AU778345B2 - Adjustable stair stringer and railing - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: Richard Truckner and Paul Truckner As Above CARTER SMITH BEADLE Level 10, 189 Kent Street Sydney New South Wales 2000 Australia ADJUSTABLE STAIR STRINGER AND RAILING The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us

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2 ADJUSTABLE STAIR STRINGER AND RAILING Numerous innovations for adjustable stairways have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.

The prior art does not utilise a pivoted motion and does not allow an infinite amount of variable spacings when framing stairs and/or a railing. The present invention allows an infinite amount of variable spacings and use of a pivoting motion.

Patent No. 2,245,825 to W.E. Ross teaches a folding stand that has pivoting support but is not based on vertical holes which keep treds in a horizontal position with an infinite amount of variable spacings. Furthermore, the patented invention utilises different elements from the present invention. Some of the differences are: 15 1) Vertical holes are not important, 2) Stair is adjustable into one position only, 3) Not meant to be permanently fixed after moved into position on risers, 4) Risers and treds to not slide past each other, 5) Pivoting tred support is not fixed in position after adjustment and therefore not used to lock stringers.

Patent No. 4,370,664 to J.J. Whitehead teaches an adjustable staircase. The patented invention does not have any pivoting motion and utilises different elements from the present invention.

Patent No. 3,885,365 to J.W. Cox teaches a self adjusting stair which utilises a truss assemblage. In the patented invention adjustments are made using a pin and slot. The patented invention does not utilise any pivoting motion and the rails are not adjusted by stringers as with the present invention.

Patent No. 3,962,838 to J.W. Cox teaches a self adjusting stair which utilises spacers in a truss assemblage. The patented invention does not utilise a pivoting motion and the rails are not adjustable by stringers.

DMA4 319S.speci 21 )ecember 1999 U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,347 to N. M. Strathopoulos teaches a modular staircase assembly. The patented invention does not utilize a pivoting motion. The rails are not adjusted by stringers and are not adjusted on vertical holes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,935 to H. R. Stob teaches a prefabricated adjustable stairway. The patented invention does not utilize a pivoting motion and the rails are not adjusted by stringers. This apparatus uses a three point pivoting action so that stringers do not separate during adjustment and slide one on top of the other.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,854 to K. J. Nebel teaches an adjustable height staircase.

The patented invention does not utilize a pivoting apparatus as described herein. The present invention utilizes a pivoting apparatus and contains different elements from the patented invention for at least the following reasons: Treads are directly connected to stringers, No risers, No sliding motion of riser past the tread.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,957 to Pouplaw shows treads that are directly connected to stringers, stringers that have special tongue and groove spacers which must be an exact size each time in order to lock stringers otherwise the stringers must be secured top and bottom of the stair only, and risers and treads do not slide past each other.

Any discussion of documents, publications, acts, devices, substances, articles, materials or the like which is included in the present specification has been done so for the sole purpose so as to provide a contextual basis for the present invention. Any such discussions are not to be understood as admission of subject matter which forms the prior art base, or any part of the common general knowledge of the relevant technical field in relation to the technical field of the present invention to which it extended at the priority date or dates of the present invention.

°Throughout the specification the term "comprise" and variations on this term including "comprising" and "comprises" are to be understood to imply the inclusion •of a feature, integer, step or element, and not exclude other features, integers, steps or elements.

Summary of the Invention In a first embodiment of the present invention there is provided stair construction kit for constructing a set of stairs, said kit comprising: coo• 08.09.04 004710441 at least two stair support brackets, each bracket having first and second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer elements, an upper support surface for supporting a stair tread, and spacer location formations thereon for aligning and locating the support brackets in position in relation to said stringer elements; spacer means for spacing said support brackets a set distance apart from each other, said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on said brackets.

In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair construction kit where the stair support brackets further include a riser support surface.

In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair construction kit wherein the riser support surface is orthogonal to the tread support surface.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair construction kit where the spacer location formations on said stair support brackets comprise notches capable of engaging the ends of the spacer means.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair construction kit where the stair support brackets include attachment points adapted to receive fastener means for fixing the brackets to the stringers.

