CN1997800A - Loft ladder assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

The attic staircase assembly 10 includes a retractable collapsible staircase 12 combined with a frame 14 for mounting the staircase 12 into a hatchway. The frame 14 includes mounting supports 14a which are secured in use to the hatch to which the uppermost portion of the staircase 12 is pivotally attached and to which brackets 14b are pivotally attached for supporting the staircase in its stowed position. 12, and prevent the stairs 12 from extending accidentally.

Description

Attic Stair Components

technical field

The invention relates to a loft staircase assembly

Background technique

Hatch doors are generally located in the ceiling to provide access to the attic or roof space of a building. Attic stairs are also known, which are stored in the roof space and can be deployed by pulling downwards after opening the hatch door.

Common attic stairs are usually extendable. This means that a staircase consists of two (sometimes three) stair sections arranged in different planes, which slide relative to each other and are lockable to each other in nested and extended positions. Even after telescoping the two parts, they are longer than the hatch door. Therefore, usually in order to stow a staircase, it first has to be lifted into the attic and then pivoted so that its lower end passes through the hatch. A nested staircase generally pivots about an axis near its center so that the staircase is approximately balanced. As a result the staircase maintains its horizontal position in the attic when the hatch door is opened, and to deploy the staircase the user must first pivot the lower end of the hatch and then manually release the various window hooks to extend it to the floor.

Since such stairs are not very compact, they have the disadvantage of occupying roof space even in their telescopic state. It is thus preferable to form a retractable folding staircase, wherein the stiles consist of parts that can be folded over each other, as described in EP-B1-0 527 766. Such stairs are more compact than extendable stairs when they are folded, and can be made small enough to fit entirely into a hatch.

However, if the top rung of the telescopic collapsible staircase is pivotally mounted on one side of the hatch, it will drop when the hatch door is opened, and expand itself under its own weight. This can injure unsuspecting users.

Contents of the invention

The present invention therefore provides an attic staircase assembly which fits within a hatch without taking up attic space and which can be easily and safely deployed and stowed.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a mezzanine staircase assembly comprising a retractable collapsible staircase for mounting the staircase in a hatch in combination with a frame comprising mounting brackets fixed in use to the hatch, the uppermost portion of the staircase pivoting Axially connected to the mounting support, the bracket is pivotally connected to the mounting support to support the dead weight of the staircase in the stowed position and prevent the staircase from extending accidentally.

To prevent the stair from stretching under its own weight, the bracket is provided with means for releasably engaging the lowermost part of the stair, the means comprising a pair of hooks for receiving a lug projecting laterally from the lowermost part of the stair.

The bracket is preferably attached to the mounting bracket by at least one spring, the spring urging the bracket into the stowed position against the weight of the stairs. Each spring should conveniently be attached to the mounting bracket and bracket in such a way as an over-centre toggle spring, urging the bracket away from the stairway when the stairway is unfolded.

Telescoping collapsible stairs are preferably constructed as described in EP-B1-0 527 766, in particular the stairs may be provided with locking pins in the steps which are spring biased to move laterally outwardly into the entry stiles to lock the sections of the stile together when the stair is in the extended position, the locking pin of the next higher part of the stair is retracted when the step brings the locking pin close to the step below it. When composed in this way, the staircase will naturally open downward from the top when its lowermost part is released from the brackets, and gradually fold upwards from the lowermost part when it is lifted into the stowed position.

Description of drawings

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to accompanying drawing and embodiment, wherein:

1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the attic staircase assembly of the present invention in its stowed position;

Figure 2 is a side view of the attic staircase assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the attic stair assembly with brackets down into a vertical position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of the staircase in the deployed position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the attic staircase assembly of the present invention in a partially downward position;

Figure 6 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 in a deployed position;

Figure 7 is a side view of the attic staircase assembly of Figure 6;

8 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the attic staircase assembly of the present invention in a stowed position;

Figure 9 is a side view of the attic staircase assembly of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the attic staircase assembly of Figure 8 in a partially downward position;

Figure 11 is a side view of the attic stair assembly of Figure 8 with the brackets down into the vertical position;

Figure 12 is a view similar to that of Figure 11 in a deployed position;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the attic staircase assembly of the present invention in a stowed position;

14 is a side view of the attic staircase assembly of FIG. 13 in a deployed position.

