Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Wall- or floor-attached – Retractable or collapsible beneath floor – track-mounted
Patent
1989-10-10
1991-04-23
Machado, Reinaldo P.
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Wall- or floor-attached
Retractable or collapsible beneath floor, track-mounted
182 35, 182129, 182159, E06C 1387
Patent
active
050092820
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention is concerned with folding steps.
Folding steps are used in kitchens, warehouses, offices and the like where an elevated cupboard or shelf cannot be easily reached by someone standing on the ground. Folding steps are employed where floor space is limited, the steps being generally folded so as to take up a minimum of floor space, with the step portion(s) folded so as to lie in a substantially vertical plane when in the stowed condition.
I have now devised a folding step which can be stored underneath work units, cupboards or the like.
According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a folding step structure, which comprises: surface; points towards one end of said base member, between a first limit position in which said step member is disposed substantially parallel to, and closely spaced from, said ground surface at a location towards the other end of said base member, in which limit position said frame structure is in close juxtaposition to said base member, and a second limit position in which said step member is supported above said base member; and limit position.
The step structure according to the invention is particularly suitable for stowing under a cupboard, a kitchen unit (such as a cooker), a bedroom unit (such as a wardrobe), a filing cabinet, a shelf unit or the like. It is particularly preferred that the step structure should be arranged to slide out from under the cupboard or the like in the manner of a drawer, for which purpose, runners are preferably provided in the plinth under the cupboard or the like. The step structure may be provided with means for raising the step member as the structure is pulled out from underneath the cupboard or the like.
The frame structure is typically pivotally connected both to the base member and to the step member; the frame structure may comprise opposed pairs of side struts, each of said pairs being pivotally connected to one edge of the step member.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a preferred embodiment of step structure, in folded condition, ready for stowing under a cupboard;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the step structure of FIG. 1, with the step in partly raised position;
FIG. 3 is a further side elevation of the step structure of FIG. 1, with the step fully raised;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the step structure in the folded condition of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the step structure in the raised condition of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a side elevation showing certain modifications to the device of FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a generally horizontal ground surface 1 on which is placed a cupboard 2 having a cupboard floor 3 supported by a plinth 4 such that there is a space 5 beneath the cupboard 2 extending from a building wall 6 to the plinth 4.
Slidably locatable in the space 5 is a step structure indicated generally by numeral 7. The step structure is located on runners 8 each running substantially along the entire depth of the space beneath cupboard 2. Step structure 10 comprises a base 11 having legs 12,13; a step 14; and a frame 15. Leg 12 typically has a rubber foot 12a to prevent slippage of the step when in the raised position Base 11 has an elongate groove along the length thereof (not shown) such that it can slide along runner 8.
In the position shown in FIG. 1, step 14 is generally parallel to base 11 and to the ground surface; the opposite edges 16,17 of step 14 are connected to frame 15 at a pair of pivot points 18,19. The other ends of frame 15 are connected to base 11 at a pair of pivot points 20,21. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the entire step structure 10 can be retracted beneath the cupboard, leavlng a fascia 22 which matches the plinth 4.
The way in which the step can be elevated is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which like parts are denoted by like reference numerals. The step 14 is moved about arc A, while the end 23 of brac
REFERENCES:
patent: 538145 (1895-04-01), Allen
patent: 1681879 (1928-08-01), Putnam
patent: 3311190 (1967-03-01), Naumann
patent: 3481429 (1969-12-01), Gaede
patent: 4135604 (1979-01-01), Ryan
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