In another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair construction kit wherein the tread support surface includes attachment points adapted o• to receive fastener means for fixing stair treads to the support brackets.

oo o i In still another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a stair o o construction kit comprising at least two pairs of stair support brackets, each pair adapted to support opposite ends of a stair tread.

o:o¢ In a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of oooo constructing a set of stairs using at least two stair support brackets and a spacer means, each of said brackets having first and second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer elements, an upper support surface for •go• 08.09.04 004710441 supporting a stair tread, and spacer location formations thereon for aligning and locating the support brackets in position on said stringer elements; and said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on said brackets, the method comprising: positioning said stringer elements parallel to each other, locating said brackets along said parallel stringer elements using said spacer means, spacing said parallel stringer elements laterally by said spacer means, pivotally attaching each of said support brackets to said parallel stringer elements with one pivotal attachment means in each of said parallel stringer elements, removing said spacer means from cooperation with said support brackets and said stringer elements, axially moving said parallel stringer elements relative to each other so as to rotate said pivotally attached support brackets, each support bracket being equally rotated, fixing said brackets to said stringer elements to position said brackets with the upper support surface in a horizontal orientation, and attaching stair treads to each of said brackets.

In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a construction i. kit for forming a ramp comprising: at least two ramp element support brackets, each bracket having first and r second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer r o. elements, an upper support surface for supporting a ramp tread, and spacer location formations thereon for aligning and locating the support brackets in position on said stringer elements; 0000 spacer means for spacing said support brackets a set distance apart from each other, said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on #000 0 said brackets.

000 °0 0 0* 08.09.04 004710441 In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ramp construction kit wherein the adjacent ramp elements have complementary upper and lower abutment surfaces that operatively engage with each other.

In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ramp construction kit where the spacer location formations on said ramp element support brackets comprise notches capable of engaging the ends of the spacer means.

In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ramp construction kit where the ramp element support brackets include attachment points for fastener means which are able to fix the brackets to the stringers.

In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ramp construction kit wherein the ramp element support surface includes attachment points for the attachment of ramp treads to the support brackets.

In still another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ramp construction kit comprising at least two pairs of stair support brackets, each pair adapted to support opposite ends of a ramp tread.

Further aspects of some embodiments of the present invention include a stair forming apparatus that includes a pivoting block to which treads and risers can be attached, a pivoting block to which treads only can be attached, a pivoting block which allows riser and treads to slide past each other, a pivoting block which allows riser and treads to be attached such that the risers and trad can be attached to each other after assembly to form a solid construction in which the risers become beams and the treads become lateral bracing to produce great structural strength and much wider stair widths than normal with on centre supports (additional stringers) as with normal stairs, and greater stringer strength than normal saw tooth stringers because *o* 08.09.04 004710441 o*o oo** ooo 08.9o0 007144 7 of greater stringer depth and, when the riser/tred supports are secured to the upper and lower stringers after adjustment, the stringers are bonded together to form one solid stringer which also is capable of much greater spans without additional supports.

The structure of some embodiments of the present invention includes riser and tred support which allows risers and tred to slide past each other (as the stringer is adjusted) in order to utilise standard lumber and eliminate the need to cut limber exact widths, to use standard lumber of varying lengths according to width of the stair 4' to 10' wide stairs), to use riser and tred support system which, after pivoting and adjusting in position, allows risers to be used as beams which greatly increases the structural strength of the stair allowing much greater stair widths than normal without the need for additional centre support stringers, and provides a stringer system which, when the riser/tred supports are secured, the stringer 1.members are bonded together to form a much stronger stringer member than in 15 normal "saw tooth" type construction giving much greater stair lengths without additional supports.

~The foregoing benefits of preferred embodiments of the invention are accomplished with the use of a simplified bracket, spacer and setting combination that permits the assembly of a stair stringer assembly without difficulty permitting 20 the "do it your-selfer" to install a stair assembly with simple instructions.

oe* S S: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS *SS. 0 Figure 1 is a side view of the stair embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing illustrated two possible inclinations.

Figure 2 is a side view of the railing embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing.

Figure 3 is a top view of the adjustable stair stringer and railing.

Figure 4 is a front view showing the assembled stair and railing set in position.

Figure 5 is a side view showing the assembled stairs.

:DMA:# 1905.speci 21 [Dvcmber I'M9 8 Figure 6 is a side view of an alternative form of the adjustable stair as assembled.

Figure 7 is a side view showing the adjustable stair in two alternative rise angles using the same elements.

