US1737799A - Sliding stairway - Google Patents

Description

DGC. 3, 1929. c LOETSCHER 1,737,799

SLIDING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 21. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwwzntoo E C. L oezscfier Dec. 3, 1929. E, c. LQETSCHER 1,737,799

SLIDING STAIRWAY Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awozweq gwumdoz Patented Dec. 3, 1929 PATENT OFFICE EMIL C. LOETSCHER, OF DUBUQUE, IOWA SLIDING STAIR'WAY Application filed January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,515.

This invention relates to improvements in Stairways, and particularly to stairways of the type which move through a hatch in a ceiling.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a ceiling hatch with a downwardly swinging hinged door or panel, and to slidably mount on this doorway, a stairway which may be concealed above the ceiling when it is not in use.

The primary object of the present invention is to simplify the construction of such devices, and to provide a much more inexpensive structure.

A further object of the invention is to furnish in such a device, simple inexpensive means for assisting in raising the stairway and to retard the lowering of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a com- 29 bination of this type, including a novel braking mechanism which cooperates with the stairway to retard the downward movement of the latter.

Another object is to provide a stairway of the character which moves through a hatchway in a ceiling, with a hinged section that may be folded against the main part of the stairway, when the latter is to be stored.

lVith the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in'the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved device with the stairway inlower position.

Fig. 2 is a front View of the same.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the stairway in its uppermost position above the ceiling.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged: plan view of the brakin mechanism and a portion of the door.

*ig. 5 is a detail sectional view of one side of the stairway showing the means for latching the hinged section of the stairway to the remainder of the latter when the hinged'section is folded.

In the drawings, 1 designates a ceiling having a hatch opening 2, adapted to be closed by a swinging door or panel 3, which is hinged to the doorway at 1.

Brackets 5 are fixed to the panel and preferably arranged at the corner portions of the latter, and each of. these brackets carries a roller 6, which may be mounted on a ball bearing.

The stairway 7 is preferably formed of stringers 8 and treads 9, and each stringer consists of a pair of bars spaced apart to provide a longitudinal slot or guideway 10 in which the rollers 6 operate. Stops 11 and 12 are arranged at the ends of the guideway, and the stairway is preferably provided with a hand rail 13.

The stairway may readily slide up and down on the rollers 6, and in order to retard the downward movement, the following mechanism is provided. A drum 1 1 is fixed to a shaft 15, journaled in roller bearings or the like 16, carried by brackets 17 that are secured 'to an intermediate portion of the panel 3. A rope or cable 18 has one of its ends fixed to one of the lower treads of the stairway by any suitable fastening means,

such as a screw-eye 19. This rope or' cable suitable adjusting means,'such as turnbuckle 23, to one of the upper treads of the stairway.

The spring 22 always keeps the rope 18 taut,

so that the rope compels the-rotation of the drum when'the stairway iseither raised or lowered. I

I have combined with the drum, simple and.

inexpensive means for retardingthe rotation of the drum when'the stairway moves down 9 wardly', but which does not interfere with the rotation of the drum when the stairway moves upwardly. Such means comprises a second rope or cable 24;, wrapped around the drum for a few turns, as shown at 25. One end of this rope is tied at 26 to a screw-eye or the 7 like that is fixed to the panel 3, and the other end of the cord is connected to a coiled spring 27, which is connected toan eye-bolt 28 extending through a screw-eye'29 on the paneli On the other hand, when the stairway moved upwardly, the rope 18 will. turn the drum in a counter-clockwise,direction, and.

this will cause the spring 27 to stretch and loosen the rope 24 to'snclreXtent-thatthe brake will not interfere with the operation of the drum. 1

In the operation of the device, it will be assumed that the parts arein the position shown in Fig. '3,'that.i's,'withthe stairway above the ceiling 1. .-.At" such time, the overhanging weight of the stairway will tend-to keep the panel closed, but in addition to this,

n I have provided special means for closing the panel and for 'retainingit in closed posi-- tioIi. Suchmeans includes coiled springs 31 mounted atopposite sides of the stairway. Each of these 'springshas itsu'pper end fixed to the doorway ;at 32', and its other endcona nected to an eye-bolt 33 (similar to 28) and provided with a thumb nut 34 similar to which bears against a screw eye 35; fixed to the panel. Byadjusting the thumb nut 34, the tension of the spring may be varied.

With thepartsabove the ceiling, the operator can move the same into theposition shownin Fig. 1', by first pulling downwardly I on the suspended cord 36. This causes the panel to swing on its hinges, and brings the lower'end of the stairway into a; position where it can begrasped by the operator. The operator can .then pull the stairway downwardly, and-this movement will be retarded bythe braking mechanism.

