U.S. patent application number 11/703985 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-14 for portable construction staircase.
Invention is credited to David Muti.
Application Number | 20080190049 11/703985 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39684658 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080190049 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Muti; David |
August 14, 2008 |
Portable construction staircase
Abstract
A portable staircase for use at construction sites that
comprises fold-down railings to facilitate transport from one
construction site to the next. The portable staircase includes a
plurality of horizontal treads supported by stringers. Handrails
are provided which pivotally connect to the stringer utilizing a
plurality of handrail support posts. A permanent pivot pin
pivotally connects the handrail to each of the handrail support
posts. Another permanent pivot pin pivotally connects each of the
handrail support posts to the stringer. The handrail can be locked
into one of two pre-selected positions: a first folded-down
position to facilitate transportation and a second upright position
for use at construction sites. Two removable pins may be employed
to lock the handrail in position: a first removable pin to lock the
handrail support post to the stringer and a second removable pin to
lock the handrail support post to the handrail in the up and usable
position.
Inventors: |
Muti; David; (Mountain
Lakes, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Daniel Kirshner;Attorney at Law, LLC
199 Route 18 South
E Brunswick
NJ
08816
US
|
Family ID: |
39684658 |
Appl. No.: |
11/703985 |
Filed: |
February 8, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/183 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 27/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/183 |
International
Class: |
E04F 11/00 20060101
E04F011/00 |
Claims
1. A portable temporary staircase comprising: a plurality of
treads; a stringer supporting said plurality of treads; at least
one handrail support post pivotally attached to said stringer, said
handrail support post pivotally attached to a handrail, wherein
said handrail pivots between a first pre-selected position for
transportation and a second pre-selected position for use; and at
least one removable pin, said pin utilized to lock said handrail in
one of the two said pre-selected positions.
2. The portable temporary staircase of claim 1 wherein said
handrail is locked into one of the two pre-selected position
utilizing two removable pins.
3. The portable temporary staircase of claim 1 wherein said
plurality of treads are formed as honeycombs.
4. The portable temporary staircase of claim 1 wherein when said
handrail is in its pre-selected position for transportation, said
handrail is substantially parallel to said stringer.
5. A portable temporary staircase comprising at least one handrail,
wherein said handrail pivots between a first pre-selected position
for transportation and a second pre-selected position for use.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is a portable staircase for use at
construction sites and more specifically a portable staircase which
includes a hand railing which can be folded down to facilitate
transportation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is a portable staircase that can be
utilized by contractors or construction crews at construction
sites. Many contractors that renovate homes and/or build new homes
or other structures must climb ladders to go from one floor to the
next during the construction phase. This method of ascending floors
remains in place until either a temporary staircase is built or the
permanent staircase is installed. These contractors, homeowners,
designers and inspectors do not like or feel safe climbing these
ladders, but they have little choice until the permanent stairs are
installed.
[0003] There are many prior art prefabricated staircases already on
the market, but none of them address the portability issue that has
been resolved by the present invention. These prior art temporary
staircases are typically extremely heavy, and more importantly,
bulky. As such, they are difficult to transport, and virtually
impossible for a contractor to relocate from one job site to the
next. One example of such a prefabricated stairway system is
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,234 B1 issued to Marshall and
dated Oct. 22, 2002. This is exemplary of other such prefabricated
stairway systems. One inventor has addressed the issue of temporary
stairway systems at construction sites (U.S. Pat. No. 6,826,875 B2
issued to Hasse on Dec. 7, 2004.) In comparison with the present
invention, Hasse does not successfully address the portability
problem that is resolved by the present invention disclosed
herein.
[0004] Thus, it is the objection of the present invention to
provide a temporary staircase for use at constructions sites. The
temporary staircase of the present invention is relatively light
and easy to transport, due to the inclusion of fold-down handrails.
The temporary staircase can be transported by two people and takes
only a few minutes to set up. Thus, the contractors, homeowners,
inspectors or others who must go from one floor to the next during
the construction phase are presented with a safe method of doing
so.
[0005] Such are the objectives of the present invention portable
staircase. Other objectives, advantages and novel features, and
further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set
forth in the detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to
those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may
be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages
of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the
instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is a portable staircase for use at
construction sites that comprises fold-down railings to facilitate
transport from one construction site to the next. The portable
staircase includes a plurality of horizontal treads supported by
stringers. At least one handrail is provided which is pivotally
connected to the stringer utilizing a plurality of handrail support
posts. A permanent pivot pin pivotally connects the handrail to
each of the handrail support posts. Another permanent pivot pin
pivotally connects each of the handrail support posts to the
stringer. The handrail can be locked into one of two pre-selected
positions: a first folded-down position to facilitate
transportation and a second upright position for use at
construction sites. The stringer, handrail posts and handrail are
all predrilled with pin-receiving holes in order to lock the
handrail in its chosen position utilizing a removable pin. If
desired, two removable pins may be employed to lock the handrail in
position: a first removable pin to lock the handrail support post
to the stringer and a second removable pin to lock the handrail
support post to the handrail in the up and usable position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] For a better understanding of the invention, reference is
made herein to the following description of an exemplary embodiment
thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention
construction staircase.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the present invention
construction staircase.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing one of the
handrail support posts and with the handrail in its folded down
position for transportation.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing one of the
handrail support posts and with the handrail in its upright usable
position.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the bottom of one
of the handrail support posts and its connection to a stringer.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing the top of one of
the handrail support posts and its connection to the handrail with
the handrail in its upright usable position.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view showing the top of one of
the handrail support posts and its connection to the handrail with
the handrail in its folded down position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to the figures, the present invention is a
portable temporary staircase 10 for use at construction sites or
the like. The temporary staircase of the present invention includes
a fold-down railing so that the staircase unit can more readily be
transported from one job site to the next.