Figure 8 is perspective view showing the nailing block and pivot attachment plate for the stair assembly of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an alternative riser tred support.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the attachment bracket as used in the present invention.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of a stair assembly of the form of Figure 7 with risers and without the treds.

Figure 12 is a sectional view of a stair assembly of the form for Figure 7 with the use of horizontal pivots.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the tred support bracket as used in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is an alternative form of a tred support and riser support using horizontal pivots as used in Figure 12.

Figure 15 is an elevation view showing alternative riser/tred supports which are individually set on a two piece stringer.

20 Figure 16 is an elevation view showing the riser/tred supports adjusted in position.

iFigure 17 is a perspective view of the riser/tred support of Figures 15 16.

Figure 18 is an alternative form of the present invention using a single pivot point for a riser/tred support.

Figures 19 20 are alternative forms of tred support and riser support for the assembly of Figure 18.

Figure 21 is a side elevation view with an alternative stair assembly showing riser/tred supports and setting spacing blocks.

Figure 22 is a partial top plan view of a portion of Figure 21.

Figure 23 is a side elevation view of the alternative riser/tred supports of Figure 21 after removal of the setting/spacing blocks and as set for assembly as a PL LTIt, stair riser and tred support.

(JWN:L)MA:#3 1905.speci 21 Deccmber 1999 9 Figures 24 and 25 are perspective views of the riser/tred support and setting/spacing block after separation.

Figure 26 is a top plan view of a structure from which a bracket may be formed.

Figure 27 is a top plan view of a setting and spacer bar for use with the bracket of Figure 26.

Figure 28 is a side elevation view of Figure 27.

Figure 29 is a sectional view taken along the lines 29-29 of Figure 27.

Figure 30, 31 and 32 are alternative form of bracket elements with setting/spacing bars.

Figure 33 is a view showing alternative adjustable spacing constructions.

Figures 34A, 34B, 35A, 35B, 36A and 36B illustrate the use of the brackets, setting/spacer bars and stringer elements of the present invention.

Figures 37, 38A and 38B are side elevation views of riser formwork and 15 locking clamp using a two piece stringer and riser/formwork supports.; and Figures 39 and 40 show an embodiment of the present invention used for a ramp DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figure 1 which is a side view of the stair embodiment of an adjustable stair stringer and railing 110 which includes an upper stringer arm 112, a lower stringer arm 114 and at least one riser/tred support 116. The upper stringer arm 112 is parallel to the lower stringer arm 114. The riser/tred support 116 is pivotally attached to the upper stringer arm 112 and pivotally attached to the lower stringer arm 114. The riser/tred support 116 may be attached to the upper stringer arm 112 and lower stringer arm 114 by riser/tred stringer arm fasteners 118. The riser/tred stringer arm fastener 118 can be a pin, screw, bolt, clamp, dowel or hook.

The riser/tred support 116 can be in the shape of a rectangle, square, triangle, pentangle or circle. The riser/tred support 116 may be rectangular in shape and contain a riser/tred support bevelled corner 116A. Furthermore, if there are more '1 1 than one riser/tred supports 116 the riser/tred supports 116 can be positioned (iWN: DMA#39')O5-pcc2 21 December 1999 equally along the upper stringer arm 112 and lower stringer arm 114. The riser/tred support 116 can be attached at horizontally positioned fixed points I 16B fastened to the upper stringer arm 112 and lower stringer arm 114.

The stair embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing 110 can include a lower stringer support 120 which can be attachable to the upper stringer arm 112 and the lower stringer arm 114, and an upper stringer support 122 which can be attachable to the upper stringer arm 112 and the lower stringer arm 114.

The stair embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing 110 can be manufactured from wood, fibreglass, metal, metal alloys, epoxy, carbon graphite, concrete or plastic. It furthermore can be adapted for use to pour concrete and create concrete stairs.

The railing embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing 210 as shown in Figure 2 showing risers 80 and treds 90 contains an upper rail support 212 •and at least two railing posts 214. The two railing posts 214 are pivotally attached 15 to the upper rail support 212. The at least two railing posts 214 are pivotally attached to the upper rail support 212 by upper rail support railing post fasteners 218. The upper rail support railing post fastener 218 can be a pin, screw, bolt, :clamp, dowel or a hook.

:The railing embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing 210 can S 20 contain at least one ballister 216 pivotally attachable and/or attached to the upper rail support 212. The at least one ballister 216 is parallel to the railing posts 214.

