AU2015258170A1

AU2015258170A1 - Temporary Stairway with Void Cover

Info

Publication number: AU2015258170A1
Application number: AU2015258170A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Grant Edwards; Tim Thompson
Original assignee: BUILDSAFE AUSTRALIA IP Pty Ltd
Current assignee: BUILDSAFE AUSTRALIA IP Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2015-04-02
Filing date: 2015-11-16
Publication date: 2016-10-20
Also published as: AU2021215192B2; AU2021215192A1

Abstract

Abstract A stairway assembly providing temporary access between two levels of a building 5 under construction. The assembly extends from a lower floor to an upper floor at a location where the upper floor has a void formed therein to allow for later construction of a permanent stairway. The assembly includes a flight of stairs comprising: - a first frame portion comprising a pair of side rails with treads 10 extending therebetween, and - attachment means at the top end of said first frame portion for attachment to the upper floor at an edge of said void. A trafficable void cover extends over said void and includes a first cover portion which is moveable from a lowered position to a raised position to thereby create a gap 15 in said void cover. When the first cover portion is in said raised position, a person may climb the stairs and enter the upper floor through said gap whereas, when the first cover portion is in said lowered position it at least substantially covers said gap.

Description

TEMPORARY STAIRWAY WITH VOID COVER Technical Field

This invention concerns temporary stairways installed within a building under construction.

Background

It is well known to use void covers in buildings under construction. They are used to cover wide gaps which are left in flooring where permanent stairways will eventually be constructed within the building. Void covers are commonly constructed from a flat solid plywood panel with supporting rails affixed on the underside. The panels are generally available in lengths to suit common void lengths and are about 600 mm wide. Part-width (200 mm and 300 mm wide) panels are also used to fill in gaps.

Often void covers do not exactly match the size of the voids they are used to cover. Void covers can therefore be a little undersize, and regulations permit a small gap at edges of the void cover to allow for this. Void covers can alternatively be oversize and in this regard it is common to have panels overlap the floor along some edges.

It is known to have a trapdoor built into a panel of a void cover and a ladder leading up to the trapdoor. This allows a person to climb between floors using the void space, instead of having to do so outside the building, but allowing the trapdoor to be closed afterwards to prevent falls through its opening.

However climbing a ladder entails a risk of injury and it is awkward and dangerous to carry tools in one hand while going up or down a ladder, so it would be much more preferable to climb stairs. But it has been impractical to date to provide a temporary stairway which is easily erected and dismantled, does not inhibit tradespeople installing plasterboard or other wall sheeting material, includes a handrail for the full height of the stairs, and can be quickly and easily covered with a void cover panel when not in use.

The present invention in its various embodiments is directed to alleviating or minimizing one or more of the problems described above.

Summary of Invention

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides a stairway assembly providing temporary access between two levels of a building under construction, said assembly extending from a lower floor to an upper floor at a location where said upper floor has a void formed therein to allow for later construction of a permanent stairway, said assembly comprising: - a flight of stairs comprising: - a first frame portion comprising a pair of side rails with treads extending therebetween, and - attachment means at the top end of said first frame portion for attachment to the upper floor at an edge of said void, - a trafficable void cover extending over said void, said void cover including a first cover portion which is moveable from a lowered position to a raised position to thereby create a gap in said void cover such that, when the first cover portion is in said raised position, a person may climb the stairs and enter the upper floor through said gap whereas, when the first cover portion is in said lowered position it at least substantially covers said gap.

Preferably said void cover comprises a second cover portion hingedly connected to said first cover portion and which remains horizontal while said first cover portion moves between said lowered position and said raised position.

Preferably the stairway assembly has a handrail on each respective side of the flight of stairs. Preferably one of said handrails extends through said void to above said upper floor. Preferably said one handrail which extends through said void passes by that edge of said first cover portion distal from said hinged connection when said first cover portion is in said lowered position. Preferably when said first cover portion is in said raised position a further handrail is raised from said first cover portion.

Said flight of stairs may extend from said lower floor level to said upper floor level. Alternatively the stairway assembly may comprise two flights of stairs wherein said first frame portion extends down to a landing raised above said lower floor level and a second flight of stairs extends up from said lower floor level to said landing.

Preferably when said first cover portion is in said lowered position, said first and second cover portions are supported at a first end by a first support rail spanning said void close to a first edge of the void. More preferably, when said first cover portion is in said lowered position, said first and second cover portions are supported at a second end by a second support rail spanning said void close to a second edge of the void opposite said first edge.

