The need for temporary seating has t-aditionally been met by the provision of loose single chairs which can be linked together to form long rows.

The chairs need to be arranged in rows for use and then, when the chairs are no longer required, the chairs are individually stacked and stored. Such individual chairs are time-consuming to stack and link together. Additionally, it is difficult to achieve an accurate and consistent spacing between rows, the linked chairs often snaking out of regimented alignment both when being deployed and in use. Further, once the chairs have been deployed, it is extremely difficult to clean around the chairs owing to the multitude of legs. Another disadvantage of such a system is that the loose chairs and the linking systems are vulnerable to damage.

Recently in the United Kingdom, there has been a trend for chair layouts of 200 chairs or more to use floor bars to link the respective rows to one another. Floor bars are intended to prevent linked chairs from becoming scattered and blocking exit routes in the event of a panic situation. The addition of floor bars as an extra item in the deployment of a loose chair layout not only increases costs but also increases the amount of time required to deploy the chair layout.

As can be appreciated from Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, individual free standing chairs are space inefficient needing large row pitch dimensions to provide legal seatways, that is the gap between adjacent rows of chairs required to gain access to a row of chairs.

Venues where temporary seating layouts are required are school assembly halls, community and church halls, conference and concert halls and arenas.

Some attempts have been made to provide temporary flat floor seating arrangements and an example of such an attempt is shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. The seating arrangement comprises a pair of parallel rails which each have a plurality of upstanding welded posts equi- spaced along the rails. Seat supports are provided which have a spigot at either end for location in the respective posts. Three foldable seats are mounted on a beam on each seat support. The seat supports are located in and bridge each pair of parallel rails. A number of rows of seat supports are fixed to each pair of parallel rails so that the seating arrangement is self-supporting.

Whilst solving the problem of providing a regimented array of seating, the temporary seating arrangement described above in relation to Figures 3 and 4 cannot be assembled quickly and easily, is cumbersome and requires more than one person to effect assembly. Such assemblies are typically stored on bulky stillages and are not easily manoeuvred by an individual.

It is an object the present invention to provide a temporary flat floor seating arrangement which does not suffer from the above-mentioned problems and which can be assembled quickly, easily and preferably by just a single person.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a flat-floor seating arrangement comprising: a frame having two frame parts; a hinge to link the two frame parts together, the frame being foldable between a deployed condition in which both frame parts lie in substantially the same plane and a storage condition in which the frame is folded in two such that both frame parts lie in substantially adjacent planes; one or more seat folding mechanisms; and one or more seat assemblies carried on and attached to the seat folding mechanisms.

Preferably, the seat folding mechanism comprises a pivot and lock mechanism.

Conveniently, the pivot mechanism comprises a pin and guide slot arrangement and the lock mechanism comprises a drop in the guide slot to receive the pin.

Advantageously, the pivot and lock mechanism comprises a pin and arcuate guide slot.

Accordingly, the hinge includes mechanical assistance to assist in the folding or unfolding of the frame.

Preferably, the hinge includes one or more torsion bars, one end of the or each torsion bar being fixedly attached to one frame part and the other end of the or each torsion bar being fixedly attached to the other frame part.

Conveniently, a lifting handle is provided substantially at the midpoint between the ends of the frame.

Advantageously, an end of the frame is provided with a leg substantially at 90 degrees to the plane of the frame part to which the leg is attached.

Accordingly, a wheeled support is provided at the end of the leg.

Preferably, each frame part comprises a pair of substantially parallel floor rails and a pair of substantially parallel braces located towards the ends of the floor rails.

Conveniently, the floor rails traverse the seat ways defined between adjacent seat supports, each floor rail being provided with a non-trip cover.

Advantageously, the majority of the seat supports fold onto the frame in a first direction and one seat support, located toward one end of the frame, folds towards the frame in an opposite direction to the majority of the seat supports.

