US2983968A - Free standing folding bleacher - Google Patents

Description

May 16,- 1961 I. T. WURN FREE STANDING FOLDING BLEACHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1957 INVENTOR.

09W 92am May 16, 1961 I. T. WURN.

FREE STANDING FOLDING BLEACHER 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed.Jan. 3, 1957 May 16, 196] l. 'r. WURN FREE STANDING FOLDING BLEACHER Filed Jan. 3, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Q7 Mm egdaaloze United States Patent p 2,983,968 FREE STANDING FOLDING BLEACHER Isadore T. Wum, Muskegon, Mich., assignor to Bruns wick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 3, 1957, set. No. 632,382

15 Claims. 01. 20-1126 This invention relates to a folding bleacher and, more particularly, to a folding bleacher which is free standing and which may be folded either forwardly toward the front frame or rearwardly toward the rear frame.

In the art ofyfolding bleachers, it has been necessary in the past to. firmly secure the tallest or rear frame rigidly to a vertical supporting surface so as to provide adequate load support for the structure when in an unfolded condition. Although such bleachers generally fold back against the vertical surface to greatly decrease the space required, there are many instances where it is desirable to have a bleacher that may be conveniently moved around or stored away without the necessity of unfastening it from a vertical supporting surface. There are also instances where there is no suitable supporting surface available at the location where it is desired to use the bleacher. In some instances, as when it may be, desired to use a folding bleacher alongside an indoor swimming pool to provide seats for fans during a swimming meet, it may be much more desirable to fold the bleacher toward the short or front frame so as to provide an area behind the folded bleacher for gym facilities than to fold it toward'the rear frame and provide a relatively useless area adjacent the edge of the pool. There are undoubtedly many other instances where it is desirable to have a folding bleacher which is free standing andable to support the desired number of persons safely without the need for a rigid vertical supporting sur-- face and one which may be folded together either forwardly or rearwardly.

An application of Richard J. Lappin, Robert I. Anderson, and Isadore T. Wurn, Serial No. 506,417, filed May 6, 1955,"now Patent Number 2,815,541, granted December 10, 1957, is directed to a folding bleacher structure of the typewherein the rear frame is rigidly secured to a vertical supporting surface and a floor surface. As hereinafter described, this .basic folding structure has been improved to provide a free standing and reversefolding bleacher of the type discussed.

It is, therefore, the general object of this invention to provide, a new and improved, folding bleacher.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved folding bleacher structure which is free standing and thus does not require the rear frame to be rigidly secured to a vertical supporting surface.

Another object of this invention is toprovide such a bleacher including a series of frames stepped in height, linkage means connected between frames and adapted to maintain them in parallel relation when the bleacher is folded and unfolded, and means for non-tiltably supporting one ofthe frames in a vertical position including a member extending transversely from near the base of the frame and having its free ,end supported by a leg.

, A further object of the invention is to provide such a bleacher-wherein the foldinglinkages between adjacent surface so that the bleacher may be folded either toward the front frame or toward the rear frame, and wherein means are provided at the rear of the bleacher to break the front linkage when it is desired to fold the bleacher toward the front frame.

A more detailed object of this invention is to provide such a bleacher wherein a collapsible diagonal brace extends from the vertically supported frame to one of the other frames, wherein means are provided on one of the linkages for breaking the brace upon folding of the bleacher, wherein a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers on a frame adjacent the vertically supported frame are engageable in tracks formed on said transversely extending members to maintain the adjacent frame parallel to the vertically supported frame during folding and unfolding of the bleacher, and wherein the rear frame front linkage breaking means includes a cable reel carried on the rear frame with the cable extending forwardly over rollers on intermediate frames and being connected to the most forward linkage, and pivotable means on the rear frame for exerting a pulling force on the cable to break the front linkage and allow the bleacher to be folded by pushing the rear frame toward the front frame.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken generally along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a broken side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary broken rear elevational view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken generally along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

While the invention is herein described in a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention to the specific forms and arrangements shown, it being contemplated that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The bleacher structures shown in Figs. 1 and 3 incorporate the basic elements of the bleacher disclosed in said pending application, Serial No. 506,417, filed May 6, 1955, now Patent Number 2,815,541, granted December 10, 1957. Therefore, in briefly describing the basic structure herein, as many of the same reference numerals as possible will be used as are used in the above identified application.

