said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means to said pneumatic support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported.

Claim 3

The floor support arrangement of claim 1 wherein said pneumatic support means comprises an enclosure having a flexible wall and said control means is adapted to supply a gaseous fluid to said enclosure for establishing a pressure in said enclosure at said flexible wall and for varying the pressure within said enclosure for selectively altering the resiliency of said supported floor.

Claim 4

The floor support arrangement of claim 2 wherein said rigid support means comprises a plurality of spaced apart elongated piers.

Claim 5

The floor support arrangement of claim 2 wherein said rigid support means comprises a plurality of spaced apart pillars.

Claim 6

The floor support arrangement of claim 2 wherein said pneumatic support means comprises an inflatable, flexible walled body.

Claim 7

The floor support arrangement of claim 5 wherein said inflatable body comprises an elongated bag.

Claim 8

The floor support arrangement of claim 5 wherein said inflatable body comprises a toroidally shaped bag.

Claim 9

The floor support arrangement of claim 2 wherein said enclosure includes at least one flexible, diaphragm surface member for supporting said floor.

Claim 10

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said pneumatic support means comprising an enclosure having a flexible wall and said control means is adapted to supply a gaseous fluid to said enclosure for establishing a pressure in said enclosure at said flexible wall for varying the pressure within said enclosure for selectively altering the resiliency of said supported floor; G. said enclosure including at least one flexible, diaphragm surface member for supporting said floor; and H. said flexible diaphragm surface member comprises a horizontally extending sheet of flexible material which extends in a vertical direction when said enclosure is pressurized and means for providing a gas tight seal between said diaphragm and members of said enclosure.

Claim 11

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said pneumatic support means comprising an enclosure having a flexible wall and said control means is adapted to supply a gaseous fluid to said enclosure for establishing a pressure in said enclosure at said flexible wall for varying the pressure within said enclosure for selectively altering the resiliency of said supported floor; G. said enclosure including at least one flexible, diaphragm surface member for supporting said floor; and H. said flexible diaphragm surface member comprises a horizontally extending sheet of flexible material which extends in a vertical direction when said enclosure is pressurized and means for providing a gas tight seal between said diaphragm and members of said enclosure.

Claim 12

The floor support arrangement of claim 9 wherein said wall members define an elongated volume.

Claim 13

The floor support arrangement of claim 9 wherein said wall members define a toroidally shaped enclosed volume.

Claim 14

The floor support arrangement of claim 2 wherein said rigid support means defines an elongated frame and said enclosure is positioned within said frame.

Claim 15

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. a rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said pneumatic support means comprising an enclosure having a flexible wall and said control means is adapted to supply a gaseous fluid to said enclosure for establishing a pressure in said enclosure at said flexible wall for varying the pressure within said enclosure for selectively altering the resiliency of said supported floor; G. said rigid support means defining an elongated frame and said enclosure is positioned within said frame; and, H. said frame including an apertured upper surface thereof and an intermediate support body is provided and is positioned on said flexible wall and extends through said apertured surface for supporting said floor.

Claim 16

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. a rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said pneumatic support means comprising an enclosure having a flexible wall and said control means is adapted to supply a gaseous fluid to said enclosure for establishing a pressure in said enclosure at said flexible wall for varying the pressure within said enclosure for selectively altering the resiliency of said supported floor; G. said rigid support means defining an elongated frame and said enclosure is positioned within said frame; and, H. said frame including an apertured upper surface thereof and an intermediate support body is provided and is positioned on said flexible wall and extends through said apertured surface for supporting said floor.

Claim 17

The floor support arrangement of claim 13 wherein said floor comprises a composite floor having a subfloor and a live load bearing surface positioned on said subfloor and said floor assembly is supported on said intermediate support member.

Claim 18

The floor support arrangement of claim 1 including a plurality of rigid support means and a plurality of pneumatic support means associated with each of said rigid support means and wherein said control means is adapted for independently varying the pressure of at least two of said pneumatic support means.

Claim 19

The floor support arrangement of claim 15 wherein said pneumatic support means comprises a plurality of elongated inflatable bags.

Claim 20

The floor support arrangement of claim 16 wherein said pneumatic support means comprises a plurality of toroidally shaped inflatable bags.

Claim 21

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said floor comprising a composite floor formed of independent segment areas; and, G. said rigid support and pneumatic support means are positioned for selectively varying the resilience of said floor segments.

Claim 22

An improved floor support arrangement comprising: A. a base platform having a surface thereof; B. a floor; C. rigid support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for rigidly supporting said floor above said base surface; D. pneumatic support means positioned between said base platform surface and said floor for vertically displacing and resiliently supporting said floor above said rigid support means; E. control means for selectively causing said pneumatic support means to seat said floor on said rigid support means or to displace said floor from said rigid support means whereby said floor is alternatively rigidly or resiliently supported; F. said floor comprising a composite floor formed of independent segment areas; and, G. said rigid support and pneumatic support means are positioned for selectively varying the resilience of said floor segments.