The ballister 216 can be attached to the upper rail support 212 by an upper rail support fastener 222. The at least one ballister 216 can be positioned equally along the upper rail support 212. The upper rail support ballister fastener 222 can be a pin, screw, bolt, clamp, dowel or hook.

The rail embodiment of the adjustable stair stringer and railing 210 can contain an upper rail support railing cap 212A which is attached to the upper rail support 212. It can further contain a railing post attachment 220 attachable to each of the railing posts 214.

It will be understood that each of the elements describe above, or two or more together, may also find useful application in other types of constructions k 7 differing from the type described above.

(jWN:DMA:#3 1905speci2 21 Decemuber I)9 11 Figures 6-10 illustrate an alternative form of the stringer, riser and tred assembly in accord with the present invention. In this form a two piece stringer 310 OA (lower) and 310 B (upper), as shown in Figures 6 7, is first attached to a deck or wall vertical surface by an attachment bracket 312, as shown in Figure with the two pieces of the stringer attached to pivot holes 312A in the bracket.

Riser/tred supports 314 having pivot holes 316 spaced the same distances as the pivot holes in the attachment bracket are spaced along the risers and are fixed to the risers by suitable means at screw holes 318 to cause the riser/tred supports to be parallel to the attachment bracket and equally spaced along the risers. These vertical pivot riser/tred support 314 are unique because the supports pivot for adjustment only and are fixed in position after adjustment; the fixing of the riser/tred supports joins the two pieces of the stringer to form a one piece, permanently adjusted stringer which is structurally superior to normal stair a construction; the positioning of the pivot points (opposite risers) allows the top of oo 15 the stair to be attached the distance down from the deck/floor level each time regardless of the riser height because all risers adjust equally including the first riser; the configuration of the riser/tred support allows risers 80 and treds 90 to slide against each other for adjustment; and when the risers are attached to the riser/tred supports and the treds, each riser then acts as a beam giving the stair much greater 20 structural stability and allowing greater widths for a stair without additional supports. The riser/tred supports 314 can be constructed from metal, composites and other materials. It should be evident that the riser/tred supports 314 are now vertical if the surface of the deck where attachment was made was vertical when the attachment bracket was attached, and as illustrated in the two positions shown in Figure 7, the riser/tred supports are now in position to be permanently attached to the stringers at securing holes 318 and to have risers 80 and treds 90 attached to the supports.

Figures 12-14 illustrate an alternative form of the stringer, riser and tred assembly formed using horizontal pivoted tred support brackets and including an alternative tred support with riser support elements. Figure 13 shows alternative pivoting tred supports using a straight bracket 412 and Figure 14 another support A L414, which is truncated in shape which can be used with or without a riser, but OWN: I 90S.sptci 21 Dtcmnber 1999 12 allowing greater fixing to the stringer. Riser 80 and treds 90 can still slide past each other to form beams. There are three steps shown on the drawing which illustrate how this system would be installed with pivot points that are horizontal.

The feature of the riser/tred support in either the vertical or horizontal pivoted form is that it is a one piece apparatus which attaches to the two piece stringer using two pivot points which normally are vertical or horizontal but can be at any common angle. The riser/tred supports pivots to adjust for a required height to form the correct stair profile.

The riser/tred support is then fixed in position (using nails, screws, bolts, glue, etc.) against the two piece stringer to form one solid, non-moving stringer which is capable of supporting both risers and treds or treds alone or risers alone (when being used for concrete formwork). The two piece stringer is then cut (at the dotted lines shown) to conform to the deck or wall at the top and the base at ground "i level at the bottom. The riser/tred support allows risers and treds to slide past each 15 other so that the risers can be adjusted for height sliding up or down past the back of the tred. The back of the tred is pushed against the face of the riser to form an enclosed stair. The position of the risers and treds can vary infinitely in respect to each other depending on the stair adjustment.

Figures 15-17 illustrate a further alternative form for riser/tred supports 512 So: 20 which are individually set on a two piece stringer 3 1OA and 310 B using removable setting blocks 514 are used to space the riser/tred supports equally along the two piece stringer as their ends abut along the stringer. The stringer pieces are separated from each other by removable setting pin 516 and the riser/tred supports 512 are attached at their pivot points 518A and 518B to the stringer 112 and to the stringer 114. When the setting blocks 514 and the setting pins 516 are removed, the two parts of the stringer can be slid with respect to each other to adjust the riser/tred supports 512 in the desired vertical position and the riser/tred supports can then be secured to the stringers by screws, nails, or other fasteners at securing holes 520.

