US1811710A - Disappearing stairway - Google Patents

Description

DISAPPARING STAIRWAY Filed April 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 77M NK E. 25a-.5.5L ER ATvToRNEx/.s

June 23., 1931 F. E. BEssLER DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY Fild April 4. 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2- INVENTOR.

FRANK L". BESSLER ATToRNEY Patented June 23, 1931Y unirse .STATES PATENT orrlee FRANK E. BESSLER, OF AKRO*N,YO"HI 0, ASSEGNO@ TQ THE BESSLER- DSfAPPEAB-ING srnlnwav COMPANY, or AKRON,

erizo, n oo ltronnirroizr `or oHIo DISAPPEARING STAIRWAY` Application tiled April 4,

Y This invention relates ,to disappearing stairways of that type arranged to cooperate with a ceiling opening between floors of a building.

hc general purpose of the invention is to provide a. simple, inexpensive construction of this type in which the usual closure panel is hinged at the side of the opening and the stair structure is supported entirely by the upper Hoor when retracted and unt-il it is extended to the lower iioor, improved vIneens of an economical Construction being provided, however, lwhereby the movements," of the panel and :stair :structure are correlatedl A further purpose of the invention is to provide a'safe, non-swaying stair structure.

The foregoing and other purposes ofthe invention. are attained in the stairway illus# trained in the accompanying drawings and described below. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific :form thereof shown and described.

Of the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in sec# tion, et a stairway installation embodyingthe 4invention ,shown extended for use;

Figure 2 is a similar View thereof showing the stairway retracted and concealed from View from the lower room; and 1 Figure 3 is a front elevation of a portion of the stairway installation, partly in section, on line 3-3 of Figure 1. y

Refferringto the drawings, the numeral 10 designates "a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors of a building, to o ne side of which is hinged a panel closure 11 as indicated lat 12,12.

A. stair structure 13 is slidablyV mounted on an arm structure 14 pivotedat one end of opening 10 as at 15 whereby the stair structure is pivotally and slidably` mounted on the upper floor 'so as to move between a retracted position on the vupper iioor (Figure 2) and a position of use in which it is extended to the lower floor through the opening 10.

Brackets provided at 16 and 17 on each side of the arm structure 14 are provided with blocks 18, 18, engaged in grooves 19 on the outer sides of the stringersof lstair structure ieee. no.. 352,556.

13 to slidaloly support. the stair Astructure oli armii., v j f To correlate mov-erneut of the stair structure and panel and to tend to hold the stairway retracted in addition toj the vcollinterpoising action of the upper portiOllthereo `when retracted so that the stairway is easilyand Safely operable, e spring drum 2.0 ismoerited on onel end ,of Panel 'closure 11 and a'iieXible ,element'21 winding thereon is extended the panel and stair structure in diiierent planes.

" Provision is preferably mede for yieldingly 'resisting or counterpoising the arm structure 14 and the stair structure-'13against swinging downwardly `forcibly when the stairway is beingrextended and to assist in' retraoting the stairway." For examplebraekets 17 may extend upwardly 'from the arm structure 14 to provide arms 17a, the upper ends of which inay' be connected by .Coil springs 25A to the llPPF, ,2li/Ins of levers V26 which may. be p ivoted" inlineA l with the pivots 1 5 of .the arnis and the A'lower arnis of which levers are arranged to swing 'into abutting relation (from en ineifeotive position;v Fie- Ule 2) with the end wall of opening 10 'as the stair structure is swung Ldown through open.- ingle.V i

ooil spring 29 may beeon11eoted-between the side wall of Opening 1O andthe tpanel ,ll .ofthe end 'thereofY opposite the spring drinn 2O A.to proi'deSubstarit' llyequal yield"- ine ,support to that end of p .el 11 asis provided by the spring druIn-QO and iieXibleele- 1i1e11t2l ai-its end of the panel. i

be engaged by the under side of the stair structure when it is swung fio-W11 to the lower floor to ,prevent swlgingof ihe'eber streef A stop 30 isprovidejd on the panel 11 to ture back too far and to hold it at the proper inclination for use.

To hold the panel 11 open when the stair structure is being extended and retracted, a suitable known type of toggle linkage 81 is connected between the arm structure 14 and the panel 11.

The stair structure may be arranged to be latched onto the arm structure 14 by a suitable known type of latch 32 mounted thereon and adapted to be automatically locked or released by reciproeatory movement of the stair structure.

To operate the stairway from below, a chain 27 may be suspended from the free edge of panel 11 and to operate the stairway from above, a rail 28 is provided diagonally of the upper side of the panel to be engaged by one side of the stair structure when its upper end is lifted from above.

In operation of the stairway from below, the chain 27 will be pulled downwardly, opening the panel 11, whereupon the spring drum 2O will tension cable 21 and swing the arm structure 14 downwardly, springs 25 coming into play before the panel 11 is completely opened by reason of levers 26 swinging against the end wall of opening 1() and sheave 22 shifting angularly to compensate for the change in direction of the stretch of cable 21 between the spring drum Q0 and the sheave. The stair structure 13 which is thus swung to an accessible position from below is then pulled downwardly to the lower floor, the cable 21 paying out from spring drum 2O which yieldingly resists this movement, the weight of the stairway and tension in the spring drum being so balanced, however, that the stair structure will remain extended when released. The stairway is retracted from below by pushing it upwardly on its mounting 14, spring drum 20 now assisting and when fully retracted on its mounting spring drum 20, spring 29 and springs 25 together with the weight of the upper portion of the stairway are effective to swing the whole structure up to its retracted position (Figure 2), the force of the springs 25 being released during this movement so that the panel will close gently.