As shown in the drawings, the folding bleachers shown in Figs. 1 and 3 include a series of frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear. The rear or tallest frame is identified by the reference letter A with the other frames being indicated by letters B, C, D, and E, proceeding toward the front or shortest frame. Each frame has a seat board '38 rigidly sup ported at the upper end thereof with a skirt board 114 extending generally downwardly therefrom.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, frame A includes a series of vertical tubular members 2 which are secured in spaced relationship by a series of bracing members 3. Each of the other frames is similar in structure to frame A. For convenience in further describing this invention, one end of the folding bleacher, as shown in Figs. 1 'and 3, will be described, it being understood that the other end is identical in structure to the end described.

Disposed between adjacent frames are folding linkages, the elements of which will be identified by the same reference numerals used in describing the elements of 42 and 56 with a vertically extending link 68'connected: between lll'lkS 40 and 42. The upper link 52 supports.

a foot board 84 whichis disposed horizontally when the bleacher is unfolded and vertically when the bleacher is:

folded. The link 42 has a hook portion 43 extending beyond the pivoted connection with link 56 so as to provide an over-center lock means. Each of the upper links 40 carries a spring-urged latch member 88 which engages a pin 94 on the upper link 52 to lock the bleacher in an open position. When the bleacher is folded, the lower links 42 and 56 are'adapted to bebroken'first by an angled bracket 172 carried on the next forward linkage which is adapted to engage a bell crank arm 176 formed on the link 56. When the lower links 42 and 56 are broken, the vertical link 68 is raised, and, as a result of a pin 80 and slot 76 connection with the upper link 40, the latch member 88 is released, thereby ale lowing the links 40 and 52 to be broken.

A hook member 144 carried on each of the intermediate frames is adapted to engage a pin 146 carried on the next rearward frame to latch the bleacher in a folded condition. The hook members 144 are connected through springs 148 to the upper links 40 so that when the preceding linkage is opened the hook members 144 are released from the pins 146 to permit the bleacher to be opened, each of the linkages being unfolded prog, ressively from the front to the rear of the bleacher. With this construction, if it is desirable, only the first few rows of seats may be unfolded and the bleacher will be safe for use.

Extending upwardly from'each upper link 40 is a link 110 which is connected to links 106 and 108 which are operably connected to the skirt board 114, these links being operable while the bleacher is being folded to shift the skirt board; 114from an out-of-the-way position below the seat board 38 to a forwardly inclined position so as to provide a substantially continuous inclined front closure for the folded bleacher.

To provide sufficient stabilization for the bleachers to enable them to be free standing in either a folded or unfolded condition, additional supporting means are included. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a diagonal brace 206 including a first relatively short portion 207 and a second relatively long portion 208 vpivotably connected together at 209 extend diagonally downwardly from the rear frame A to a forward frame. The long portion 208 has a hook portion 208a extending beyond the pivot 209 to provide an over-center lock for the brace 206. In bleachers having a relatively few number of frames,.such as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, this diagonal brace may extend forwardly to the next immediateforward frame, or frame B. But, in bleachers having arelatively larger number of frames, such as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the diagonal brace extends forwardly to the second frame forward of the rear frame A, or frame C, to provide the necessary support.

In order to provide means for breaking the diagonal brace 206 when the bleacher is folded, a chain .210 is is connected between the longer portion 208 of the diagonal brace and the vertical link member 68 of the linkage immediately to the rear of the forward connection of the diagonal brace 206. As shown in the drawings, the vertical link 68 to which the chain 210 is connected in the embodiment of Fig. 1 is a part of the folding linkage between frames A and B, and the vertical link 68 to which the chain 210 is connected in the embodiment of Fig. 3 is a part of the folding linkage between frames B and C. Thus, the upward movement of the link 68 when the bleacher is being folded acts to breakthe diagonal brace 206 and thus allows the bleacher to be fully folded. A tension spring 211 connected'between the portion .207 of thediagonal brace 206 andthe 4 rear frame A tends to maintain the brace 206 in a fully extended condition when the bleacher is unfolded.