The riser/tred supports are then in position for the attachment of equally spaced treds and risers.

Figures 18-20 illustrate a stair section showing pivoting riser/tred supports using a single pivot point allowing the tred to be set level after stringer installation.

(iWN: DMA:#3 1905speci 21 lrcember 19999 13 Equally spaced support brackets 612 are pivoted at a single pivot 614 position of the stringer with those pivot positions being located the same distance below the deck/floor when the stringer is attached with the pivot position a desired distance below the level of the deck or floor to which the stair is to be attached. With a single pivot point for each of the equally spaced riser/tred supports, the supports can be attached to the second stringer by suitable means and the treds will always be equally spaced and will have equal rising distances. The single pivot point can be at any common point (shown as alternatives 614B) along the riser/tred support brackets 612 and the brackets can be just a tred support or a tred and riser support.

Figure 20 illustrates an alternative form 612B for the bracket in a truncated form.

Figures 21-25 illustrate another alternative form for riser/tred supports for use in the present invention. In this form the riser/tred supports 712 are individually i set on a two piece stringer 12-114 using removable setting/spacing blocks 714.

This form of two piece stringer/riser/tred support assembly can be assembled with 15 the stringers 112-114 and the riser/tred supports 712 in place by attachment means 3** at the pivots 712A and with the riser/tred supports spaced by the body 716 of setting/spacing blocks 714 mating and cooperating extensions 718A and 718B with centering slots 720A and 720B in the riser/tred supports. When the assembly is to be used, 720A and 720B in the riser/tred supports. When the assembly is to be 20 used, the setting/spacing blocks can then be removed from the riser/tred supports and the stringers can then slide with respect to each other to rotate the riser/tred supports about their pivot points. The stringer can then be attached to the face of the deck or wall where the stair is to be attached and the stringers can be cut (at possible cut lines shown) to face against the deck or wall. The riser/tred supports will then be equally spaced both vertically and horizontally, can be attached by suitable fastening means to the stringers, and are in position for installation of risers and treds.

Figures 26-33 illustrate another alternative form for a riser/tred support bracket 812. This form may be formed form a metal or other suitable material blank 812A with stamped holes, slots and side portions to form the bracket. The side portions 813 and 814 from the tred and riser support surfaces (respectively) with stamped holes 815 for attaching means for the treds and risers. Pivot holes 816 319)05.spec 21 Dlcember 1999' 14 are used for connecting the bracket to the stringers and holes 817 are for fixing the bracket in place when a stringer assembly is completed. The bracket 812 is provided with stamped alignment guide holes at 819 and a guide slot at 820.

Figures 29-31 illustrate a setting and spacing bar 822. The setting and spacing bar may be formed of metal or other suitable material and includes a central body portion 823 with folded ears 824 at each side and with a guide tab 825 formed at each end of the body portion.

The setting and spacing bar 822 is adapted to cooperate with an space two brackets 812 by aligning the guide tab 825 with the guide hole 819 at one bracket and with guide slot 820 in the next bracket and serves to establish the spacing between brackets. The folded ears 824 separate two stringers and thus to allow for the space for relative movement between stringers.

With at least a pair of brackets 812 spaced by setting and spacing bars 822 and an upper and lower stringer the brackets may attached by suitable means to the 15 stringers at the pivot holes 816 to provide aligned and spaced riser/tred brackets for *bs.

:i a stair assembly as will be described with reference to Figures 34-38.

Figures 30-33 illustrate alternative forms for riser/tred brackets. similar to :that shown in Figures 26-29. Figure 30 illustrates a bracket 812 with a setting and 2 spacing bar 822 integrally formed with the bracket. The bar 822 has a length designed to space adjacent brackets and a near central folded ear portion 824 for spacing stringers. The bar 822 would be detachable after it has functioned in setting and spacing. Figure 31 illustrates another alternative of an integrally formed bracket 812 with a removable spacing bar 822 and a central setting body 824.