Detailed ways

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of an attic staircase assembly 10 comprising a retractable collapsible staircase 12 and a frame 14 for mounting the staircase in a hatch. The frame 14 is formed by a mounting bracket 14a and a bracket 14b pivotable relative to the mounting bracket 14a between a horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 and a vertical position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 . Two coil springs 16a and 16b act as toggle springs to bias the bracket 14b into its two end positions, as will be described below.

Figures 1-14 show in particular a hatch having three walls 40 forming the hatch. In the embodiment shown the frame 14 is mounted on one of the walls 40, but could also be mounted on the hatch door.

Staircase 12 is of the same construction as a conventional retractable staircase, currently commercially available under the brand name Telesteps ^(R) . Whilst the invention prefers a staircase of this construction, the invention does not primarily consist of this and is therefore not described in detail in the context of the invention. Further details on the internal structure of the staircase 12 can be found in document EP-B1-0 527 766 .

The Telesteps ^(R) brand staircase is preferred because it folds up from the bottom rather than down from the top. In particular the staircase has locking pins in its steps which are spring biased to move laterally outwardly into holes in the stiles so as to lock with portions of the stiles when the stairs are in the extended position. When the two rungs are together, the lower rung bears on two short bars 26 (the second lowermost rung in Figure 13) which depend from the upper rung so that the locking pin formed in the upper rung is released from the The door stiles retracted. This causes the next higher section of the stair to fold over, and this is repeated step by step until all sections are folded up from the bottom.

Each rung of the staircase has two transverse projecting flanges 24 which engage hooks 22 protruding from the bracket 14b. After the staircase is fully folded, the flange 24 of the second lowermost rung 33 can be raised onto the hook 22, which prevents the staircase from extending under its own weight.

The uppermost part of the staircase is pivotable relative to the mounting bracket 14a about a pin 28 which passes through two short legs 20 projecting from the mounting bracket 14a. Likewise, the bracket 14b is pivotable about a pin 18 which passes through two short ears 30 projecting from the mounting bracket 14a.

Springs 16a and 16b are connected to support 14a and bracket 14b in such a way that the bracket pivots downward from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 to the vertical position shown in FIG. The end and the pivot pin 18 lie on a straight line. In this position, the length of the spring is maximum and a force is applied to the bracket to move the bracket towards this position as it is adjacent in either direction. Springs 16a and 16b, on the other hand, have a toggle action that urges bracket 14b away from the off-center position. Thus, the stand can be stably held in the horizontal and vertical positions by the springs 16a and 16b.

In use, the stair assembly is secured by screwing or bolting the mounting brackets 14a to the ceiling joists surrounding and defining the hatch. When the hatch door 60 (shown only in FIGS. 12-14 ) is hinged or moved open, the attic stair assembly is present in the hatch in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 . In this state, the spring applies a moment to the bracket 14b slightly greater than the sum of the dead weight of the staircase 12 and the bracket 14b, so that the attic stair assembly remains in the hatchway after the hatch door is opened.

To deploy the stairs, bracket 14b is pivoted downward against the action of springs 16a and 16b by pulling strap 32 downward (as shown in Figures 3 and 4). This operation does not require much power due to the leverage of the bracket 14b. The eccentric position of the bracket pivots to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, from which it can be seen that the lines of action of the springs 16a and 16b move to the opposite side of the pin 18, so that the bracket 14b will be held stably at this moment. Vertical position, and needn't rely on the assistance of stair 12 dead weights.

When storing a staircase, a gap is maintained between the top two rungs. This allows the user to lift the entire staircase and thereby disengage the flange 24 from the hook 22 . Once the weight of the staircase 12 is no longer supported by the hooks 22, the staircase will naturally extend downward from the top, as shown in FIG. 4 . This allows the user to pull the stair 12 from the bracket 14b and extend it until the stair reaches the ground and is inclined at a safe and comfortable angle.

To stow the stairs, the above steps can be reversed. First after using the short rod 26 (see especially Figures 1 and 4), the locking pin of the second lowermost rung 33 of the staircase is released and the lowermost part of the staircase (comprising the rungs 33 and 35) is lifted. When the step 33 reaches the next higher rung, the locking pin of the next higher stair section will be automatically released to collapse the stair section. Repeat this step until the entire staircase collapses.