Preferably said gap is slightly wider than said first frame portion.

Preferably when said first cover portion is in said raised position it is held in a substantially vertical orientation.

Preferably a spring-loaded support acting between said first cover portion and said second cover portion provides assistance in raising said first cover portion and provides a soft-close mechanism for said first cover portion.

Brief Description of Drawings

In order that the invention may be more fully understood there will now be described, by way of example only, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings where:

Figure 1 is an isometric view from below of a stairway assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric view from above the stairway assembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is the same view as Figure 2 but with portion of the void cover raised to allow access from above to the stairway;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the stairway assembly shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side elevation from the opposite direction to Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the assembly shown in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a top view of the assembly shown in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a top view of the assembly shown in Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a close up showing details of the handrails in the stairway assembly; Figure 10 shows a support for the treads on the stairway;

Figure 11 shows a stair tread locked into position between two side rails;

Figure 12 shows a soft-close auxiliary support attached to the underside of the void cover in the open position shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 13 is a view of the soft-close auxiliary support of Figure 12 as configured when the void cover is in the closed position shown in Figure 2.

Description of Embodiments

Referring to the drawings identified above, Figures 1 to 6 show a stairway assembly 10 installed to provide temporary access between a lower floor 12 and an upper floor 14 in a building under construction. The stairway assembly is constructed at a void 16 which is an area where the flooring is omitted because a permanent stairway will eventually be installed there.

The stairway assembly 10 has a first (upper) flight of stairs 18 extending down from a void cover 20 at the level of the upper floor 14 and a second flight of stairs 22 extending upwards from the lower floor 12. Both flights lead to a landing 24 positioned closer to the lower end of the assembly 10.

The void cover 20 comprises three panels, namely a central wide panel forming a fixed cover 26, another wide panel forming a stair-cover 28 and a narrow panel forming a narrow cover 30 which is moveable to provide for materials access. Together the three panels span almost the whole width of the void.

At the front end 32 of the void 16 a support rail 34 spans the full width of the gap forming the void 16 and is fastened by screws 36 to the sheet flooring 38. The support rail 34 is formed from a length of square hollow section steel with flanges extending from the end of the lower faces through which the screws 36 are located. The support rail 34 is fastened parallel to and close to the front end 32 of the void. The front ends of the three cover panels 26, 28 and 30 are supported on the support rail 34.

At the rear end 33 of the void the panels 26, 28 and 30 are supported by a support rail 35 similar to the support rail 34. The panels 26, 28 and 30 are located onto the support rails 34 and 35 by means of C-section brackets 37 which are securely fastened to the underside of the panels and which the square section support rails slide neatly into.

Each cover 26, 28 and 30 has a pair of side rails 45 and 46 fastened along corresponding edges of the panel. Each panel is rectangular with the side rails 54 and 56 running lengthwise along the panel. The side rails terminate at the respective brackets 37.

The central panel 26 is formed from a single sheet of 12 mm thick structural grade plywood which is 2.7 metres long and 600 mm wide. The stair-covering panel 28 is the same size and is hinged by hinges 40 to the central panel 26 at their adjacent edges, ie at the interface 79 between the two panels. The narrow cover 30 is formed from a sheet of 300 mm wide 16 mm structural grade plywood and is hinged by hinges 41 (not visible in the drawings) to a second edge of the central panel along their adjacent edges.

In Figures 3 and 8 the stair-covering panel 28 is shown raised and tilted on its hinges into a raised position which thereby exposes an elongated gap 43 which is part of the void beneath the cover 20 and which provides access to the upper flight of stairs 18 below. The narrow cover 30 may similarly be raised on its hinged edge to expose a narrower gap than the gap 43 above the stairs. That narrower gap is particularly useful for passing plasterboard sheets up from the lower floor. Details of how such a gap may be utilized, and how additional plasterboard support features may be incorporated, are described in our co-pending Australian patent application no. 2014900705 the contents of which are hereby incorporated into this present specification.

The upper flight of stairs 18 has a main frame portion 48 comprising a pair of side rails 50a and 50b with treads 52 extending therebetween. The side rails 50a and 50b are made from a length of an aluminium extrusion having the general shape of a rectangular hollow section but with the two shorter sides 51 extended a little at each edge to form a respective prominently raised lip 49. The treads 52 are detachable from brackets 54 on the side rails for ease of transport. Side rail 50a is a mirror image of side rail 50b because each has respective mirror image brackets 54 thereon.

