GB2431914A

GB2431914A - Portable machine for hoisting domestic goods and items up straight stairwells

Info

Publication number: GB2431914A
Application number: GB0522708A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Renee Vaughan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-08
Filing date: 2005-11-08
Publication date: 2007-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-08
Also published as: GB2431914B; GB0522708D0

Abstract

A lightweight portable hoist for use by delivery and removal firms that can be easily assembled and removed from stairwells. The hoist comprises a lightweight collapsible tube 1 within which runs a wheeled roller assembly (6 fig 2) this is connected via a wire rope to a winch motor 2. The holding brackets 3 are positioned into the positional brackets (8 fig 3) on the rear of the tube and hold it above the risers and treaders of the stairs. The hoist is held firmly in position in the stairwell by means of the tie rods 5 which fix into the holding bracket 3 and abut the stairwell wall or stairwell casing on the opposite side. A platform 4 fixes to the wheeled roller assembly. Power is applied to the winch motor and the platform moves up and down the stairwell transporting items and goods. On completion of the delivery the hoist is disassembled the tubes collapsed within themselves and are stored within the delivery van for transporting to the next delivery.

Description

1 2431914 Portable Machine for hoisting domestic goods and items up

straight stairwells.

The invention relates to a collapsible hoist and platform capable of being transported in delivery vehicles. It is aimed at situations were domestic white goods or items of heavy domestic furniture need to be delivered into dwellings were entry is via a straight stair well.

This hoist would give a quick and easily deployable means of getting domestic white goods and other item of domestic furniture up stairwells.

Its ease of deployment will not put undue time into the delivery cycle. It will reduce incidents of back strain and other related lifting injuries among delivery personnel thus reducing time lost to sickness and claims for industrial injury.

The object of this invention is to provide a hoist that is light and easily manoeuvred and assembled into position by a delivery driver. It is light enough and collapses to a small enough size to be transported easily in a delivery van used to deliver domestic items. It is designed to be easily deployed and assembled into a stairwell by a single delivery driver. When deployed in a stairwell it will be capable of transporting goods up and down the stairs thus avoiding undue lifting.

This invention comprises a series of lightweight tube assemblies that have the capability to expand out and retract into each other enabling height and reach to be achieved. A wheeled roller arrangement runs inside the tube with a fixing bracket that protrudes through a slot in the underside.

An electric motor with a pulley and wire rope or other means of attachment is assembled to the top of the tube assembly. The wire rope or other means of attachment is fastened to the wheeled roller arrangement enabling it to be manoeuvred along the slot in the tube arrangement. A lightweight platform is attached to the bracket protruding from the wheeled roller arrangement. The whole assembly is held in place within the stair well by tie rods that attach to brackets on the tube assembly and are held tight against the stairwell wall by a screwed adjustment arrangement.

The machine can be manufactured from metals, plastics or composite materials or a combination of these materials.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a general side elevation of the invention. It shows how it is envisaged to fit into a stairwell.

Figure 2 shows the expanding sliding tube arrangement and the internal wheeled roller assembly.

Figure 3 shows the reverse (wall side) of the expanding tube assemble and supporting bracket arrangement.

Figure 4 shows a sectioned view of how the expanding tube would be held against the stair well wall and supported on the stair treader.

Figure 5 shows an impression of how the hoist would fit on the side of the stair and the platfomi ride up and down the hoist.

Figure 6 shows a sectioned view of the expanding tube with the wheeled roller assembly at its highest position attached by its connecting mechanism to the pulley of the motor and also were it would rest in its lowest position.

Figure 7 shows details of the wheeled roller assembly.

Figure 8 shows the rear support foot holding bracket.

Figurer 9 shows the platform Figure 10 shows the tie bar.

Figure 11 shows the motor and pulley arrangement.

As shown in figure 1 the hoist comprises three or more metal tubes (items 1 A, 1 B and 1 C) each capable of sliding into and expanding out of each other. A motor (item2) capable of rotating and having a pulley and rope or other attachment medium affixed to it is assembled to the upper most section of the expanding tube assembly. The free end of the attachment medium is fixed to the wheeled roller assembly (item 6) which moves along the internal space of the expanding tubes (1A,1B and 1C) The holding brackets (item 3) will slot into the positional brackets (item 8) to the rear of the expanding tube assembly and rest on the treads of the stairs. Tie rods (item 5) are then assembled between the positional brackets and the opposite stairwell wall which holds the hoist firmly in place.

The platform (item 4) is attached to the wheeled roller assembly via the attachment plate (item 7).

