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US 4,807,317 AGranted
Modular ramp
AssigneeEaster Seal Society of Michigan, Inc.
InventorsCharles F. Quinn, Thomas E. Young
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The specification discloses a modular and reusable wheelchair ramp capable of ready assembly and disassembly while providing a strong and safe construction. The ramp includes a plurality of leg assemblies fabricated of PVC plumbing components and a plurality of ramp sections each extending between and mounted on a pair of adjacent leg assemblies. Each leg assembly includes a pair of legs and an interconnecting crossbar slidably received thereon for ready height adjustability. The ramp sections are hooked over the crossbars. In a preferred embodiment, handrails also fabricated of PVC plumbing components are also slidably mounted on the legs.
Claims24
A modular ramp kit to be used in erecting a reusable ramp, said kit comprising:
- a support framework having components including a plurality of first PVC conventional plumbing pipe segments, a plurality of second PVC conventional plumbing pipe segments having opposite ends, a plurality of conventional plumbing PVC T connectors each including a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion extending orthogonally outward from a medial section of said first hollow portion, and a plurality of locking devices;
- said components being cooperatively assembled such that said first PVC pipe segments define a plurality of vertical legs grouped into pairs and arranged to define a path, each said second PVC pipe segment is coupled with a pair of said PVC T connectors to define a plurality of crossbars, each end of said second PVC pipe segments being secured within said second hollow portion of one of said PVC T connectors, one of said crossbars being slidably mounted on each of said grouped legs such that each said leg slidably receives thereon on of said PVC T connectors such that said leg is received into said first hollow portion, each of said PVC T connectors being positioned at a desired elevation along said length of said received leg and secured thereto by said locking devices;
- and
- a plurality of ramp sections each including a ramp surface having a pair of opposite ends, each ramp section further including support means for receiving one of said crossbars and for supporting the associated ramp section end on the crossbar, whereby a ramp can be erected by arranging said grouped legs into a path, adjusting the crossbars thereon to have increasing heights along the path, and placing the ramp sections on the support assemblies by interfitting each ramp end support means onto one of said crossbars.
1 more element
A modular ramp for providing building access for physically handicapped and wheelchair-bound individuals comprising:
- a plurality of vertical upright members arranged in pairs and oriented to define a path having a first and second sides and at least one turn;
- a horizontal support member extending between each pair of vertical upright members, said horizontal support member including a pair of slide fittings each slidably received on one of said vertical upright members to be vertically slidable therealong;
- interlock means for interlocking each slide fitting and the associated vertical support member at any one of a plurality of heights;
- a plurality of generally planar ramp sections each including a ramp surface having a pair of opposite ends, a pair of opposite sides interconnecting said opposite ends and support means for supporting the ramp section between two of the horizontal support members, said support means including a plurality of brackets projecting outwardy from said ramp surfaces such that at least one of said brackets extends from each of said opposite ends, said brackets each being provided with a cutout to receive therein one of said horizontal support members, certain of said horizontal support members being positioned at different elevations so that certain of said ramp sections are oriented at an inclination to the horizontal, and said cutouts on said brackets being configured to have a predetermined depth to thereby receive therein substantially an entire cross sectional portion of said horizontal support member so that said ramp sections can be securely mounted and maintained on said horizontal support members in said inclined orientations whereby said ramp sections can be arranged on said horizontal support members with said ramp surfaces aligned to provide a substantially continuous surface which may be traveled to gain access into a building;
- and
- a connecting section having a generally planar upper surface, a pair of opposite edges, and means for attaching said opposite edges to said sides of a pair of spaced apart horizontal ramp sections to thereby define said at least one turn in said path, whereby said upper surface of said connecting section cooperates with said ramp surfaces to form a substantially continuous surface.
3 more elements
A modular ramp for providing building access for physically handicaped and wheelchair-bound individuals comprising:
- a plurality of vertical upright members arrangned in pair and oriented to define a path having first and second sides and at least one turn;
- a horizontal support member extending between each pair of vertical upright members, said horizontal support member including a pair of slide fittings each slidably received on one of said vertical upright members to be vertically slidable therealong;
- interlocking means for interlocking each slide fitting and the associated vertical support member at any one of a plurality of heights;
- a plurality of generally planar ramp sections each including a ramp surface having a pair of opposite ends, a pair of opposite sides interconnecting said opposite ends and support means for supporting the ramp section between two of the horizontal support members, said support means including a plurality of brackets projecting outwardly from said ramp surfaces such that at least one of said brackets extends from each of said opposite ends, said brackets each being provided with a cutout to receive therein one of said horizontal support members;
- and
- a connecting section having a generally planar upper surface, a pair of opposite edges, and means for attaching said opposite edges to said sides of a pair of spaced apart horizontal ramp sections to thereby define said at least one turn in said path, whereby said upper surface of said connecting section cooperates with said ramp surfaces to form a substantially continuous surface.
3 more elements
A modular ramp construction comprising:
- a plurality of leg assemblies, a plurality of ramp sections and at least one connecting section;
- said plurality of leg assemblies being sequentially arranged to define a path and having the capacity to define said path as a linear path and the capacity to define said path with at least one turn, each like assembly including a pair of generally vertical legs and a generally horizontal crossbar extending therebetween, said crossbar including slide means for slidably supporting said crossbar on each of said legs and lock means for locking said slide means at a desired location along the length of said legs such that said certain of said cross-bars are positioned at different elevations so as to position certain of said ramp sections at an inclination to the horizontal;
- said plurality of ramp sections being sequentially arranged along the path, each ramp section including a planar ramp surface having a pair of opposite ends a pair of opposite sides interconnecting said opposite ends, and each ramp assembly further including support means for supporting each of said opposite ends on one of said leg assembly crossbars to define a generally continuous ramp surface;
- and
- said connecting section having a generally planar upper surface, a pair of opposite edges, and means for attaching said opposite edges to said sides of a pair of spaced apart horizontal ramp sections to thereby define a turn in said path, whereby said upper surface of said connecting section cooperates wtih said ramp surfaces to form a substantially continuous surface.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.