Each tread 52 is pressed from sheet metal and shaped like an inverted rectangular tray having an upper main face 56 which carries raised protrusions 55 to provide anti-slip characteristics. Extending at right angles from the edges of the main face 56 are front and rear “side” walls 57 and end walls 58.

The treads 52 are attached to the side rails 50 by means of specially shaped brackets 54 which are press formed from sheet metal and fastened by threaded fasteners 53 to the side rails as seen in Figure 10. Each bracket 54 has a main side wall 60 which in use faces an end wall 58 of a tread it engages. The lower edges (not shown) of the end walls 58 of a tread and/or part of the side walls 57 of the tread bear upon the lower wall 61 of a bracket the tread engages with, so the lower wall 61 supports the weight imposed by the tread. The end walls 62 and 63 of the bracket face the side walls 57 of the tread. A tread 52 is locked into a pair of brackets 54 by tilting it backwards a little and sliding its rear edge under the lip 64 and then pressing the tread down to contact the full length of the lower wall 61 of the bracket while making sure that the front wall 63 of the bracket comes up the front of the tread and the respective end walls 58 of the tread slide in between the respective side wall 60 and upright locking tab 65 of the bracket.

At the top of each side rail 50a and 50b is a hook 66 which is shaped so that is lower end it is fastened within the central hollow of the side rail 45, 46 and that its upper end is shaped to have a loose sliding fit engagement with the support rail 34. A handrail is provided on each side of the main frame 48. However the handrail configuration on each side is different. On the right hand side going up (ie. on the side of the stairs adjacent the edge of the void and distal from the hinged connection between the panels 26 and 28) the handrail 68 extends through the void upwards past the void cover 20 to above the upper floor level so that handrail support is available to a user of the stairs when they are on the top step of the upper flight 18 and when standing at the upper floor level 14. At the top, the frame of the handrail is cantilevered from lower down on the side rail so that the handrail’s support does not interfere with engagement of the stair-covering panel 28 with the support rail 34 when the panel 28 is in the lowered position. The handrail 70 on the left hand side when ascending the stairs (ie. distal from the edge of the void) has its upper end a little below the level of the hook 66 on the top of that side rail 50b. This lower height is required so the handrail 70 does not prevent the stair-covering panel 28 being lowered into the horizontal position.

Although some embodiments of the present invention may utilize only a single flight of stairs extending from the lower floor level to the upper floor level, the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings utilizes two flights of stairs 18 and 22. The lower flight of stairs 22 is shorter than the upper flight 18 and does not have a handrail on either side as it has only two treads, and handrail portions 72 and 73 provided at the landing 24 are readily reached. The lower end of the upper flight 18 and the upper end of the lower flight 22 are securely attached to the landing and the landing is supported from the floor 12 by a frame 76. The legs 77 of the frame 76 are adjustable in length so the height of the frame may be adjusted so the upper flight 18 of stairs is held at the correct slope with the treads 52 horizontal. A foot 89 is fastened at the bottom of each side rail 92 of the main frame portion 91 of the lower flight 22 of stairs. Each foot extends from a respective leg 93 which slides up into the hollow core of the respective side rail. The overall length of the frame portion 91 is adjustable by fastening the legs 93 an appropriate distance into its side rail 92 by means of a through bolt (not shown).

The handrail portions 72 and 73 are modular planar components made from square hollow section tubing and slipped onto stubs (not shown) which are clamped onto the edge of the landing platform 75. The handrail portions 72 and 73 are clamped to each other, and to the main handrails 68 and 70, by small quick-fit clamps which stiffens the assembly.

In conjunction with the two hinges 40 connecting the stair-covering panel 28 to the central panel 26, a spring loaded auxiliary support 78 is also fastened across the underside of the interface 79 between the two panels in order to provide a soft-close characteristic. The auxiliary support is shown in Figures 12 and 13. The support 78 comprises a main body portion 80 having a diamond shaped linked structure having the linear links connected by pins 81 and 82 to form a pivot point 84 at each comer. A fastening clamp 86 is attached to pins 82 at each of a pair of opposite comers and a coil tension spring 88 extends between the pins 81 at other two opposing comers.

When the panel 28 is closed as shown in Figure 13, the tensioned spring 88 provides a force which tends to lift the panel 28. As the panel 28 is lowered again, the spring retards the closing action, particularly at the near-closed position, so providing a soft-close charateristic. The support 78 is clamped onto the panels by the hand actuated clamps 86 so the support can be readily attached and removed during erection and dismantling of the stairway assembly 10.