When all parts of the staircase 12 are folded over each other, the flange 24 of the second lowermost rung 33 can be raised to the hook 22, whereby the weight of the staircase will be fully supported by the bracket 14b. When holding the strap 32 (shown only in Figures 3 and 4), the bracket is now pivoted towards its horizontal position, and once it passes the off-center position, the stair is tightened with the strap 32 so that it can be gradually returned to The storage position shown in Figure 1. The hatch door can then be replaced or closed.

A second embodiment of the attic staircase assembly 10 is shown in FIGS. 5-7 in which the arrangement for retaining the staircase 12 in the stowed position is formed by the hook portion 122 on the lowermost rung 35 . The hook portion in the stowed position (shown in FIG. 5 ) receives the vertical bar 50 of the frame 14b, which extends between the cross bars 51 and 52 of the frame 14b. Apart from the fixed configuration of the attic staircase assembly, the second embodiment operates in the same manner as the attic staircase assembly of the first embodiment.

A third embodiment of a loft stair assembly is shown in Figures 8-12, where the stair is used in a hatch, where the stair cannot be accommodated in the hatch, but needs to be stored in the attic above the hatch. The attic staircase assembly shown in FIGS. 8-12 has the same configuration as the attic staircase assembly shown in FIGS. 5-7 to keep the staircase 12 in the stowed position, i.e. the hook 122 is provided on the lowermost rung 35 to receive the bracket 14b. vertical bar 50.

The attic staircase assembly shown in FIGS. 8-12 is also provided with an L-shaped beam 70 which is pivotally connected at a first end 70 to the support 14a and which pivotally connects the staircase 12 at a second end. Section 71. The beam 70 allows the upper portion of the staircase 12 to extend beyond the hatch so that the staircase 12 can be stowed even if it is longer than the hatch. As shown in Figures 8 and 9.

To deploy the stairs, the bracket 14b is pivoted downwards against the action of the springs 16a and 16b by pulling the strap downwards. This operation does not require much power due to the leverage of the bracket 14b. Beam 70 and bracket 14b pivot past the off-center position (see FIG. 10) to the position shown in FIG. Can be stably maintained in its vertical position without relying on the assistance of the stair 12's own weight.

From this position the user lifts the entire staircase and thereby pivots further away from the rod 50 from the hook 122 and the beam 70 . Once the stair 12's own weight is no longer supported by the rod 50, it will naturally extend downward from the top, similar to that shown in FIG. 4 . This allows the user to pull the stair 12 away from the bracket 14b, and extend it until it reaches the ground, at a safe and comfortable angle. Beam 70 generally pivots to the position shown in FIG. 14 .

To stow the stairs, the above steps can be basically reversed. The stairs are first raised after using the short lever on the second lowest rung 33 of the stairs 12 to release the locking pin. When the step 33 reaches the next higher rung, the locking pin of the next higher stair section is automatically released to collapse the stair section. Repeat this step until the entire staircase collapses.

When all parts of the staircase 12 are folded over each other, the hook 122 of the lowermost rung 35 is placed on the rod 50, whereupon the dead weight of the staircase is fully supported by the brackets 14b. While keeping the straps, beams and brackets pivoted towards their horizontal positions, once it passes the off-center position, the straps restrain the staircase so that it can be gradually returned to the stowed position shown in Figures 8 and 9. The hatch 60 can then be replaced or closed.

A fourth embodiment of a loft stair assembly 10 is shown in Figures 13 and 14 for use in a hatch where the stairs cannot be accommodated in the hatch but need to be stored in the attic above the hatch. The attic staircase assembly shown in Figures 13 and 14 is similar to the third embodiment of the attic staircase assembly shown in Figures 8-12, but without the brackets and springs. The arrangement for keeping the stair 12 in the stowed position is similar to the second and third embodiments, but a hook 122 is provided on the second lowest rung 33 and accommodates the vertical rod 90 . The uprights 90 are mounted on the uprights 114a of the frame 14 . Beam 70 is pivotally mounted on rod 90 .

In the stowed position shown in Figure 13, the weight of the upper portion of the staircase 12, ie the portion of the staircase 12 extending beyond the hatch, ensures that the staircase remains in the stowed position. The staircase 12 will remain in the stowed position when the hatch 60 is opened. To deploy the staircase, the user pulls on the strap attached to the lowermost rung, and the beam 70 and staircase 12 pivot past the off-center position to a horizontal position.

From this position the user lifts the entire staircase, thereby disengaging the hook 122 from the rod 50 and the beam 70 pivots further. Once the weight of the staircase 12 is no longer supported by the rods 50, it will naturally run downward from the top, similar to that shown in FIG. 4 . This allows the user to pull the stair 12 and extend it until it reaches the ground and slopes at a safe and comfortable angle. Beam 70 generally pivots to the position shown in FIG. 14 .

To stow the stairs, the above steps can be basically reversed. The stairs are first folded after using the short lever on the second lowest rung 33 of the stairs 12 to release the locking pin. When the step 33 reaches the next higher rung, the locking pin of the next higher stair section is automatically released to collapse the stair section. Repeat this step until the entire staircase collapses.

When all parts of the staircase 12 are folded over each other, the beam is pivoted towards its horizontal position, once it passes the off-center position, the hook 122 of the lowermost rung rests on the rod 50, so that the weight of the staircase will be fully carried by the The frame 14 supports. The stair is strapped so that it can be gradually returned to the stowed position shown in FIG. 13 . The hatch 60 can then be replaced or closed.

The lower portion of the staircase 12 is also releasably connected to the hatch 60 so that when the hatch is opened, the staircase 12 will pivot.

Those skilled in the art can understand that various modifications can be made to the attic staircase assembly without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention. For example the bracket 14b could be provided with or attached to a hatch, alternatively a window hook could be used instead of a spring to hold the bracket in its raised position.

Claims (14)

1. An attic staircase assembly for accessing a attic through a hatch, wherein the attic staircase assembly comprises a retractable collapsible staircase having a locking device which can be released on one rung for collapsing the stair and for turning the stair A frame for mounting in a hatch, the frame comprising mounting supports fixed in use to the hatch, connecting means for pivotally connecting the staircase to the frame, and retaining means for securing the staircase relative to the frame when the staircase is in the folded position , and wherein the stairs are provided with corresponding holding means, which interact with the holding means on the frame. 2. The attic staircase assembly of claim 1 , wherein the uppermost portion of the staircase is pivotally attached to the support, and wherein the bracket is pivotally attached to the mounting support for supporting the weight of the staircase in the stowed position of the staircase, and Prevents unintentional stretching of stairs. 3. The attic staircase assembly of claim 1, wherein the beam is pivotally attached to the frame, and the uppermost portion of the staircase is pivotally attached to the beam. 4. The attic staircase assembly of claim 3, wherein the bracket is pivotally attached to the mounting bracket for supporting the weight of the staircase in the stowed position of the staircase and preventing accidental extension of the staircase. 5. A mezzanine staircase assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracket is provided with means for releasably engaging the lowermost part of the staircase in order to prevent the staircase from stretching under its own weight. 6. The attic staircase assembly of claim 5, wherein the means for releasably engaging the lowermost portion of the staircase includes a pair of hooks for receiving protrusions protruding laterally from the lowermost second rung of the staircase. 7. A mezzanine staircase assembly according to any one of claims 3-4, wherein the staircase is provided with means for releasably engaging the frame in order to prevent the staircase from stretching under its own weight. 8. The attic staircase assembly of claim 7, wherein the means for releasably engaging the frame includes a hook portion on the lowermost second rung of the staircase for receiving a vertical rod extending between the abutments of the frame. 9. A mezzanine staircase assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the staircase is provided with means for releasably engaging the brackets in order to prevent the staircase from stretching under its own weight. 10. An attic staircase assembly according to claim 9, wherein the means for releasably engaging the bracket includes a hook portion at the lowermost rung of the staircase for receiving a vertical rod connected to the horizontal rod of the bracket. 11. A loft stair assembly according to any one of claims 3-4, wherein in order to prevent the stair from stretching under its own weight when the stair is in the stowed position, the beam may be provided with retaining means, such as springs or hooks. 12. A loft staircase assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the bracket is attached to the mounting bracket by at least one spring which urges the bracket into the stowed position against the weight of the staircase. 13. The attic staircase assembly of claim 12, wherein each spring is attached to the mounting bracket and to the bracket with over-center toggle spring action to urge the bracket away from the staircase when the staircase is deployed. 14. An attic staircase assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the staircase has locking pins built into the steps, the locking pin being spring biased in order to lock the sections of the stair treads together when the staircase is in its extended position. Pressed to move laterally outward into holes formed in the stiles, the locking pins of the next higher portion of the stair are retracted as the steps bring the locking pins adjacent to the rung below them.

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