In a bleacher structure of the type herein described, the folding linkage provided between each pair of frames acts to maintain the frames parallel to each other when the bleacher is folded, and particularly, when the bleacher is unfolded in a fully extended position. In a folding bleacher structure having this folding linkage connecting adjacent frames and wherein the rear or tallest frame is secured rigidly against a vertical supporting-surface,-

the forward frames when they are folded and'unfolded will remain parallel to the rear frame. With a folding bleacher which isintendedto be free standing, it is necessary to render one of the frames (the rear frame in the embodiments shown) free standing in an upright or vertical position without securing it to a vertical surface. With the rear frame supported in a vertical plane, the other frames will be maintained parallel thereto when the bleacher is folded and unfolded by the previously described folding linkages.

The means provided for rendering the rear frame free standing includes a beam member 214 extending forward horizontally from the rear frame A, near the base of which it is rigidly secured, with the forward or free end of the beam member 214 being supported on a leg 215 mounted on a floor roller 216. The distance that the beam 214 extends forwardly from the rear frame is determined by the height of each rear frame and the number of frames of each particular bleacher embodiment so as toprovide the necessary free standing support. Thus, the length of the beam member 214 in each bleacher embodiment will probably differ to provide the necessary free standing support therefor, but in no case will the beam. member 214 extend beyond-the front of the bleacher when fully folded.

In order to provide additional means for rendering rear frame A free standing and means for maintaining the next forward frame, or frame B, parallel to frame A, a pair of rollers 218 and 219 spaced longitudinally of the beam member 24 are rotatably mounted on a supporting bar 220 which are rigidly secured to frame B and are adapted to be engageable in a track formed either on the beam member 214 or an extension thereof. Free standing of the rear frame A depends to a great extenton the inter-action of .the rear two frames A and B throughthe beam member 214 and the rollers 218 and 219.

In the embodiment of the track and roller arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the track or beam member 214 extends approximately half way toward'frame B with the rollers 218 and 219'on frame B engaging an extension member 221 of the track 214. The extension track member 221 is slidably mounted on the track member 214 by means of a pin 222, Figs. 1 and 2, which is carried on the extension member 221 and slidable in an elongated slot 223 formed in the track member 214. This construction is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A projecting. member 224 secured to the frame B is adapted to engage an abutment 225on the extension member 221 to slide the-extension member 221 along the track 214' as the bleacher is folded.

In the embodiment of the track and'roller arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the track or beam member 214 extends horizontally forward slightly beyond frame B with the spaced rollers 218 and 219 on the frame B'being directly engaged 'with the track' member 214.

-It is noted that, in both of the bleacherremb odiments, a small roller 236 is provided on the front or shortest frame. In a folded condition, these rollers 236 are adapted to be supported on top of the previously described track members 214 disposed between frames A' and B to..provide.further stabilization of the foldedbleacher.

As previously described herein,.this bleacher is one in which in order to be folded, the first-or front linkage must bebroken first. After the front linkage has been broken; the .otherlinkages are. broken;automatically; and

pro ressively from the front of the bleacher to the rear of thebleacheras a result. of. each folding linkage having the angled bracket 172 adapted, as it is being folded, to break thenext rearward linkage.

' As this free standing bleacher may be used in locations whereit may-be desirable to fold the bleacher toward the front frame, as well as locations where it is desirable to fold the bleacher toward the rearframe, which is the usualo'r normal manner, this structure has been adapted for use in either circumstance. i

The embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to be folded, as is most usual, by pushing the front frame toward the rear frame. In this embodiment, the rear frame A has-a flat, non-skid, floor supporting shoe 240'which projects slightly rearwardly beyond the rear frame A and has a diagonal brace 241 extending from its non secured end upwardly to the rear frame A. This supporting shoe 240 preferably hasa series of rubber inserts disposed in itsloWer'face 242 which effectively anchor the frame to the floor surface. The front frame has the same floor latch mechanism disclosed inthe beforeidentifiedapplication, including a plunger 154 and a floor engaging pad 156 operable through the pivoted skirt board 142 and the associated links 164 and 166. When the skirt board 142 is pivoted downwardly, the links 164 and I166 force the plunger 154 and floor engaging pad 156 downwardly against the action of a spring 160 to anchor the front frame to the floor.

To fold this bleacher embodiment, the front frame floor latch is first released, the linkage between the two front frames is then broken manually by slightly raising the foot board, and the front frame is pushed rearwardly. The other linkages, as previously described, are progressively broken andthe bleacher is latched in a folded condition.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 3 is adapted to be folded by pushing the rear frame toward the front frame which is adapted to be anchored to a floor surface by a bracket 245. As the front linkage must still be broken first, means are provided for breaking the front linkage from the rear frame A of the bleacher which is supported on a floor roller 246. This means includes a cable reel 247 mounted on the rear frame A and having a cable 248 wound thereon. The cable 248 extends from the reel 247 over a pulley 249 mounted on a member 250, forwardly to a pulley 251 mounted on the frame immediately behind the front frame, upwardly over a pulley 252 mounted directly beneath the seat board 38 on the frame immediately. behind the front frame and then downwardly where it is connected to the front or forwardmost linkage at 253." Thus, a backward pull on the cable 248 will exert an upward force on the forwardmost linkage, breaking it andpermitting the bleacher to be folded by pushing the rear frame toward the front frame, the other linkages being broken progressively from front to rear, as previously described.

The means for exerting a pull on the cable 248 is best shownin Fig. 5 The member 250 carrying the pulley 249 is pivotably connected to a member 25011 which is mounted on aboard 254 pivotably mounted on the rear frame. Thus, whenthe board 254 is pivoted upwardly, the pulley 249 swings slightly downwardly and rearwardly to the position shown by broken lines whereupon the cable 248 has been pulled sufl'iciently to break the most forwardly linkage. A cable stop 255 secured to thecable 248 is engageable with the pulley 249 to insure that a pull is exerted on the. forwardly extending portion of the cable 248 rather than having additional cable unwound from the reel 247. The cable reel 247 is spring wound so that, when the bleacher is folded the cable 248 is automatically Wound up on the reel 247. e

The board 254 which is pivotably mounted on the rear 'framel A by hinges 256 also acts to operate a floor latch mechanism on the rear frame A similar to the floor las wer an; th at mw t s smb si s t of Fig. 1. This rear frame floor latch 'mechanism:in'- cludes a plunger 257, a floor engaging pad 258, a spring 259 and operating links'260 and 261. This floor latch mechanism is adapted to aid in maintaining this embodiment of the bleacher in an open condition.

As shown in Fig. 4, the board 254 hingedly mounted on the rear frame A extends the length of the bleacher.- Although not shown, a vertical covering board member may be secured against the whole back side of the rear frame A to provide a rear closure for thisembodiment of the folding bleacher. It is also noted from Fig. 4 that the reel 247 and cable'248 are positioned approximately half way between the ends of the bleacher structure so as to provide a more" effective front linkage breaking means. I

I claim:

1. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of seat supporting frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, a folding linkage arrangement connected between each pair of adjacent frames, means locking each linkage arrangement in an open condition when the bleacher is in unfolded condition, means. on each linkage arrangement operable While being folded to break the next rearward linkage arrangement so that the linkage arrangements are automatically broken progressively from the front to the rear of the bleacher, said linkage arrangements adapted to maintain each frame parallel to the next rearward frame when the bleacher is folded and unfolded, means for rendering the two rear frames free standing in an upright position so that it is not necessary to secure the rear frame rigidly to a vertical supporting surface, said means comprising a beam member secured near the lower end of the rear frame and extending forward approximately to the next frame, a supporting leg member for the free end of said beam member, and a pair of rollers on said next frame spaced longitudinally of the beam member and engageable in tracks formed on said beam member, a pivotably connected two piece diagonal brace extending downwardly from the rear frame to a forwardly frame and adapted to be latched in a fully extended position by an overcenter locking means when the bleacher is in unfolded condition to provide free standing support, and a chain on said brace connected to the linkage arrangement im-' mediately to the rear of the forward connection of said brace adapted when said linkage arrangement is being folded to break said diagonal brace. i '2. In a bleacher of the type described in claim 1 a non-skid supporting shoe for the rear frame adapted to anchor the free standing rear frame in a predetermined position so that the bleacher may be folded by breaking the most forward linkage arrangement manually and pushing the front frame toward the rear frame.