Figure 32 is another alternative bracket similar to Figure 31 with a removable spacing bar 822 and a central plug 826 for spacing the stringers. Figure 33 illustrates alternative forms for the end of a spacing bar 822 to adapt the bracket to different spacings of brackets along a stringer assembly. The spacing bar may include holes or pins at 822A or notches at 822B. Spacing bars of the type shown here can be used with the brackets 116 shown in Figure 5 by cooperating with the spacer slots 115 in positioning brackets 116 before stringers 112 and 114 are moved relative to each other in setting the brackets 116 for receiving treds and/or risers.

:#31905.speci 9 c21 [vcember I)99) Figures 34-36 illustrate the use of the brackets with stringers in the formation of a stair assembly. Figures 34A and 34B illustrate the opposite side of a stair stringer assembly, each side having an upper 112 and lower 114 stringer with a plurality of brackets 812 of the type illustrated in Figures 26-29 (or of the types shown in Figures 1-25) and employing setting and spacing bars 822 to position the brackets along the stringer. The two stringer assemblies mirror each other to be left and right sides of a stairway. When assembled, spaced and guided, the brackets are attached to the stringers by suitable means through pivot holes 316. Figures and 35B illustrate the moved portion of the stringer 812-814 and the rotation of the brackets 812 to the desired position for attachment to a deck or wall and for tred and riser attachment after cutting the stringers for attachment to the deck or wall. At this stage in the formation of the stringer assembly the brackets 812 can be permanently attached to the stringers at the provided attachment holes.

Figures 36A and 36B illustrate the completed stair using the brackets and eft# 15 movable stringers of the present invention. It should be noted that the forward holes 815 along the tred side portion 813 of the bracket of Figure 26 permit the location for predrilling guide holes into a tred from below. By knocking the tred against the bracket, the raised holes will mark the underside of the tred. Predrilling guide holes will permit ease of assembly of the tred from below before a riser is 20 added to the face of the stair.

Figures 37 and 38A illustrate the use of the principle of the present invention for the positioning of formwork for poured concrete stairs. The use of two part parallel stringers with pivoted riser/formwork supports permits the setting of equally spaced horizontal riser forms and equally spaced vertical spaces between poured stairs. The two piece stringer is first set at the desired angle and the separated stringer parts are fixed with respect to the top and bottom of the desired stair. Equally spaced riser/formwork supports are positioned along the risers by attachment at pivot points with the support elements having adjustment slots (Figure 37) or by the use of locking holders (Figure 38B). Riser formwork elements are attached to the free end of each of the supports. Concrete aggregate can then be poured behind each of the riser formworks to the desired level for the L stairs and allowed to set. It should be evident that the face of the riser formwork (jWN: DMAA 3i95 sped 2 21 I)ecemer 199 16 elements can be adjusted to a desired angle other than vertical by adjusting the relative positions of the two stringer elements. The riser height adjustment can be achieved by setting the first and last support and their riser formworks in position and then raising or lowering intermediate supported riser formworks to a string line drawn from the first to the last support. Equally spaced horizontal supports will then result in equally spaced vertical riser formworks.

Figures 39 and 40 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention for use in making a ramp. The apparatus 900 of Figure 39 includes an upper stringer arm 912, a lower stringer arm 914 and at least on ramp element 916. The ramp element 916 is pivotally attached to the upper stringer arm by a suitable fastening element (eg a pin, screw, bolt, clamp, dowel or hook) that passes through hole 917.

Similarly, the ramp element is pivotally attached to the lower stringer arm 914 by a suitable fastening element that passes through hole 918. The ramp elements 916 are equivalent to the riser/tred supports or the tred supports of the embodiments shown in Figure i to 38. Once each of the ramp elements 916 have been affixed to the upper and lower stringer elements, the upper stringer element 912 may be moved relatively to the lower stringer element 914 (as shown in Figure 40) to thereby cause the ramp elements 916 to move from the orientation shown in Figure 39 to that shown in Figure 40. As will be appreciated, the moving of the upper stringer arm 912 relative to the lower stringer arm 914 causes the ramp elements to move into abutment with each other to thereby form a ramp. To facilitate a smoother surface "on the ramp, adjacent ramp elements 916 are provided with complementary lower abutment surface 920 and upper abutment surface 922.

It will be noticed that in Figure 39, holes 917 and 918 in each ramp element are positioned in an essentially vertical orientation. This enables the moving operation shown in Figure 40 to occur easily.

