AU2017201385B2 - Temporary stairway assembly with void cover - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a temporary stairway assembly providing access between two levels of a building under construction, including a pair of stringers, a plurality of treads, and stringer length adjustment means. Each stringer is an assembly of discreet sub-sections that are interconnected end to end via the stringer length adjustment means so that the overall length of each assembled stringer can be adjusted. -TII 77-; I, '-~ N , N -1

Description

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TEMPORARY STAIRWAY ASSEMBLY WITH VOID COVER

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention concerns temporary stairways installed within a building under construction, and in particular temporary stairways that can accommodate variations in heights between stories within the building.

Background of the Invention

[0002] It is well known that there are often height variations between the stories within a building construction. This creates a significant problem for temporary stair systems used to enable construction workers gaining access to the stories within the building.

[0003] Attempts have been made to overcome the problem. Typically, either the base of the flight of temporary stairs, or the top of the stairs, or both, are chocked with an appropriate temporary material to make up any gap caused by the height variation between the floors. This solution has several problems associated with it. Firstly, it can be time consuming to build a bespoke filler for each installation. Secondly, the inclusion of the filler material may disrupt the even spacing of the treads in the stairway, either at the base and/or at the top of the stairway, thereby creating a potential tripping hazard.

[0004] The problem is further exacerbated if the temporary stairway includes a void cover. Void covers are required by building constructions codes and regulations 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. 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.

[0005] When a void cover is used in association with the temporary stairway, the top of the stairway must terminate at the appropriate height, relative to the next story in the building construction, so that the void cover is aligned in the appropriate place, relative to the void in the floor it is required to cover. This means that any gap between the height of the temporary stairway and associated void cover, and the height of the particular story within the building construction, must be made up at the base of the stairway. This may further create a larger tread height for the first step on the stairway, or it may require the installation of an additional small tread at the base. Either way, this will take time to construct, and it will upset the even rise of the treads within the particular flight of stairs, thereby potentially causing a trip hazard.

[0006] The present invention in its various embodiments is directed to alleviating or minimizing one or more of the problems described above.

Summary of the Invention

[0007] Accordingly, in one form, the present invention is a temporary stairway assembly providing access between adjacent levels of a building under construction, including a plurality of stringer sub-sections, a plurality of treads and length adjustable stringer sub section connector means that are adapted to interconnect adjacent ends of the stringer sub sections so that they can be combined to create a single stringer assembly. The length adjustable stringer sub-section connector means enable a user to selectively adjust the gap between adjacent stringer sub-sections, so that the overall length of each stringer assembly can be set to best suit a particular building construction site.

[0008] Preferably, the stringer sub-sections are manufactured in a variety of lengths, and a stringer assembly can be assembled from a plurality of stringer sub-sections of differing lengths.

[0009] Preferably, the length adjustable stringer sub-section connector means include a plate, and each corresponding end of adjacent stringer sub-sections within a particular stringer assembly is each connected to the plate via suitable releasable fastening means.

[0010] Preferably, each corresponding adjacent end of each stringer sub-section includes at least a pair of holes, and the plate includes a plurality of corresponding holes that are evenly spaced apart so that the holes on the end of a stringer sub-section can be aligned with a variety of corresponding holes in the plate, and removably fastened thereto via the fastening means, and depending on the particular corresponding holes selected on the plate, the space between the corresponding ends of adjacent sub-sections can enable the adjacent ends to be abutting, or spaced apart in set increments so that the rise of the treads in the stairway flight can be kept as even as possible while enabling the overall length of the stringer assembly to be adjustable in order to suit a particular building construction requirement.

[0011] Preferably, each stringer sub-section has a channel section cross-profile, and the plate is dimensioned so that it fits snugly within the height of the channel section so that any flexure of the joint between adjacent sub-sections in the stringer is resisted by the abutment of the plate with the sides of the channel section.

[0012] Preferably, the stairway assembly includes afoot connector plate that connects the lowermost end of a particular stringer assembly with the floor, or in the case where the stairway assembly includes at least one landing, either at floor level, or at an intermediate height between the stories in the building, the foot connector plate is adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer assembly to its respective landing, so that the rise of the first tread above the respective landing may be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

[0013] Preferably, the foot connector plate includes an array of evenly spaced apart groups of holes that align with holes in the lowermost end of the lowermost stringer sub-section, so that the foot connector plate and the stringer can be releasably fastened together using suitable fastening means, and depending on which set of holes is selected in the foot connector plate, the height that the first tread of the stairway, either from the floor, a landing at floor level, or from an intermediate landing, can be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

[0014] Preferably, the stairway assembly includes atop connector plate that connects the uppermost end of a particular stringer assembly with the upper floor, or in the case where the stairway assembly includes at least one intermediate landing at an intermediate height between the stories in the building, the top connector plate is adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer assembly to its respective landing, so that the rise of the last tread below the respective landing may be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

[0015] Preferably, the top connector plate includes an array of evenly spaced apart groups of holes that align with holes in the uppermost end of the uppermost stringer sub-section so that the top connector plate and the stringer can be releasably fastened together using suitable fastening means, and depending on which set of holes is selected in the top connector plate, the height that the final tread of the stairway can be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

[0016] Preferably, the assembly includes a void pole that traverses across the void in the floor that the stairway assembly rises up to, and attaches to.