The pins 81 are free to rotate within their holes so a respective shaft 83 on one end of each clamp 86 can rotate. The body of the clamp can also pivot around the shaft 83. The multiple degrees of freedom thus provided within the support 78 allows for full motion of the panel 28.

An internal wall frame 17 of the building is shown on the upper floor level. Walls can of course be located at any position on that upper level but, given the wall 17 in that position, the particular configuration shown for the stairway assembly 10 would desirably be as shown. The modular form of the stairway assembly is such that in other configurations the landing 24 could be moved to be offset from the opposite side of the upper flight 18 of stairs and/or the lower flight 22 of stairs could be run out at right angles rather than parallel to the upper flight as shown.

The stair covering panel 28 also carries a low handrail assembly 90 which is attached adjacent the panel’s long edge opposite its hinged edge. The effect of the handrail 90 is to provide a raised safety barrier which is higher than the width of the panel 28 when the panel is in its raised position. This is to prevent a person who might bump into the raised panel from then falling down the gap 43.

The handrail assembly 90 comprises support posts 94 and a top rail 95. The support posts 94 neatly slide into, and are then releasably fastened to, respective elongate sockets each of which is one arm of a spring loaded hinge the other arm of which comprises a clamp clamped to the edge of the panel 28. The spring loading of the hinge urges the handrail assembly outwards towards parallel with the panel 28. Thus when the panel is raised the spring loading of the hinges causes the handrail assembly to stand upright. But when the panel is lowered (as seen in Figures 2, 4 and 5) the handrail can tilt as it bears against the wall 17. It will be appreciated lhal. many applications of the invention a wall will not be in the position of the wall 17. When the panel 28 is in its lowered position, the raised low handrail also provides a convenient handle by which the panel 28 can be lifted.

When the panel 28 is in its raised position (as seen in Figure 3) to allow access to the top of the stairs, it rests in a substantially vertical orientation, although it is a little beyond vertical so that gravity as well as the springs 88 hold the panel 28 in that position.

Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention.

It will be also understood that where the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims

Claims

1. A stairway assembly providing temporary access between two levels of a building under construction, said assembly extending from a lower floor to an upper floor at a location where said upper floor has a void formed therein to allow for later construction of a permanent stairway, said assembly comprising: - a flight of stairs comprising: - a first frame portion comprising a pair of side rails with treads extending therebetween, and - attachment means at the top end of said first frame portion for attachment to the upper floor at an edge of said void, - a trafficable void cover extending over said void, said void cover including a first cover portion which is moveable from a lowered position to a raised position to thereby create a gap in said void cover such that, when the first cover portion is in said raised position, a person may climb the stairs and enter the upper floor through said gap whereas, when the first cover portion is in said lowered position it at least substantially covers said gap.
2. A stairway assembly according to claim 1 wherein said void cover comprises a second cover portion hingedly connected to said first cover portion and which remains horizontal while said first cover portion moves between said lowered position and said raised position.
3. A stairway assembly according to claim 1 or 2 having a handrail on each respective side of the flight of stairs.
4. A stairway assembly according to claim 3 wherein one of said handrails extends through said void to above said upper floor.
5. A stairway assembly according to claim 4 wherein said one handrail which extends through said void passes by that edge of said first cover portion distal from said hinged connection when said first cover portion is in said lowered position.
6. A stairway assembly according to any one of the previous claims wherein when said first cover portion is in said raised position a further handrail is raised from said first cover portion.
7. A stairway assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said flight of stairs extends from said lower floor level to said upper floor level.
8. A stairway assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6 comprising two flights of stairs wherein said first frame portion extends down to a landing raised above said lower floor level and a second flight of stairs extends up from said lower floor level to said landing.
9. A stairway assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein when said first cover portion is in said lowered position, said first and second cover portions are supported at a first end by a first support rail spanning said void close to a first edge of the void.
10. A stairway assembly according to claim 9 wherein when said first cover portion is in said lowered position, said first and second cover portions are supported at a second end by a second support rail spanning said void close to a second edge of the void opposite said first edge.
11. A stairway assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein said gap is slightly wider than said first frame portion.
12. A stairway assembly according to any one of the previous claims wherein when said first cover portion is in said raised position it is held in a substantially vertical orientation.
13. A stairway assembly according to any one of the previous claims wherein a spring-loaded support acting between said first cover portion and said second cover portion provides assistance in raising said first cover portion and provides a soft-close mechanism for said first cover portion.