Another advantage of the present invention may also be described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 10. Figures 6 and 7 show adjustable brackets with the pivot holes in the same area as the riser boards. Figure 10 shows a bracket with pivot holes for attaching the stringers to the deck/floor. The distance from the top of the attachment bracket to the pivot holes is equal to the distance from the top of the tred P- L to the pivot holes in the adjusting bracket. Also, the distance from the pivot holes to (WN: DMA:#3 I9O5-speci 21 )ccember 99I) 17 the back of the riser on the adjustable bracket equals the distance from the wall to the pivot holes on the attachment bracket. When the top of the attachment bracket is set level with the deck/floor, the height of the top riser is always equal (automatically set) to the other risers. Only the bottom riser needs to be adjusted with an adjustable foot.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto as many variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its broadest possible interpretation within the terms of the following claims.

0

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i 21 December 99')

Claims (12)

1. A stair construction kit for constructing a set of stairs, said kit comprising: at least two stair support brackets, each bracket having first and second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer elements, an upper support surface for supporting a stair tread, and spacer location formations thereon for aligning and locating the support brackets in position in relation to said stringer elements; spacer means for spacing said support brackets a set distance apart from each other, said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on said brackets.

2. A stair construction kit as claimed in claim 1 where the stair support brackets further include a riser support surface.

3. A stair construction kit as claimed in claim 2 where the riser support surface is orthogonal to the tread support surface.

4. A stair construction kit as claimed in any preceding claim where the spacer location formations on said stair support brackets comprise notches capable of engaging the ends of the spacer means. A stair construction kit as claimed in any preceding claim where the stair support brackets include attachment points adapted to receive fastener means for fixing the brackets to the stringers. .oe. 20 6. A stair construction kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tread support surface includes attachment points adapted to receive fastener means for fixing stair treads to the support brackets.

7. A stair construction kit according to any preceding claim comprising at least two pairs of stair support brackets, each pair adapted to support opposite ends of a 25 stair tread.

8. A method of constructing a set of stairs using at least two stair support brackets and a spacer means, each of said brackets having first and second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer elements, an upper support surface for supporting a stair tread, and spacer location formations thereon for 004709051 19 aligning and locating the support brackets in position on said stringer elements; and said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on said brackets, the method comprising: positioning said stringer elements parallel to each other, locating said brackets along said parallel stringer elements by said spacer means, spacing said parallel stringer elements laterally using said spacer means, pivotally attaching each of said support brackets to said parallel stringer elements with one pivotal attachment means in each of said parallel stringer elements, removing said spacer means from cooperation with said support brackets and said stringer elements, axially moving said parallel stringer elements relative to each other so as to rotate said pivotally attached support brackets, each support bracket being equally rotated, fixing said brackets to said stringer elements to position said brackets with the upper support surface in a horizontal orientation for attachment of a tread, and S(h) attaching stair treads to each of said brackets. 20 9. A construction kit for forming a ramp comprising: at least two ramp element support brackets, each bracket having first and second pivot attachment points for attaching to respective upper and lower stringer elements, an upper support surface for supporting a ramp tread, and spacer location formations thereon for aligning and locating the support brackets in position on said stringer elements; 25 spacer means for spacing said support brackets a set distance away from each other, said spacer means adapted to engage with said spacer location formations on said brcid brackets. *co* 0 004709051 A ramp construction kit as set out in claim 9 wherein the adjacent ramp elements have complementary upper and lower abutment surfaces that operatively engage with each other.

11. A ramp construction kit as claimed in either claim 9 or 10 where the spacer location formations on said ramp element support brackets comprise notches capable of engaging the ends of the spacer means.

12. A ramp construction kit as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 where the ramp element support brackets include attachment points adapted to receive fastener means for fixing the brackets to the stringers.

13. A ramp construction kit as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12 wherein the ramp element support surface includes attachment points adapted to receive fastener means for fixing stair treads to the support brackets.

14. A ramp construction kit according to any one of claims 9 to 13 comprising at least two pairs of stair support brackets, each pair adapted to support opposite ends of a stair tread. A stair construction kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the stair embodiments shown in the accompanying Figures.

16. A method for forming a set of stairs or a ramp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the stair embodiments shown in the 20 accompanying Figures.

17. A ramp construction kit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the any one of the ramp embodiments shown in accompanying Figures. OOO6 p*. S 0r*e *000 O I S S S S.o