GB2491566A

GB2491566A - Stairway apparatus for installation to a natural slope

Info

Publication number: GB2491566A
Application number: GB1108972.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Millar
Original assignee: Adam Millar & Sons Ltd
Current assignee: Adam Millar & Sons Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-27
Filing date: 2011-05-27
Publication date: 2012-12-12
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-27
Also published as: GB2491566B; GB201108972D0

Abstract

The apparatus 200 comprises a platform member and a longitudinal support member 30. The platform member is configured to provide several treads 22 and risers 24 and is preferably made from a sheet material. The longitudinal member, in use, has a planar surface which is parallel to the slope upon which it is mounted, the longitudinal member also including a series of apertures for receiving ground attachment members. The support member is preferably provided on each lateral edge of the platform member. The support member may include a second planar surface which is perpendicular to the first surface to form an L shaped support member. The apertures may also be used to fix balustrades and at least one railing.

Description

Stairway Apparatus The present invenUon relates to stairway apparatus. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a modular stairway apparatus which is readily installable on an external slope with minimal groundwork.

There is often a requirement to provide a stairway on an external sloping surface to provide users with easier traversal of the slope. For example, the stairway may be part of a natural rural path, or it may provide easier access for, say, motorway maintenance personnel to reach a drainage gully located at the foot of an embankment. Such stairways should be inexpensive and easy to install.

lt is known to provide a stairway for external slopes, the stairway formed from corrugated sheet metal. The corrugations define the treads and risers of the stairway, and a pitch line which, in use, is substantially parallel to the slope. The corrugations also include an additional bend for each step. The bend is at an oblique angle to form a narrow strip between the rear portion of each tread and the lower portion of each riser, this strip having a plane which is substantially parallel to the pitch line and therefore the slope. ln use, the lower surface of the strip is therefore in contact with the slope.

To fix the stairway in place, an aperture is provided at each lateral side of each strip and a stake is driven into the ground through each aperture. However, buried objects such as rocks are frequently encountered when attempting to drive the stakes into the ground. With this known stairway, there is no freedom on the positioning of the stakes: the apertures must be provided at the strip since this is the only portion of the stairway in contact with the slope. When an object is encountered, the only solutions are to remove the stairway (including any stakes which have already been driven into the ground) and excavate the object, or omit the stake from the aperture concerned which compromises the fastening of the stairway to the ground.

The known stairway is modular and provided in sections, each section typically comprising around four corrugations. Two adjacent sections overlap at the strip and the stake is used to connect the adjacent sections together as well as connect to the ground. However, omitting a stake from the aperture provided at the overlap will clearly compromise the integrity of the overall structure as well as the fastening of the stairway to the ground.

Also, to ensure that each strip is in contact with the slope, substantial groundwork is required so that the slope rises evenly. This also increases the installation time required. lt is known that it typically takes around four hours to install a 10 metre section of the stairway.

ln addition, the extra bend required to provide the strip adds to the complexity and cost of the apparatus.

Furthermore, the corrugated sheet metal can lack structural rigidity unless a thick sheet is used (which is harder to bend and increases cost and weight) and can deform under heavy loading. A stake is typically used at each strip not just to provide adequate fastening of the stairway to the ground but to increase the fixed support of each corrugation to resist deformation.

lt is desirable to provide a stairway apparatus which is one or more of: is more flexible in terms of fixing locations; requires less groundwork; is easier to produce; and has an improved structural rigidity.

According to the present invention there is provided a stairway apparatus to be installed on a slope comprising: a platform member configured to provide a plurality of treads and risers; and a longftudinal support member connected to the platform member and having a first planar surface configured such that, in use, the first planar surface is parallel to, and contacting, the slope, wherein the first planar surface is provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving a ground attachment member.

The platform member may be formed from a sheet material, such as steel or aluminium. The platform member may have a plurality of corrugations which define the treads and risers. The corrugations may be configured so that the treads are substantially horizontal when the first planar surface is in contact with the slope. The corrugations may be configured so that the risers are substantially vertical when the first planar surface is in contact with the slope.

The sheet material may include a plurality of bends to form the corrugations. The bends may only define the treads and risers of the stairway apparatus.

The support member may be provided at a lateral edge of the platform member.

A support member may be provided at each lateral edge of the platform member.

The support member may include a second planar surface which is substantially normal to the first planar surface. The second planar surface may be configured to provide an abutment surface for abutting and connecting to the platform member.

The second planar surface may be connected to the platform member at each corrugation. The second planar surface may be connected to the platform member by welding, fixings such as nuts and bolts, or the like.

The support member may be formed as a longitudinal L section. Such a profile not only provides the first and second planar surfaces but provides a rigidity to the support member, in particular to resist bending in the plane of the first planar surface.

AlternaUvely, the platform member may be connectable to the first planar surface.

The apertures may be regularly spaced along the first planar surface. The spadng of the apertures may be substantially equal to the pitch length of a corrugation.