'WVhen it is desired to return the stairway to its concealed position, the operator simply lifts upwardly on the stairway,a'nd when he has moved it high enough, its overhanging weight, together with the springs 31, will return the parts to the position'shown in .Fig. 3;

By properly adjusting the springs through 1 the medium .of the turnbuckle 23 "and the thumb ,nut 30;, the operation can be varied somewhat','and the spring 27. maybe so adjusted that the stairway-will move down at any speed desired, or the stairway will remain in' any position, regardless of the, angle of. the stairway. Furthermore, by a suitable adjustment, the stairway will slowly move downward under its own weight, .and the friction on the drum can be just sfufiicient to almost counter-act the effect ofgravity.

When the stairway ismovedto the uppermost position, there is almost suflicient' counter balance weight in the overhanging portion of the stairway to raise it to the upper closed position. However, with different ceiling heights, this may not always be the case. Therefore, the springs 31 are provided to furnish sufficient tension to balance the panel and stairway in any position.

Thelowerend of the stairway is preferably formed by a movable or folding section 8 which is hinged atSP to the main portion of the stairwayl When the section 8 is folded, it will engaged by spring clips 8, which will hold the same in folded position, as shown in Fig. 3.. I

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation and "advantages-of the invention may be readily understood, andl am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed inthe claims. t

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. The combination with a movable door, and a stairway slidably mounted on the same, of a brake drum, means operatively connecting the stairway to the brake drum'for rotating the latter in oppositedirectrons, when the.

stairway moves upwardly or downwardly, and means for retardingthe movement of the brak'e'drum when thelstairway is" moved in one dir'ect-ion',.said retarding means. having no effect on the brake drum when the stairway is moved-1n the opposite direction.

and a stairway slidably mounted on the same,

.41; The 'combinationzwith a movable door,

of a brake drum, means ope-rativelyconnecting the stairway to the brake drum for causing the lattert'o rotate in opposite directions when the stairway moves upwardly or downwardly,

a tension'devic'e for said means, and means for retarding the movement of the brake drum when the stairway is movedinone di rection', saidretardin-g. means havingrno effect on the brake drum when' the stairway is moved in theopposite direction.

The combination with a movable door and a stairway movablymountedon the same, of a;brake drum, means operatively connecting the brake drum tothe stairway for causing.

the brake drum torotate in opposite directions when the stairway is moved upwardly or downwardly, a tension device for said means, a device for adjusting the tension device, and retarding means'connected torth e brake drum for retarding the movement of the latter in one direction only. T

LL The combinatlon With-2t movable door having a stairway mov-ably mounted thereon, 1'

of a brake drum, a flexible element passing about the brake drum and having its ends con"- nected to theend portions ofthe stairway, re-

silient means forming part of said element-for maintaining the element ta'ut, andiretardingmeans engaging the drum for-retarding th'e movement of the drum in one direction only.

5. The combination with a swinging door having a stairway slidably mounted thereon, of a rotatable drum carried by the door, a flexible element wound about the drum and having its ends connected to the end portions of the stairway, means for maintaining said element taut, and a brake cooperating with said drum.

6. The combination with a swinging door and a stairway slidable thereon, of a brake drum, means operatively connecting the stairway to the drum for causing the latter to retate in opposite directions when the stairway is moved upwardly or downwardly, a brake rope wound about the drum and having one of its ends fixed at a point adjacent the drum, and resilient means for tensioning the other end of said brake rope.

7. The combination with a hinged door and a stairway slidably mounted thereon, of a drum rotatably mounted on the door, means operatively connecting the stairway to the drum for causing the latter to rotate when the stairway is moved, a brake rope wound about the drum, means for fixing one end of the brake rope to said door, and adjustable resilient means for connecting the other end of the rope to the door.

8. In combination, a hinged door for closing a ceiling doorway, brackets carried by the door, a stairway slidably mounted on said brackets, a brake drum rotatably mounted on the door, a flexible element passing about the brake drum, and having its end connected to the end portions of the stairway, resilient means forming part of said flexible element for maintaining the latter taut, a brake rope wound about the drum, means for fixing one end of the brake rope to the door, and adjustable resilient means connecting the other end of the brake rope to the door.

9. In combination, a movable door for closing a ceiling doorway, a stairway mounted to move through said doorway, said stairway including a hinged section at its lower end portion adapted to be folded against the under side of the remainder of the stairway, and means for holding said section in its folded position.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

EMIL C. LOETSCHER.

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