[0016] The construction staircase of the present invention includes
a plurality of horizontal tread members 20 supported by a plurality
of stringers 22 each step typically having a standard 8'' rise and
10'' run. The width of each horizontal tread member is typically
30'' although staircases having other dimensions are within the
scope of this disclosure. The horizontal tread members are formed
as a honeycomb to provide improved traction and to reduce
transportation weight. The staircase is installed to run from the
lower deck (floor) 24 to the floor joist of the next deck 26 and is
nailed in place by adjustable flanges to the upper deck floor
joist. At the bottom of stringers are attached vulcanized rubber
pads which rest on the lower deck and assist in securing the
stringers thereto.
[0017] The portable construction staircase includes at least one
fold-down railing (the unit may be provided with two railings, one
for each side of the horizontal tread, if desired) so that the
staircase can be transported with the railing in the folded-down
position for ease of transportation. The folded-down transport
condition of the present invention is best depicted in FIG. 3. Once
the staircase reaches its location at the construction site, the
railing is folded up into its upright usable condition giving
people a handgrip while climbing or descending the stairs. The
upright usable condition for use at construction sites is best
depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4.
[0018] The fold down railing includes at least one handrail 28
which when in its upright position is substantially parallel to the
top edge of the stringer. Usually, in its upright position each
handrail will be approximately 3 feet above the horizontal treads.
Extending downward from the handrail or handrails is a plurality of
handrail support posts 30 to connect the handrail handrails to the
stringers. The handrail is attached to the handrail support posts
permanently and pivotally through the use of pins. Likewise, the
support posts are permanently and pivotally attached the stringer
using pins. Moreover, the handrail is adjustably locked into the
appropriate position, either the transport position or the upright
in-use position, through use of at least one removable pin and
appropriately-located pre-drilled pin-receiving holes.
[0019] The handrail support posts connect permanently to the
stringer by way of pivoting connection. As best viewed in FIGS. 3,
4 and 5 a permanent pivot pin 32 pivotally connects the bottoms of
the handrail support posts to the stringers at the pivot points 34.
The stringer and the handrail support posts are pre-drilled with
pin-receiving holes of a predetermined size and configuration and
the permanent pivot pin is threaded through both holes. A pin lock
or nut is utilized to permanently secure each pivot pin in place
thus permitting the support post to pivot about the pivot pin and
can thus pivot between the transport position and the upright,
in-use position.
[0020] A removable pin 36 is provided which is used to secure the
railing in either of its two selected position (the transport
position, and the upright, in-use position.) In order to prevent
the pin from being misplaced during transportation, the removable
pin is permanently attached to the stringer. Specifically, the
removable pin is attached to a wire 38 which wire is then
permanently welded or otherwise attached to the stringer. A hole 40
is drilled through the handrail support post for receiving the
removable pin.
[0021] A first hole 42 for receiving the removable pin is drilled
into the stringer near the bottom permanent pin 32 location. The
removable pin is utilized to secure one of the handrail posts to
the stringer when the post is in its upright (in-use) condition by
insertion of the removable pin through the hole 40 in the support
post and into the first removable pin hole location. The first
removable pin location is adjacent to the permanent bottom pin
location, several inches directly above it. The stringer, as well
as the handrail support post, are both pre-drilled with holes 42 of
appropriate size and configuration to receive the removable pin
36.
[0022] A second removable pin receiving hole 44 is drilled into the
stringer for locking the handrail in position for transport (see
FIG. 4). This second pin receiving hole is positioned slightly
below and to the side of hole so that the handrail is locked into a
position for transportation having the handrail substantially
parallel to the stringer and resting upon it thus facilitation
transport as seen in FIG. 3.
[0023] The disclosure now turns to the pivoting connection between
the top of the handrail support posts 30 and the handrail 28 which
is best viewed in FIG. 6. A permanent pivot pin 46 pivotally
connects the tops of the handrail support posts to the handrail.
The support posts and the handrail are pre-drilled with holes of
appropriate size and configuration and the permanent pivot pin is
threaded through both holes. A pin lock or nut is utilized to
permanently secure the pivot pin in place thus permitting the
support post to pivot about the pivot pin.
[0024] A plate 48 is welded to the top of the handrail support post
wherein the plate is predrilled with two pin receiving holes 50 to
receive a removable pin. The two pin receiving holes are formed
into the plate at a first location to lock the handrail in an
upright usable position and a second location to lock the handrail
in its transport position.
[0025] To transport the present invention portable staircase, the
removable pins are removed and the railing its folded down into its
transport position, with the handrail parallel to and lying next to
the stringer. Now, the removable pins are inserted into the
appropriate pin receiving holes to lock the railing in transport
position. Once the portable staircase arrives at the construction
site and placed into position rising from the lower floor to the
next upper floor, the removable pins are again removed and handrail
is reinstated to its upright, in-use position. Next, the removable
pins are placed in the second set of pin-receiving holes, thereby
locking the handrail in its in-use position. Finally, the top
horizontal tread and/or stringer is nailed to the upper floor joist
to secure the staircase into position using adjustable flanges.
[0026] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the
principles and preferred embodiment of the invention. Furthermore,
since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to one
skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the
exact construction, operation and embodiment shown and described,
and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be
resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *