Foldable stairway ladder
AssigneeBallymore Company, Inc.
InventorsWilliam Frame, Gerald Kuehl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foldable stairway ladder for use in accessing items includes a structure that can be conveniently folded to reduce the amount of space taken up by ladder when not in use. The ladder consists of a stairway section connected to a platform, in turn rotatably connected to a support. The foldable ladder is also provided with a manually operable folding system adapted to fold the stairway section and support relative to each other. Additionally, the support may have a member capable of extending the length of the support, thus facilitating the ease by which a use can fold the stairway ladder.
Claims22
A foldable stairway ladder for use in accessing items, the foldable stairway ladder comprising:
- (a) a stairway section adapted for a user to ascend or descend;
- (b) a platform secured to the stairway section to retain the stairway section at a predetermined slope;
- (c) a support of adjustable length rotatably connected to the platform;
- and
- (d) a manually actuable folding system adapted to reduce the amount of space taken up by the foldable stairway ladder;
- wherein the stairway can stand upright in both the folded and unfolded positions.
A foldable stairway ladder comprising:
- (a) a stairway section having a bottom section accessible to a user, a top section at a height above the bottom, and a pair of longitudinal sides extending between the bottom and the top, the stairway section extending upwardly at a slope from the bottom to the top;
- (b) a stopping mechanism secured to the stairway section;
- (c) a platform connected to the top section of the stairway section;
- (d) a support of adjustable length rotatably secured to and extending downwardly from the platform to support the in both the folded and the unfolded position;
- (e) at least one spreader extending between the stairway section and the support, the spreader being movable to permit the stairway section and the support to rotate relative to each other to fold and unfold the stairway ladder;
- and
- (f) at least one handrail secured at a corresponding longitudinal side of the stairway section, the handrail extending outwardly from the stairway section by a predetermined amount so that the handrail can be grasped by a user.
A method of increasing space around a foldable stairway ladder when not in use, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a stairway section and a support deployable relative to the stairway section to hold the stairway section at a desired angle when the foldable stairway ladder is in use, the support and the stairway section being rotatably secured relative to each other;
- (b) extending a section of the support so that the support and stairway section obtain substantially equal lengths;
- (c) unlocking a hinge extending between the support and the stairway section;
- and
- (d) rotating the stairway section and the support relative to each other to reduce the angle there between to fold the foldable stairway ladder.
A foldable stairway ladder comprising:
- (a) a stairway section having a bottom section accessible to a user, an upper section at a height above the bottom, and a pair of longitudinal sides extending between the bottom and the top, the stairway section extending upwardly at a slope from the bottom section to the top section;
- (b) a stopping mechanism secured to the stairway section;
- (c) a platform with a first end connected to the top of the stairway section;
- (d) a support rotatably secured to and extending downwardly from the platform at a second end, the support having an upper and a lower section, wherein the lower section, upper section, and platform are configured to retain the stairway section at a slope ranging between about 48 degrees and about 60 degrees, the lower section secured to the upper section to be extendable relative to the upper section, the support and the stairway section having substantially the same length when the lower section is extended;
- (e) a pair of spreaders extending between the stairway section and the upper section, the spreader being movable to permit the stairway section and the upper section to rotate relative to each other to fold and unfold the stairway ladder;
- (f) a pair of handrails secured at to the longitudinal sides of the stairway section, the pair of handrails extending outwardly from the stairway section at a predetermined height so that the handrail can be grasped by a user;
- and
- (g) an actuable mechanism for folding the handrail relative to the stairway section to reduce the amount the handrail extends from the stairway section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.