3. In a bleacher of the type described in claim 1 means for folding thebleacher by pushing the rear frame toward the front frame comprising means for anchoring the front frame in a predetermined position and means for breaking the most forwardly linkage arrangement from the rear of the bleacher, said latter means comprising a cable reel mounted on the rear frame with the cable extending forwardly over a series of pulleys and connected to the most forwardly linkage arrangement, said pulleys and cable being so arranged that a back ward pull on the cable exerts an upward pull on said most forwardly linkage arrangement and permits the bleacher to be folded by pushingthe rear frame toward the front frame. 7

4. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of upright floor supported seat supporting frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, a member extending rigidly horizontally forward from the rear frame near the base thereof and having its forward end supported by the floor so as to aid in supporting'the rear frame in a vertical position against tilting in a for.- ward direction, roller means carried on the frame. immediately forward of the rear frame and engageable in tracks on said member for aiding in supporting the rear frame in a vertical position against tilting in a rearward direction and for maintaining said forward frame parallel to said rear frame at all times, extensible means connected between adjacent frames and adapted to maintain the frames parallel to the rear frame when the bleacher isfolded and unfolded, and a collapsible diagonal brace extending downwardly from the rear frame to a forwardly frame and adapted to be fully extended when the bleacher is unfolded.

5. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of upright floor supported seat supporting frames increasingprogressively in height from front to rear, a folding linkage between adjacent frames with each linkage having means for latching it in an open condition when the bleacher is unfolded, a member on each linkage adapted upon being folded to unlatch and break the next rearward linkage so that in folding the bleacher the linkages are automatically broken progressively from the front to therear ofthe bleacher, said linkages adapted to maintain each frame parallel to the next rearward frame when the bleacher is folded and unfolded, and means for rendering the rear frame free standing to eliminate the necessity of rigidly securing it to a vertical supporting surface, said means comprising a beam member rigidly secured to the rear frame near the base thereof and extending forwardly to a free end, a floor supported leg member supporting said free end of the beam member and a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers on the next forward frame engageable in tracks on said beam member to prevent rearward tilting of the rear frame, said rollers on said one frame engageable with tracks on said beam member additionally acting to maintain said one frame parallel to the rear frame as the bleacher is folded and unfolded.

6. In a folding bleacher of the type described in claim 5, a diagonal brace connected between said rear free standing frame and one of the other frames, said brace comprising two members pivotally connected together and adapted to be fully extended when the bleacher is open, and chain means connected between said brace and one of said folding linkage means for breaking the brace as the bleacher is closed.

7. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of upright floor supported seat supporting frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, extensible means connected between adjacent frames for folding and unfolding the bleacher, and means non-tiltably supporting'the rear frame in a vertical position, said means comprising a horizontal beam member rigidly secured to said rear frame and extending forwardly thereof with a free end, a floor supported leg member supporting the free end of the beam member, and guide roller means on another frame engageable with an upwardly facing surface of said horizontal member to prevent rearward tilting of the rear frame, said extensible means adapted to maintain the other frames parallel to said vertically supported frame when the bleacher is folded and unfolded.

8. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of upright floor supported seat supporting frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, a member extending rigidly horizontally forward from the rear frame near the base thereof and having its forward end supported on the floor so as to aid in rendering the rear frame free standing against tilting movement forwardly, said member being provided with tracks, guide roller means on a forwardly disposed frame engageable with an upwardly facing surface of said tracks for aiding in rendering the rear frame free standing against tilting movement rearwardly and for maintaining said forwardly disposed frame parallel to said rear frame at all times, and folding linkages connected between adjacent frames and adapted to maintain the frames parallel to the rear frame when: they are folded and when they'are unfolded.

9: Azbleacher ofthe typedescribed in claim=8 having 8 a roller carried on the front frame'and adapted: to be supported on said' horizontal member when. the' bleacher is closed;

10. A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of upright fioor supported frames increasing progressively in height from front to'rear, folding linkage means between adjacent frames for opening and closing. the bleacher, a brace extending diagonally downwardly from the'tallest frame to a forwardly frame, said brace having two parts pivotably connected to'gether'and'adapted to be fully extended when the bleacher is open and pivoted together when the bleacher is closed, a horizontal member rigidly secured to the tallest frame near the base thereof and extending. forwardly therefrom, floor supported leg means supporting the forward end of saidmember, meansv carried on the-next forward frame and slidably engageable with said member to maintain said. tallest frame and: said forward frame parallel to each other and vertical, floor rollers supporting all of the frames except the tallest'frame', and non-skid shoe means on the tallest frame engageable with a supporting surface to provide non-movable support for the tallest frame and to permit the forward frames to be folded against the tallest frame.