Accordingly, the seating arrangement, when in the storage condition, has a base which is nestable with a base of another seating arrangement according to any preceding claim.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a side view of conventional loose chairs arranged in rows; FIGURE 2 is a side view of a seating arrangement embodying the present invention ; FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a prior art seating arrangement in a deployed condition ; FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the prior art seating arrangement of Figure 3 in a storage condition; FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a seating arrangement embodying the present invention; FIGURE 6 is a perspective detail view of a folding mechanism for use with the seating arrangement embodying the present invention; FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a frame for use with a seating arrangement embodying the present invention; FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective detail view of the folding mechanism of Figure 6 for use with the seating arrangement embodying the present invention; FIGURE 9 is a perspective detail view of a further folding mechanism for use with the seating arrangement embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 10 is a side view of the seating arrangement of Figure 5 in a semi-deployed condition; FIGURE 11 is a side view of the seating arrangement of Figure 6, the majority of the seats being in a folded condition; FIGURE 12 is a front view of the seating arrangement of Figure 5 in a storage condition ; FIGURE 13 is a side view of the seating arrangement of Figure 5 in a storage condition; FIGURE 14 is a side view of four seating arrangements embodying the present invention nested together; FIGURE 15 is a view from above of four seating arrangements embodying the present invention arranged to provide seating for 80 people; and FIGURE 16 is an exploded perspective view of a hinge for use with a seating arrangement embodying the present invention.

Referring to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings, the illustrated example of a seating arrangement embodying the present invention comprises an elongate foldable frame 1 which carries five rows of seat supports 2. The seating arrangement is shown in a deployed condition in Figure 5. Each seat support 2 holds a row of four seat assemblies 3. A hinge 4 is provided midway along the length of the frame 1 to allow the frame 1 which is in two frame parts 5,6 to fold in two.

Each frame part 5,6 comprises a pair of floor rails 7 which are parallel to one another and spaced apart by braces 8 located at the ends of the floor rails 7.

The floor rails 7 and the braces 8 are manufactured from stainless steel tubing.

Preferably, the braces 8 are welded to the floor rails 7 to form a substantially square frame part 5,6.

The floor rails 7 on the first frame part 5 project past the end brace 8 at the hinge of the frame part. Additionally, an upwardly angled spur 9 projects from the end brace 8 at a position in close proximity to the projecting end of one of the floor rails 7. This arrangement is shown in more detail in exploded Figure 16. An aperture is provided in the end of the spur 9. Another upwardly angled spur 12 projects from the end brace 8 on the second frame part 6 and also has an aperture at its end. A C-section cap 10 sits over the ends of the two spurs 9,12. The cap 10 has a pair of apertures which register with the respective apertures on the ends of the spurs 9,12. A pair of pins pass through the respective apertures to lock the cap 10 on the ends of the spurs 9,12. The two pins through the cap 10 provide the two hinge points which make up hinge 11. A corresponding hinge is located at the other side of the frame 1 to mirror the above described hinge 11.

An elongate bar 13 of stainless steel has a block 13A welded thereto.

The block is elongate, substantially rectangular and extends at substantially 90 degrees to the bar 13. A spigot 13B is mounted on the block 13A and extends substantially parallel to the bar 13. The block 13A is welded to the top of the cap 10. At its ends, the solid bar 13 is bent through 90 degrees to provide a lifting handle 14 at either end of the bar. Referring back to Figure 6, a torsion spring is held on the spigot 13B. One end of the torsion spring extends from the bar and is held on the end brace 8 on the first frame part 5. The other end of the torsion spring is held on the end brace 8 on the second frame part 6.

Thus, the torsion spring is supported on the spigot 13B, one end thereof being fixed to each of the frame parts 5,6 so as to provide resistance to the folding of the two frame parts and to assist in the unfolding or deployment of the frame 1.

As most clearly seen in Figure 7, at opposite ends of the frame 1, the floor rails 7 terminate in upturned legs 15, i. e., the legs 15 extend at substantially 90 degrees to the plane of the first and second frame parts 5,6. A wheeled support comprising a castor 16 is provided on the end of each leg 15 facing away from the frame 1. Rather than the transition from the ends of the floor rails 7 to the legs 15 being a sharp corner, the transition is a smooth one, comprising a rounded outer surface provided with a low friction coating such as a Teflon coating. In other embodiments, the stays 38 extend past the corner of the leg and provide a rotatable anchor point for a wheel or roller. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a wheel or roller is mounted directly on the apex of the corner of the leg.