[0017] Preferably, the top connector plate includes a hook shaped feature, that hooks over a portion of the void pole.

[0018] Preferably, a cover plate is included that is removably fastenable between the void pole and the floor of the building, and when fitted, covers the gap between the portion of the length of the void pole that is in the vicinity of the top of the stairs and the adjacent floor of the building.

[0019] Preferably, a void cover assembly is included that is located adjacent to the topmost portion of the stairway assembly. The void cover is used to temporarily cover the portion of the void in the floor, adjacent to the stairway, during the construction of the building.

[0020] Preferably, the void cover assembly is hingedly attached to a portion of the void pole, or another platform, such as the floor of the upper story, so that the void cover may be temporarily swung away from covering the void adjacent to the stairway to thereby permit large items to be passed through the void.

[0021] Preferably, the temporary stairway assembly includes at least one landing that is located at an intermediate point between adjacent floors, the top connector plate is adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer to the intermediate landing.

[0022] Preferably, the intermediate landing can be assembled from a selection of landing sub-sections that have a variety of shapes so that individual flights of stairs within the stairway assembly are adapted to be offset in order to avoid obstacles, such as interior walls, or posts or the like.

[0023] Preferably, the intermediate landing is constructed from a plurality of landing sub sections.

[0024] In one preferred embodiment, each landing sub-section is adapted to be releasably fastened to its neighbouring landing subsection.

[0025] In an alternative embodiment, each landing sub-section is not connected to its neighbouring landing sub-section.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, each landing sub-section, in the plurality of landing sub sections, may be set at different heights with respect to other landing sub-sections in the intermediate landing.

[0027] Preferably, each landing sub-section in the intermediate landing includes a hand rail assembly, and each hand rail assembly is releasably fastenable to its neighbouring handrail assembly on its adjacent landing(s) so as to make one continuous hand rail assembly, irrespective of whether the actual landing sub-sections are connected together or not.

[0028] Preferably, each hand rail assembly is releasably fastened to its neighbouring handrail assembly on its adjacent landing(s) using at least one quick connect and quick release clamp.

[0029] Preferably, each flight of stairs within the stairway assembly includes handrail assemblies that are directly and releasably fastened to the stringer assemblies, and also to the handrail assemblies of any intermediate landing assemblies, if one is included in the stairway assembly, so that the combined hand rail assemblies of both the stair flights and the intermediate landing form a continuous handrail assembly that rises from floor to ceiling.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0030] 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 shows a plurality of views of a straight run of stairs Figure 2 includes a plurality of views of an optional lower landing in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein a offset cantilevered landing is included in the stairway. Figure 4 shows two views of the stairway assemble with associated void cover in accordance with the present invention. Figure 5 shows a plurality of views of the upper end of the uppermost flight of stairs and its associated void pole and void cover, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 6 shows a plurality of views of the present invention with handrails installed. Figure 7 shows a plurality of views of a complete temporary stairway assembly according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, where each sections handrail assembly is interconnected to its neighbouring handrail assembly by way of a plurality of clamps.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

[0031] Referring to the drawings identified above, Figure 1 shows a straight run of temporary stairway assembly 1 installed to provide temporary access between a lower floor and an upper floor in a building under construction. The temporary stairway assembly is installed and rises from the floor of the lower story up to a void in the floor of the upper story. Eventually, the temporary stairway assembly will be replaced with a permanent stairway.

[0032] The straight run of stairway 1 as illustrated in Figure 1(a) comprises three stringer sub-sections 3. These are releasably fastened together end to end to form one assembled stringer. As best shown in Figure 1(b), a connector plate 5 interconnects the corresponding ends of adjacent stinger sub-sections 3. Each connector plate 5 has a plurality of sets of spaced apart corresponding holes 7. Each set of corresponding holes 7 corresponds with holes 9 in the ends of the stringer sub-sections 3. When the temporary stairs are being assembled, the assembler can select the most appropriate set of corresponding holes 7 in the connector plate 5 to select the most appropriate gap between the corresponding ends of adjacent stringer sub-section 3. The width of the connector plate 5 is dimensioned so that it snugly fits within the channel profile of the stringer sub-section 3. This aids in the stringer resisting flexure at the joints when placed under load, because the sides of each connector plate 5 abuts against the sides of the channel section in each stringer sub-section.