AlternaUvely, the spacing of the apertures may be greater than the pitch length of a corrugation. As the second planar surface can be connected to the platform member at each corrugation, the support member increases the fixed support of each corrugation to resist deformation. In which case, there is typically no requirement for the apparatus to be fixed to the ground at each corrugation.

The stairway apparatus may include a balustrade member comprising a plurality of balusters and at least one railing. The balusters may be connectable to the platform member. Alternatively, the balusters may be connectable to the support member. The platform member or support member may include second apertures for receiving baluster fixing means.

Each baluster may have a loop member at one end for receiving a railing. The railing may comprise a plurality of connectable sections.

At least each tread of the platform member may include gripping means.

The stairway apparatus may comprise a section of a modular stairway, the section being connectable to at least one other section.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view in relation to a prior art stairway of (a) the groundwork required, (b) a section of the stairway, (c) a number of sections and the ground fixing, and (d) the completed stairway; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the prior art stairway of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a stairway apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 4 is another perspective view of the stairway apparatus of Figure 3.

Figures 1 and 2 show a prior art stairway 100 instafled at an external slope 200, such as an embankment. As shown in Figure 1 (a), substantial groundwork 202 is required before installation of the stairway 100. The stairway 100 is formed from a platform of corrugated sheet metal to provide the treads 102 and risers 104 of the stairway 100.

As best seen in Figure 2, the corrugations also include an additional bend at an oblique angle to form a narrow strip 110 between the rear portion of each tread 102 and the lower portion of each riser 104. The strip 110 is therefore parallel to and in contact with the slope 200. An aperture 112 is provided at each lateral side of each strip 110 to allow a stake 114 to be driven into the ground through the aperture 112. The stairway 100 is provided in sections which overlap at the strip 110. The stake 114 also connects adjacent sections together.

Figures 3 and 4 show a stairway apparatus 10 according to the invention. As before, the stairway apparatus 10 includes a platform 20 of corrugated sheet metal to provide treads 22 and risers 24. However, the number of bends is less as the strip of the known stairway has been omitted.

The invention also includes two longitudinal supports 30, each support 30 being connected to a lateral edge of each corrugation of the platform 20 by welding.

The support 30 is provided as a longitudinal L section. The L section has a first planar surface 32 which is parallel to, and contacts, the slope, and a second planar surface 34 which is normal to the first planar surface 32 and provides an abutment surface for connecting to the platform 20.

The first planar surface 32 is provided with a series of apertures 36 for receiving a ground attachment member such as a stake 38. The apertures are regularly spaced along the first planar surface 32 using a spacing which is greater than the pitch length of a corrugation. This reduces the installation time required. The first planar surface 32 can also be provided with alternative apertures to give a choice of fixing locations.

The stairway apparatus 10 also includes a balustrade comprising balusters 40 and a railing 42. The balusters 40 are connected to the platform 20 using bolts which pass through apertures provided at the treads 22 and secured using nuts.

Each baluster has a loop portion 44 at the upper end for receiving the railing 42.

Each tread 22 includes raised elements 50 to improve foot grip for a user.

The invention provides an improved stairway apparatus which is more flexible in terms of fixing locations. There is no requirement for the platform 20 to be fixed to the ground at or near the lower vertex of the corrugations. Also, less groundwork is required as the support 30 has a degree of flexibility and can more easily follow the contour of the slope 200. With less bends, the platform 20 is easier to produce. The support 30 also increases the structural rigidity of the apparatus 10.

Whilst specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it wifl be appreciated that departures from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A stairway apparatus to be installed on a slope comprising: a platform member configured to provide a plurality of treads and risers; and a longitudinal support member connected to the platform member and having a first planar surface configured such that, in use, the first planar surface is parallel to, and contacting, the slope, wherein the first planar surface is provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving a ground attachment member.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform member is formed from a sheet material.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the platform member has a plurality of corrugations which define the treads and risers.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sheet material includes a plurality of bends to form the corrugations, the bends only defining the treads and risers of the stairway apparatus.
5. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support member is provided at a lateral edge of the platform member.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support member is provided at each lateral edge of the platform member.
7. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support member includes a second planar surface which is substantially normal to the first planar surface.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second planar surface is configured to provide an abutment surface for abutting and connecting to the platform member.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the second planar surface is connected to the platform member at each corrugation.
10. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support member is formed as a longitudinal L section.
11. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are regularly spaced along the first planar surface.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spacing of the apertures is greater than the pitch length of a corrugation.
13. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, including a balustrade member comprising a plurality of balusters and at least one railing.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the balusters are connectable to the platform member or the support member, and wherein the platform member or support member includes second apertures for receiving baluster fixing means.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein each baluster has a loop member at one end for receiving a railing.
16. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus comprises a section of a modular stairway, the section being connectable to at least one other section.