The floor rails 7 of the frame 1 lie across the seat ways, as shown in Figure 2, which will eventually be defined between the rows of seats provided by the seating arrangement embodying the present invention. People will, therefore, walk along the rows so, to avoid obstruction and the possibility of people tripping over the floor rails 7, each of the floor rails 7 is provided with a non-trip cover 17. The non-trip cover 17 is substantially triangular in section having a flat top 18, with sloped sides 19. The non-trip cover 17 is preferably manufactured from a plastics extrusion or from formed sheet metal. The non- trip covers 17 clip over and onto the floor rails 7.

In the example of the frame 1 shown in Figure 7, there is provision on the frame 1 for the attachment of five separate seat supports. Each seat support 2 is attached to the frame 1 by a pair of seat folding mechanisms 20. An example of a seat folding mechanism 20 is shown in detail in Figure 8.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, a seat support 2 for use with present invention is similar in construction to seat supports which are commonly used in retractable tiered seating arrangements. Each seat support comprises a longitudinal bar 21 having a plurality of uprights 22. The uprights 22 are evenly spaced apart along the longitudinal bar 21. In the example shown, there are four seat assemblies 3 to each seat support and thus there are five uprights 22. Each seat assembly 3 comprises a seat back 23 and a seat 24. The seat backs 23 are fixedly mounted between each pair of uprights 22 and the seats 24 are hingedly mounted between each pair of uprights, adjacent the longitudinal bar. The seats 24 can be hinged forwardly away from the seat backs 23 so as to lie at approximately 90 degrees to the seat backs 24.

Each seat support 2 has a pair of legs 25 which depend from the longitudinal bar 21. A foot 26 of each leg 25 is hingedly mounted on a floor rail 7 as will be described in detail below. Preferably, the legs 25 of the seat support 2 are centred immediately under the outermost of each of the seat assemblies 3.

Referring now to Figure 8, a seat folding mechanism 20 for use with this embodiment of the present invention comprises an elongate fin 27 projecting upwardly from a floor rail 7 having a pair of lugs 28 projecting from either side of the floor rail 7 below the fin 27. The lugs 28 are located toward one end of the fin. An elongate guide slot 29 is formed in the fin 27. The guide slot 29 runs substantially parallel to the floor rail 7. The opposite end of the fin to that at which the lugs 28 are located has a drop 30 cut therein. The non-trip cover 17 is provided with a central elongate slot 31 in its upper surface and two parallel slots 32 either side of the central slot in the opposite sloped surfaces 19 of the cover 17. The non-trip cover 17 is placed over the floor rail 7 such that the elongate fin 27 passes through the elongate slot 31 in the upper surface 18 of the cover.

The foot 26 of each leg 25 of the seat supports 2 carries a vertical groove 33 which allows the leg 25 to straddle the fin 27 such that a portion of the foot 26 is located on either side of the fin 27. A pin 34 passes through a first aperture 35 in the foot 26 and registers in the guide slot 29 in the fin 27. The aperture is located in a front corner of the foot 26. The pin 34 is fixed on either side of the foot 26 by C-clips 36 captured in annular grooves 37 at the ends of the pin 34. The pin 34 is able to move along the guide slot 29 and into the drop 30 in the guide slot. In this condition, when the seat support 2 is located in its upright position to provide seating, the foot 26 of the leg rests 25 flush on the top surface of the floor rail 7 and the pin 34 in the guide slot 29 is securely located in the drop 30.

An elongate stay 38 having an aperture 39,40 at either end is pivotally mounted at one end on one of the lugs 28 on the floor rail 7 and at the other end is pivotally mounted on a bolt 41 passing through a second aperture 42 in the foot 26 of the leg. The second aperture 42 is located above the groove 33 formed in the foot, adjacent a rear surface of the leg. An identical stay 38 is provided on the opposite side of the leg 25 and is mounted at one end to the other of the lugs 28 and at the other end to the same bolt 41. A spacer 43 is provided between each of the stays 38 and the leg to ensure that the stays 38 and the leg pivot in substantially parallel planes. The stays 38 pass through respective parallel slots 32 in the non-trip cover 17.

