Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Wall- or floor-attached – Independent rung or step
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-20
2001-06-19
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Wall- or floor-attached
Independent rung or step
C256SDIG005, C256S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247553
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a step assembly for use by hunters and farmers who desire to climb over a fence having T-shaped posts. Usually, a fence having T-shaped posts has several strands of barbed wire spaced vertically along the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post each wire resting upon a protruding lug spaced along the outer surface of the flat cross bar. Climbing the T-shaped post cannot be accomplished as the lugs are too small to be engaged by a foot and crossing such a fence by trying to slide between the barbed wires often results in torn clothing and damage to the fence.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a “hunter's step” which has a generally T-shaped cross section to both the step and the upright leg and further has belt loop holes in extensions of the crossbar of the upright T adapted to receive a belt therethrough for wrapping around a tree or wood post. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,788 issued on Jan. 4, 1977, to Burgess, et al.
It is also known to provide a stile for placing alongside a post and securing it to the post with a pliable strap affixed to slot in the tube. The stile is substantially the same length as the post and has steps on either side for scaling the stile. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,142 issued on May 16, 1989 to Bernard McManus.
It is further known to provide one piece step for use on building timbers making a ladder out of a 2×4. An open U is adapted to engage the timber from one edge with teeth biting into the face of the timber. The step is a substantially square extension of one leg of the U and may be made from reinforcing bar. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,025 issued on Apr. 18, 1995 to Donald Nickel.
Finally, it is known to provide a step or step assembly which has a body recess for engaging a post lug. The step is placed between two post lugs and slid downwardly to engage the lug. The step may be a solid mass but may have a telescoping leg. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,542 issued on Jan. 22, 1999 to Robert Mason.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The steps recited in the prior art have certain drawbacks as some are too heavy to transport, others are adaptable to wood posts only and the one for T-shaped posts is bulky for carrying in a pocket. The step assembly of this invention overcomes the shortcomings of previous post steps with a substantially flat, foldable step assembly which readily fits in a hip pocket or a jacket pocket for ready use by a hunter, farmer or another wishing to scale a barbed wire fence having spaced apart T-shaped posts. Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence comprising at least one elongated wire affixed to multiple spaced apart T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is initially separate from the second step and is releasingly engageable thereto.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is releasingly lockable to the second step.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is disposed above the second step.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is releasingly lockable to the second step and comprises a protrusion on the first step engaging a recess on the second step.
Another object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is hingedly affixed to the second step on a first protruding tang at one edge of the first step and an opposing protruding tang on a second edge of the second step.
Still another object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the steps are disposed between adjacent protruding lugs on the T-shaped post wherein at least one the step having a portion thereof resting on a lower one of the adjacent protruding lugs.
Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step is hingedly affixed to the second step on a first protruding tang at one edge of the first step and an opposing protruding tang on a second edge of the second step and wherein the first step is releasingly lockable to the second step on a protrusion on a second protruding tang on an edge opposite the first tang of the first step and on an edge opposite the opposing protruding tang on a first edge of the second step.
A further object of this invention is to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising one step releasably engageable with another step, the one step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the another step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the one step is releasingly lockable to the another step.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the second step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the first step has an upright member affixed between the first protruding tang and the second protruding tang wherein the upright member is substantially perpendicular to a stepping surface of the step.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising a first step and a second step, the first step having an upright member affixed between a first protruding tang and a second protruding tang and has an aperture disposed through the upright member, the aperture engaging a protruding lug on the T-shaped post.
A further object of this invention is to provide a step assembly for use in climbing over a fence having T-shaped posts, the step assembly comprising one step releasably engageable with another step, the one step engaging the outer surface of the flat cross bar of the T-shaped post, the another step engaging the perpendicular leg of the T-shaped post wherein the one step is releasingly lockable to the another step, wherein t
Chin-Shue Alvin
Marsh Richard L.
LandOfFree
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