11. A folding bleacher comprising, a series of uprightfioor supported frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, a member secured to the rear frame near the base thereof and extending transversely forwardly therefrom and having at the free end a floor supported leg so as to provide free standing support for said one frame against forward tilting means carried on the next forward frame slidably engaging said member to prevent rearward tilting of the rear frame, folding linkages connected between adjacent frames for folding adjacent frames against each other and maintaining said frames parallel to said rear frame when the bleacher is folded and unfolded, means for locking the linkages in an open condition, means on each linkage for progressively breaking the next rearward linkage as the bleacher is folded, means accessible at the rear of the bleacher for breaking the front linkage from the rear of the bleacher, and means for preventing the front frame from sliding on a supporting floor surface so that the-bleacher may be folded by actuating saidfront linkage breaking means and pushing the rear frame toward the front frame.

12. A folding bleacher as described in claim 11 wherein said breaking means comprises pulleys mounted on the rear and intermediate'frames, a cable reel fastened to the rear frame having. a cable extending forwardly over the pulleys mounted on the rear and intermediate frames and being connected so as to exert an upward breaking force on said front linkage when pulled backwardly, one of said cable pulleys being mounted on a member pivotably connected to said rear frame whereupon movement of said pivotable member on the rear frame exerts a backward pull on the cable and breaks said front linkage.

13.,A free standing folding bleacher comprising, a series of frames increasing progressively. in height from front to rear and carrying seatboards on the upper ends thereof, folding linkages connected between adjacent frames for maintaining adjacent frames parallel, means for maintaining said linkages in open positions when the bleacher is extended, means on each. linkage operable during a folding operation to release the next rearward linkage so that in folding the bleacher the linkages are folded progressively from front to rear, floor rollers supporting each frame except the rear frame, a non-skid supporting shoe disposed at the base of the rear frame, a two-piece pivotably connected diagonal brace extending from the rear frame downwardly to a forwardly frame, said brace being. latched fully open when the bleacher is unfolded and folded upon itself when the bleacher is closed, chain means on said brace connected to the folding linkage immediately rearward of the forward connection of said diagonal brace for breaking sa'id brace as said linkage is folded, a track extending horizontally" for ward from the lower portion of the rear frame, a floor supported leg supporting the forward end of said track to provide free standing support for the rear frame, means carried on the next forward frame and engageable with said track to prevent rearward tilting of the rear frame and to maintain said forward frame parallel to the rear frame during folding and unfolding of the bleacher, and means carried on the front frame and adapted to be supported on said track when the bleacher is folded.

14. A folding bleacher, comprising, a series of upright frames increasing progressively in height from front to rear, a series of folding linkages connected between adjacent frames for folding adjacent frames against each other and maintaining said frames parallel when the bleacher is folded and unfolded, means for locking the linkages in an unfolded condition, breaker means attached to the frontmost linkage of the series and including an actuator at the rearmost frame of the bleacher for breaking the frontmost linkage from the rear of the bleacher, means on each linkage for progressively breaking succeeding rearwardly disposed linkages as the bleacher is folded, and means for preventing the frame at one extreme of the series of linkages from sliding on a supporting floor surface so that the bleacher may be folded from the rear thereof by actuating said breaking means for the frontmost linkage and thereafter causing relative movement between the frontmost and rearmost frames to successively break the rearwardly disposed linkages, said breaker means comprising pulleys mounted on certain of the bleacher frames, a cable reel at the rearmost frame having a cable extending toward the frontmost frame over said pulleys and connected to exert an upward breaking force on said frontmost linkage when pulled toward said rearmost frame, and a manually accessible actuator at the rearmost frame operable to pull the cable toward the rearmost frame to break the frontmost linkage.

15. A folding bleacher as described in claim 14, wherein said cable reel is spring wound to yieldably draw said cable toward said rearmost frame with less force than that required to break the frontmost linkage but with sufiicient force to wind the cable when the bleacher is folded, wherein said actuator includes a pivoted link means on said rearmost frame carrying one of said pulleys and pivotable on the rearmost frame to move said one pulley rearwardly, and including a cable stop on said cable engageable with said one pulley between the pulley and the reel to cause the cable to be pulled away from the frontmost frame rather than off the reel when the pulley is moved rearwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mackintosh Dec. 24, 1957

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