Temporary viewing platforms

Abstract

A modular construction kit adapted to construct both a hexagonal and an elongate linear shaped horizontal free-standing temporary viewing platform and combinations thereof, the modular construction kit comprising a plurality of components adapted to be attachable and detachable from each other whereby the temporary viewing platform can be readily constructed and taken apart, the plurality of components comprising: a plurality of support legs, each support leg being at least six feet long; a plurality of floor plates, comprising at least six floor plates having an equilateral triangular shape or an isosceles trapezoid shape; a plurality of handrail elements adapted to be mounted around a circumference of the temporary viewing platform for preventing a user from falling over an edge of the temporary viewing platform; and at least one stair frame adapted to be mounted to the temporary viewing platform whereby a user can climb the stair frame to access the temporary viewing platform.

1 . A modular construction kit adapted to construct both a hexagonal and an elongate linear shaped horizontal free-standing temporary viewing platform and combinations thereof, the modular construction kit comprising a plurality of components adapted to be attachable and detachable from each other whereby the temporary viewing platform can be readily constructed and taken apart, the plurality of components comprising:
 a plurality of support legs, each support leg being at least six feet (1.829 meters) long;   a plurality of floor plates, comprising at least six floor plates having an equilateral triangular shape or an isosceles trapezoid shape;   a plurality of handrail elements adapted to be mounted around a circumference of the temporary viewing platform for preventing a user from falling over an edge of the temporary viewing platform; and   at least one stair frame adapted to be mounted to the temporary viewing platform whereby a user can climb the stair frame to access the temporary viewing platform.   
     
     
         2 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of floor plates comprises at least twenty four floor plates having an equilateral triangular shape. 
     
     
         3 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of floor plates comprises at least six floor plates having an equilateral triangular shape and at least six floor plates having an isosceles trapezoid shape. 
     
     
         4 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of floor plates comprises at least eight floor plates having an isosceles trapezoid shape. 
     
     
         5 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of floor plates further comprises at least one floor plate having a hexagonal shape. 
     
     
         6 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of floor frame elements adapted to be coupled to an upper portion of the support legs, in order to form a floor frame which can be hexagonal or linear in shape, the floor frame elements being adapted to receive the floor plates when constructed into a floor frame and the plurality of handrail elements being adapted to be mounted to the floor frame elements around a circumference of the floor frame. 
     
     
         7 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the floor frame elements is a beam having a length which is a multiple n of the length of a side of the floor plates, n being an integer greater than or equal to 1. 
     
     
         8 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of floor frame elements comprises a first set of beams comprising at least twelve beams of equal length for constructing a hexagonal floor frame comprising six side beams and six radial beams. 
     
     
         9 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of floor frame elements further comprises a second set of beams comprising at least six beams of equal length which are shorter than the beams of the first set for constructing a hexagonal ring of cross beams within the hexagonal floor frame. 
     
     
         10 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the beams of the second set are shorter than the beams of the first set by an amount equal to the length of a side of the floor plates. 
     
     
         11 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of floor frame elements further comprises a third set of beams comprising at least six beams of equal length which are shorter than the beams of the second set for constructing a hexagonal ring of cross beams within the hexagonal floor frame. 
     
     
         12 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 11 , wherein the third set of beams are shorter than the second set of beams by an amount equal to the length of the sides of the equilateral triangular floor plates. 
     
     
         13 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the floor frame elements is a beam comprising a raised ridge extending along a centre of an upper side thereof for receiving and aligning the equilateral triangular floor plates. 
     
     
         14 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the floor frame elements is a beam comprising a plurality of holes therethrough. 
     
     
         15 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the floor frame elements is a beam having an I-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         16 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of floor frame elements comprise a plurality of elongate beams. 
     
     
         17 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 6 , further comprising a connector for connecting the plurality of floor frame elements in order to form the floor frame, the connector comprising two complementary parts: a first part comprising a plate having a protrusion extending from a side thereof and a hole disposed over, and spaced apart from, the protrusion; and a second part comprising a plate having a complementary hook for engaging the protrusion of the first part and a hole disposed over, and spaced apart from, the hook, whereby when the hook is engaged with the protrusion it forms a rotatable linkage which can be rotated to align the holes in the first and second parts such that a pin can be inserted through the first and second parts to couple the first and second parts in a fixed orientation. 
     
     
         18 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 17 , wherein the first or second part of the connector comprises six plates extending radially outwards from a central connection at 60° angles. 
     
     
         19 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 18 , wherein the first or second part of the connector comprises a back plate forming a T-shaped connector part. 
     
     
         20 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the floor plates are adapted to be coupled to each other in order to form a floor structure which is self supporting whereby a further supporting floor frame structure is not needed. 
     
     
         21 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 20 , wherein the floor plates are adapted to be coupled to each other using nuts and bolts, snap-fit type connections, or complementary male and female type connections. 
     
     
         22 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1  or  6 , wherein the support legs are at least 7, 8 or 9 feet (2.134, 2.438 or 2.743 meters) long. 
     
     
         23 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1  or  6 , wherein the support legs are extendable to at least 6, 7, 8 or 9 feet (1.829, 2.134, 2.438 or 2.743 meters) in length. 
     
     
         24 . A modular construction kit according to  claim 1  or  6 , wherein at least some components of the modular construction kit are made of a composite comprising a mixture of carbon and glass fibre. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A free-standing temporary viewing platform constructed using the modular construction kit according to  claims 1  or  6 , comprising a hexagonal viewing platform, an elongate linear viewing platform, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . A free-standing temporary viewing platform according to  claim 26 , wherein the support legs are spaced at least 6 feet apart.