The seat folding mechanism 20 operates in the following manner. In the substantially upright condition of the seat support 2 as shown in Figure 6, the pin 34 is located in the drop 30 and the stays 38 run substantially at 45 degrees from the lugs 28 to the bolt 41 and are in tension from the weight of the seat support 2. In order to fold the seat support 2 down parallel with the frame 1, the seat support is lifted vertically such that the pin 34 rises out of the drop 30 and is then tilted backwards such that the pin 34 moves forwards along the guide slot 29 away from the drop 30. The rear of the seat support therefore lies on top of the frame 1.

Importantly, when the seat support 2 is folded down towards the frame 1, the seat support lies substantially parallel with the frame 1.

The above described folding mechanism 20 is one example of a simple pivot and lock mechanism. Other pivot and lock mechanisms are readily available to a person of normal skill in the art.

Referring now to Figure 5, the above described folding mechanism 20 is used for the first four seat supports. It will be appreciated that the fourth seat support from the front, when lying down parallel with the frame 1, terminates substantially at the end of the frame 1. There is still the fifth seat support to be folded and it is necessary, therefore, for this fifth seat support the fold down onto the fourth seat support within the confines of the frame 1. Accordingly, the fifth seat support uses a different folding mechanism 20A to the other seat supports 2.

The alternate folding mechanism 20A for the fifth seat support is shown in Figure 8. Referring now to Figure 8, it is to be appreciated that when the fifth seat support is folded onto the fourth seat support, it is necessary for the folding action to ensure that the fifth seat support, when lying parallel with the frame 1, is spaced apart from the frame 1 by the depth of the fourth seat support. The alternate folding mechanism 20A comprises a corner plate 44 located in the crook between the end of the floor rail 7 and the leg 15. The corner plate 44 has an arcuate guide slot 45 cut therein. The guide slot 45 goes through an arc of approximately 90 degrees.

The form of the foot 26 on the fifth seat support leg 25 is slightly different to the other seat support legs 25 in that the second aperture 42 is not provided at the back of the seat support but is provided at the front, immediately above the groove 33 cut in the foot 26 and substantially above the first aperture 35 holding the pin 34. In the upright position, the pin 34 in the alternate folding mechanism 20A sits at the lowest point in the arcuate guide slot 45 and abuts the end of the arcuate guide slot. The stays 38 are again attached to a bolt 41 passing through the second aperture in the foot 26 and are fixed at their other end to the apex 46 defined by the end of the floor rail 7 and the start of the leg 15. In this position, the stays are in compression. If desired, the end of the arcuate slot 45 can be provided with a drop 30 similar to the drop used in the other folding mechanism 20.

In use, the fifth seat support is folded parallel to the frame 1 by lifting the seat support upwardly so that the pin 34 is pulled out of the drop or away from the slot end and then pushing the seat support forwardly such that the pin rides up the arcuate guide slot. The use of an arcuate guide slot 45 ensures that the foot 26 of the seat support leg 25 moves upwardly as the seat support pivots forwardly. In fact, the distance between the bottom of the arcuate slot and the top of the artcuate slot is substantially equivalent to the depth of the fourth seat support when folded down onto the frame 1. Thus, the fifth seat support, when folded onto the fourth seat support lies substantially flush therewith as shown in Figure 10.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 10, the operation of a seating arrangement embodying the present invention will be described. The seating arrangement is deployed as shown in Figure 5. The individual seat supports 2 are shown with the seats 24 up such that the seats 24 lie substantially parallel with the seat backs 23. In this condition, each of the first, second, third and fourth seat supports 2 are sequentially lifted up and laid down parallel with the frame 1. Finally, the fifth seat support is lifted up and hinged forwardly as shown in Figure 11 until the fifth seat support lies flush on top of the fourth seat support.

With the seat supports 2 and the frame 1 lying flat, a single person grabs one lifting handle 14 and lifts the lifting handle 14 in a single vertical motion.

