Portable riser apparatus having a lifting and locking assembly

1. A portable riser including a plurality of riser decks having a deck frame with a first end and an opposite second end and a first and second support legs, the portable riser having a collapsed position and an upright position, the portable riser comprising:

a user-actuated lifting assist assembly including a telescoping cross-brace having a variable length, the cross-brace comprising an outer tube receiving an inner tube and a gas cylinder interiorly coupled to the inner tube and the outer tube, the cross-brace and the gas cylinder coupled to the first end of the deck frame at one end and an attachment point on the first support leg at a second end such that the cross brace and the gas cylinder rotate about the attachment point when the riser is moved between an upright position and a collapsed position, whereby the length of the cross-brace changes as the riser moves between a collapsed position and an upright position such that when the riser is in the collapsed position the length of the cross-brace is less than the length of the cross-brace when the riser is in the upright position, wherein the gas cylinder generates a substantially horizontal extending force when the riser is in a collapsed position and generates an upward extending force when the first end of the riser deck is raised a sufficient amount to rotate the gas cylinder such that the gas cylinder extends generally upward from the attachment point, the lifting assist assembly providing a lifting force to move the portable riser to an upright position.

2. The portable riser of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first pivot mechanism coupled to the first support leg and adapted to initiate upward movement of the portable riser from the collapsed position upon introduction of a downward force by a user on the first support leg; and,

a second pivot mechanism coupled to the second support leg and adapted to supplement the upward movement.

3. The portable riser of claim 2 , wherein said first pivot mechanism comprises a set of wheeled caster brackets attached to the first support leg and corresponding pivot bracket wheels.

4. The portable riser of claim 3 , wherein the second pivot mechanism comprises a U-shaped cross bar attached to an exterior section of the second support leg.

5. The portable riser of claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer tubes have a substantially square or rectangular cross section configuration.

6. A portable riser including a plurality of riser decks having a deck frame with a first end and an opposite second end and first and second support legs, the portable riser having a collapsed position and an upright position, the portable riser comprising:

a user-actuated lifting assist assembly including a telescoping cross-brace having a variable length, the cross-brace comprising an outer tube receiving an inner tube and a gas cylinder interiorly coupled to the inner tube and the outer tube, the cross-brace and the gas cylinder coupled to the first end of the deck frame at one end and an attachment point on the first support leg at a second end such that the cross brace and the gas cylinder rotate about the attachment point when the riser is moved between an upright position and a collapsed position, whereby the length of the cross-brace changes as the riser moves between a collapsed position and an upright position such that when the riser is in the collapsed position the length of the cross-brace is less than the length of the cross-brace when the riser is in the upright position.

7. The portable riser of claim 6 wherein the gas cylinder is compressed when the riser is in a collapsed position.