Figure 2 shows the expanding tube assemblies (items 1A, lB and 1C) and gives an impression of how the tubes are designed to slide into each other thus having a collapsed length just longer than the first (largest diameter) tube, (item 1A). The wheeled roller assembly (item 6) the attachment plate (item 7) and the platform (item 4) are shown in this view to indicate how the platform would travel up and down the tube assembly.

Figure 3 shows the reverse (wall side) of the expanding tube assembly and indicates how the holding bracket (item 3) would be held in position with the positional brackets (item 8).

Figure 4 shows a sectioned view of the circled portion of figure 3. It shows how the expanding tube assemblies (items 1*) would be held by the holding bracket (item 3) above the stair tread. The holding bracket (item 3) would in turn rest on the tread of the stair and be held against the stairwell wall by the tie rod (item 5).

Figure 5 is a sketch of how the hoist and platform would look when travelling up or down a stairwell.

Figure 6 shows a sectioned view of the hoist assembly with the motor (item 2) with pulley and attachment medium in place. The attachment medium is shown connected to the wheeled roller assembly (item 6), which is shown in the upper position. For clarity the wheeled roller assembly is also shown at its lowest position in the tube to indicate how it would move to raise and lower items up and down the stairwell.

Figure 7 shows the wheeled roller assembly (item 6) and the attachment plate (item 7). The wheeled roller assembly will have a built in g switch which will operate a safety pin to lock the assembly should the wire rope fail.

Figure 8 shows how the positional bracket (item 8) fixes to the rear of the expanding tube to hold the holding bracket (item 3) in position.

Figure 9 is a side elevation view of the platform (item 4) the bracketed side of the platform has an arc of drilled holes in order to allow attachment to the hoist and allow for the variance in the angle of different designs of stairwell.

Figure 10 shows the tie bar (item5), which comprises a left hand and right hand thread and a central nut. When the nut is rotated the tie bar pushes tight against the stairwell wall on one side and the holding bracket (item 3) on the other thus holding the hoist firmly in position.

Figure 11 shows the motor and pulley (winch) arrangement (item 2) that can be a commercial item bought at trade.

The device is intended to be capable of being transported in a collapsed disassembled mode. It is intended for use by businesses or organisations delivering goods to dwellings were access is via a stairwell.

The tubes (itemi) will be manufactured from lightweight metal or composite material. They are designed to collapse within each other for transportation within a delivery van. The remaining components are designed to be detachable enabling them to be easily stored and transported within a delivery van. All the components are manufactured from lightweight metals or composite materials creating a lightweight portable hoisting machine.

On arrival at the delivery point the tubes (item 1) are removed from the van and slid out of each other to match the length and height of the stairwell were the delivery is to be made.

The holding brackets (item3) are then slotted into position into the positional bracket (item8), this allows the allows the tube to be held above the risers and treaders of the stairs.

The tie rods (item5) are assembled to hold the tubes and the holding brackets finnly against the stairwell wall.

The hoist motor (item 2) is assembled into position at the top of the expanded tube assembly, the wire rope or attachment medium is affixed to the wheeled roller assembly (item 6) which is pre assembled inside the tube assembly.

The platform (item 4) is assembled to the attachment plate of the wheeled roller assembly being adjusted by means of the arc of drilled holes in its attachment plate so that it travels up and down the stairwell level.

The hoist motor is connected via a flying lead or extension cable to a 13 amp socket. The machine is now ready to transport any domestic item up or down the stairwell, reducing lifting by the delivery team and reducing the risk of injury.

When the delivery is complete disassembly is the reverse of the assembly operation the items being light, easily moved into and stored within the delivery van until next required.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist comprising a lightweight tube construction that collapses into itself with dismountable feet and tie bars a wheeled assembly that runs inside the tube and has means of attaching to it a dismountable platform as well as the capability of attaching to a

dismountable winch.

2.A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist as claimed in 1 wherein a wheeled assembly is provided in order to connect to and elevate the platform up or down the stairwell and act by means of a g switch within it as a safety device.

3.A collapsible and portable hoist as claimed in 1 and 2 wherein the means of elevating the platform up or down the stairwell is by a detachable winch and motor which is connected to the wheeled assembly by a wire rope or other means of attachment is affixed to the upper end of the tube structure.

4.A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein the tube assembly is held above the steps of the stairwell by detachable feet.

5. A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist as claimed in 1 2 3 and 4 wherein the hoist is held in place by expanding tie bars which extend from the detachable feet to the opposite stairwell side.

6 A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist as claimed in 1 2 and 3 4 and wherein a platform capable of angler adjustment can be connected to and dismantled from the wheeled assembly 7. A collapsible and portable stairwell hoist substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-11 of the accompanying drawings.