Since the lifting handle 14 is located at the midpoint/apex of the frame 1, any lateral forces are substantially cancelled. It will be appreciated that the opposite ends of the frame 1 begin to move closer together as the apex of the frame 1 is lifted. The ends of the floor rails 7 and the legs 15 are provided with a rounded outer contour having a low friction coating or the like so as to facilitate easy sliding of the two ends of the frame toward one another.

Eventually, as the apex of the frame is lifted up such that the first and second frame parts 5,6 are at substantially 80 degrees to one another as shown in Figure 10, the castors 16 carried on the ends of the legs 15 engage the ground and further facilitate the ease with which the two parts 5,6 of the frame 1 are brought together. At the end of the single lifting motion, the two parts 5,6 of the frame 1 lie substantially parallel to one another and, indeed, the floor rails 7 of the respective frame parts 5,6 abut one another along their lengths as shown in Figures 12 and 13. This is the substantially vertical storage condition of the seating arrangement.

Once in the storage configuration, the seating arrangements can be nested together as shown in Figure 14 which shows four nested seating arrangements. This is possible since the legs 15 of the frame 1 are toed in on one frame part 5 and turned out on the other frame part 6 so that the legs 15 on one frame 1 can fit within the legs of an adjacent frame 1 when in the storage configuration. Rather than toeing the legs in or out, the seating arrangements can simply be staggered in order to effect nesting.

The use of a torsion spring in the hinges linking the two frame parts 5,6 helps to reduce the amount of mechanical effort required by an individual to lift and fold the frame 1 using the lifting handle. A torsion spring is not, however, the only mechanical mechanism which can be used to facilitate the lifting movement. It is preferred to use one or more torsion bars extending across the width of the frame 1 in place of the pair of torsion springs described in the present example of the seating arrangement. One end of the torsion bar is fixedly mounted to a first frame part 5 and the other end of the torsion bar is fixedly mounted to the second frame part 6. It is envisaged that one end of the torsion bar would be keyed into a portion of the first frame part 5 and the other end of the torsion bar would be keyed into a portion of the second frame part 6.

Rather than having to key the portion bar into the respective frame parts, the torsion bar could be provided with orthogonally extending ends which can be welded to or otherwise fixed to respective frame parts so that the torsion bar provides assistance to folding of the frame 1. Cross-linked tension springs are also an option but the preferred option is the use of a torsion bar.

Mechanical assistance is preferably provided to aid deployment or folding of seating arrangements embodying the present invention. Typically, the weight of a seating arrangement embodying the present invention per seat place is in the order of 6 to 9 kilograms. With the provision of bulkier seats and upholstering, the weight of each seat place can increase up to in the region of 14 kilograms. It is therefore envisaged that an electric motor or the like can be used to provide powered assistance for the folding and/or deployment of seating arrangements.

The seat assemblies 3 shown in the illustrated examples are plastics injection moulded products although it is possible to use other materials. The seat assemblies 3 may also be upholstered depending upon the customer's requirements for the seating arrangement.

The above described example of the present invention uses a seat assembly 3 comprising a plurality of tipping chairs-a so-called"tipping chair assembly". It is also possible to secure individual folding chairs to a frame as described above. In this regard, the seat supports are not required and the folding chairs are fixed directly onto the seat folding mechanisms on the frame.

It should be appreciated that, whilst the example illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above comprises a seating arrangement having five rows of four seat assemblies, other configurations are possible such as four rows of three seat assemblies or five rows of five seat assemblies.

Figure 15 is a plan view illustrating an array of four seating arrangements embodying the present invention, and assembled by a single individual, to provide seating for eighty people.

Thus, seating arrangements according to the present invention solve many of the problems associated with the deployment and storage of loose chairs and also solve problems associated with previously proposed flat floor seating arrangements. In particular, seating arrangements embodying the present invention can be readily deployed by a single individual to create regimented seating arrangements very quickly and efficiently. As well as being easily deployed, seating arrangements embodying the present invention occupy very little space when in their storage condition. Further, the seating arrangements embodying the present invention automatically achieve accurate seat row spacings as well as offering better seatway spacings than are available when using conventional loose chairs.

In the present specification"comprise"means"includes or consists of' and"comprising"means"including or consisting of'.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.