[0033] At the lowermost end of the temporary stairway assembly 1, there is attached a foot connector plate 11. This is best shown in Figure 1(d)The foot connector plate 11 has the same spaced apart corresponding holes that the connector plate 5 does, however it also includes a portion that enables it to be attached either directly to the floor (not shown in view), or to a lower landing (not shown in view)

[0034] It can be seen in Figure 1(c) that the gap between corresponding ends of adjacent stringer sub-sections 3 can be abutting. By having multiple stringer sub-sections 3, the assembler of the temporary stairway has significant flexibility in selecting the appropriate length of the overall stringer assembly so that the length of the flight of temporary stairs can be adjusted to accommodate variations in the heights between stories in a multi-story building construction, without significantly altering the rise of any particular treads 13 within the flight. The change in rise can be spread over a plurality of treads, thereby mitigating potential trip hazards caused by an uneven tread rise.

[0035] Turning to Figure 2, we are shown a short flight of temporary stairs that terminate at their lowermost end with a height adjustable temporary lower landing 41. The lower landing height adjustment means 15 includes a pair of legs 17. As best shown in Figure 2(b), each leg is slidable within a respective collar 19. Each leg 17 has a series of spaced apart holes which correspond with holes in the collar 19. The leg 17 can then be releasably fastened at the appropriate height to best suit the particular installation requirements for the particular building construction. This enables the assembler of the temporary stairway to adjust the height of the lower landing, relative the proper floor, so as to mitigate a trip hazard.

[0036] Turning to Figure 3, we are shown that the temporary stairway assembly may optionally include an intermediate landing 21. The intermediate landing may be a combination of discreet landing sub-assemblies that can be combined together to for one assembled landing. Each sub assembly may be a different size or shape, and the assembler is able to select the most appropriate sub-assemblies so that the assembled landing is able to be custom shaped so that the assembled landing is able to avvoind, or pass around obstacles, such as internal walls or posts or the like. Also by including a landing 21, the direction of the next flight of stairs can be changed with respect to the previous flight. The landing assembly 21 includes a plurality of posts 23. The length of each post 23 is telescopically adjustable. The lower part of the post 25 is able to slide within the upper part of the post 27. The length of the post can then be releasably locked at the appropriate length to match the needs of the particular building construction site.

[0037] Turning to Figure 4, we are shown the uppermost end of the top flight of stairs that terminates at the void 29 (see Figure 4(b)). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the width of the void 29 is traversed by a void pole 31. The upper end of the stairs is removably connected to a portion of the void pole. If the width of the void 29 exceeds the width of the temporary stairs, then a temporary void cover 33 can be used to cover the excess void 29, adjacent to the stairway, as shown. The void cover 33 is releasably attached, at one end, to the adjacent portion of void pole 31. The void 33 cover can be removed, or it can be hingedly connect to the void pole so that it may swing away from the void, to enable large items to be passed through the void 29. Additionally, a void plate 43 is releasably attachable to cover the gap between the void pole 31 and the floor in the upper story.

[0038] Turning to Figure 5, we are shown greater detail of how the uppermost end of the upper flight of stairs attaches to the void pole 31. A height adjustable upper connector plate includes a hook 37 that attached to the void pole 31. The height adjustable connector plate allows further adjustment of the length of the uppermost flight of stairs.

[0039] Turning to Figure 6, once the stairway and optional landing has been installed, a plurality of hand rail assemblies 39 can be attached to the stinger sub-sections 3, and the optional landing 21. Each handrail assembly 39 can then be releasably fastened to its adjacent handrail assembly 39. This significantly increases the stability of the handrails 39.

[0040] Finally, in Figure 7 we are shown a form of the present invention where the separate handrail assemblies in each section of the temporary stairway assembly are interconnected by a plurality of clamps 45. A close-up of a typical handrail assembly using a clamp is shown in Figure 7(c).

The present invention provides an adjustable temporary stairway assembly that may or may not include an intermediate landing. There are multiple points of adjustment, both along the stairway flights themselves, and the connector means that interconnect each stairway flight to the floor, and ceiling, and any landing that may be included within the stairway assembly. The multiple points enable significant adjustability while allowing the rise in each step to be kept as uniform as possible. This provides a temporary stairway system that mitigates trip hazards caused by significantly uneven rises between treads.

[0041] While 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] 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.

Claims (20)

Claims

1. A temporary stairway assembly providing access between adjacent levels of a building under construction, including a plurality of stringer sub-sections, a plurality of treads and length adjustable stringer sub-section connector means that are adapted to interconnect corresponding adjacent longitudinal ends of the stringer sub-sections so that they can be combined to create a single stringer assembly, wherein the length adjustable stringer sub section connector means enables a user to selectively adjust a gap between the corresponding adjacent longitudinal ends of the stringer sub-sections, so that the overall length of each stringer assembly can be set to best suit a particular building construction site.

2. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the stringer sub-sections are manufactured in a variety of lengths, and a stringer assembly can be assembled from a plurality of stringer sub-sections of differing lengths.

3. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the length adjustable stringer sub-section connector means includes a plate, and each corresponding longitudinal end of adjacent stringer sub-sections within a particular stringer assembly is connected to the plate via suitable releasable fastening means.

4. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein each of the corresponding adjacent longitudinal ends of each stringer sub-section includes at least a pair of holes, and the plate includes a plurality of corresponding holes that are evenly spaced apart so that the holes in the end of a stringer sub-section can be aligned with a variety of corresponding holes in the plate, and removably fastened thereto via the fastening means, and, depending on the particular corresponding holes selected on the plate, the gap between the corresponding longitudinal ends of adjacent sub-sections can be adjusted to enable the adjacent ends to be abutting, or spaced apart in set increments so that the rise of the treads in the stairway flight can be kept as even as possible while enabling the overall length of the stringer assembly to be adjustable in order to suit a particular building construction requirement.

5. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 3 or 4, wherein each stringer sub-section has a channel section cross-profile, and the plate is dimensioned so that it fits snugly within the height of the channel section so that any flexure of the joint between adjacent sub- sections in the stringer is resisted by the abutment of the plate with the sides of the channel section.

6. The stairway assembly as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stairway assembly includes a foot connector plate that connects the lowermost end of a particular stringer assembly with the floor, or in the case where the stairway assembly includes at least one landing, either at floor level, or at an intermediate height between the stories in the building, the foot connector plate is adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer assembly to its respective landing, so that the rise of the first tread above the respective landing may be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

7. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the foot connector plate includes an array of evenly spaced apart groups of holes that align with holes in the lowermost end of the lowermost stringer sub-section, so that the foot connector plate and the stringer can be releasably fastened together using suitable fastening means, and, depending on which set of holes is selected in the foot connector plate, the height that the first tread of the stairway, either from the floor, a landing at floor level, or from an intermediate landing, can be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

8. The stairway assembly as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stairway assembly includes a top connector plate that connects the uppermost end of a particular stringer assembly with the upper floor, or in the case where the stairway assembly includes at least one intermediate landing at an intermediate height between the stories in the building, the top connector plate is adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer assembly to its respective landing, so that the rise of the last tread below the respective landing may be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

9. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein the top connector plate includes an array of evenly spaced apart groups of holes that align with holes in the uppermost end of the uppermost stringer sub-section so that the top connector plate and the stringer can be releasably fastened together using suitable fastening means, and, depending on which set of holes is selected in the top connector plate, the height that the final tread of the stairway can be adjusted to best suit the particular building installation.

10. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 9, wherein the assembly includes a void pole that traverses the void in the floor that the stairway assembly rises up to and attaches to.

11. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein the top connector plate includes a hook shaped feature that hooks over a portion of the void pole.

12. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 11, wherein a cover plate is included that is removably fastenable between the void pole and the floor of the building, and, when fitted, covers the gap between the portion of the length of the void pole that is in the vicinity of the top of the stairs and the adjacent floor of the building.

13. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 11 or 12, wherein a void cover assembly is included that is located adjacent to the topmost portion of the stairway assembly wherein the void cover is used to temporarily cover the portion of the void in the floor, adjacent to the stairway, during the construction of the building.

14. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 13, wherein the void cover assembly is hingedly attached to a portion of the void pole, or another platform, such as the floor of the upper story, so that the void cover may be temporarily swung away from covering the void adjacent to the stairway to thereby permit large items to be passed through the void.

15. The stairway assembly as defined in any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein the temporary stairway assembly includes at least one landing that is located at an intermediate point between adjacent floors, the top connector plate being adapted to releasably fasten the end of the stringer to the intermediate landing.

16. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein the intermediate landing is assembled from a selection of landing sub-sections that have a variety of shapes so that individual flights of stairs within the stairway assembly are adapted to be offset in order to avoid obstacles, such as interior walls, or posts, or the like.

17. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein the intermediate landing is assembled from a plurality of landing sub-sections.

18. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein each landing sub-section is adapted to be releasably fastened to its neighbouring landing subsection.

19. The stairway assembly as defined in claim 17, wherein each landing sub-section is not connected to its neighbouring landing sub-section.

20. The stairway assembly as defined in either claim 18 or 19, wherein each landing sub section, in the plurality of landing sub-sections, may be set at different heights with respect to other landing sub-sections in the intermediate landing.