Operation of the stairway from above is eected by lifting the upper end of the stair way to depress the lower end against the rail 28 on panel 11, thus swinging the panel down, the stair structure then being pushed down from the upper floor to the lower floor. To retract the stairway from above, the stair structure is pulled upwardly and its upper end swung downwardly as will be understood.

To prevent swaying of the stair structure when in use and to obviate the danger and other disadvantages of open7 treads, a backing anel 35 is secured as by rabbeting, mortising or the like into the stringers of the stair structure behind the treads as indicated, for example, at36.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a simple, safe, eiiective and inexpensive disappearing stairway has been provided by the invention. Obviously modiiications thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper iioors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower Hoor, a panel closure adapted to be hinged to Ione side of the opening, a spring drum on the end ol the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, a sheave shiftably mounted on the mounting, said iiexible element being ex tended over `said sheave and connected at its fore end to the stair structure, the sheave being shiftable to adjust itself to the relative movement of the stretches of the flexible ele ment respectively between the panel and sheave and between the stair structure and sheave, a spring adapted to be extended between the other end of the panel and the side of the opening above the panel hinges, an arm on said mounting, a lever pivoted at the end of the opening on which the mounting is pivoted, and a spring between said arm and said lever, said lever being adapted to swing in abutment with said end of the opening to tension said last-named spring as the stair structure is swung do vnwardly through the opening.

2. A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling` between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower Hoor, a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, a sheave shiftably mounted on the mounting, said flexible element being extended over said sheave and connected at its fore end to the stair structure, the sheave being shiftable to adjust itself to the relative L l movement of the stretches of the flexible element respectively between the panel and sheave and between the stair structure and sheave, an arm on said mounting, a lever pivoted at the end of the opening on which lai thel mounting isl pivoted,` and a spring between said arm and said lever, said lever being. adapted to swing in abutment with said end of the opening to tension said last-named spring as the stair structure is swung 4downward-lythrouglithe opening. A

V3. A disappearing stairway adaptedfor cooperation with an opening in a ceiling be; tween lower' 4and upper floors of a building, said stairway. Comprising a. stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supportingthe stair structure at one end .of said. opening whereby it is operable between aretracted positionzon 4the upper floor and` a positionV in which it is extended to the lower floor, a- Vpanel closure adapted to be .hinged 'to one' side Vof theopening,r aspring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexiblefelement winding on the.

spring drum, asheave shiftably mounted von the mounting, said flexibleelement being cxtended over said` sheave and connected at its fore end to the stair structure, the sheave be ing shiftable to adjust itself to the relative movement of the stretches of the flexible element respectively between the panel and sheave-and between the stair structure and sheave, and Aa `spring adapted to beextended between the other end of the panel and the side of the opening above the panel hinges.

4. A disappearing. stairway adapted for cooperation with. an opening in a ceiling between lower'and upper `floors of building, said stairway comprising a stairstructure, mounting means for pivotally andv'slidably supporting the stair structure at oneend of said opening whereby it is operable between a `retracted position on the upper floor and a positionin which it is extended to the lower floor, va panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, :a spring `drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, anda sheave shiftablyv mounted on themounting, said flexible element being extended vover said sheave and connected at its fore end to the stair structure, the shea-ve being shiftable toadjust itself to the rela; tive movement of thestretches of the-ilexible element respectivelybetween the panel` and she-ave and between the stairjstructure and sheave.' A

5. `A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation-with an opening in Va ceiling between lower a-nd upper floors of abuilding, said `stairway comprising a. stair structure, mounting means for lpivotally and` slidably supporting the'stair 'structureat one'end of said openingwhereby itis: operable between retracted position on the upper :door and a position in, which itis extended to the lower floor,v a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum onth'e 'end of 'thepa'nel adjacentsaid mountingme'an's, va flexible element winding on the spring drum, a slieaveshiftably mountedion the, mounting, said flexible 'element being extended over said sheave :and connected at its fore end tol the `stair structure, the sheave being shiftable to adjust itself to the relative movement of the stretches off, the flexible element respectively between the panel and sheave and between thestair structure and sheave, a spring adapted tobe extended between the other, end-.ofthefpanel and ,the

side `ofthe opening above the panel hinges, and means; for yieldingly resisting downward swinging of the stair structure when the panel is open. Y

6; A disappearing stairwayadaptedfor cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upperv floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivot-ally and slidably supporting the stair structure at' one end of said .opening `whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is'extended to the lower Hoor, a panel closure adapted to beV hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, a sheave shiftably mounted on the mounting, said flexible element being extended over said `sheave and connectedat its fore end to the stair structure, the sheave being shiftable to adjust itself to therelative movement of the stretches of the flexible element respectively between l the panel and sheave and between the lstair structure `and sheave, and means for yield.- ingly resisting downward swinging of the stair structure when the panel is open.

7. A disappearing "stairway adapted cooperation withan opening in aceiling between lower and upper floors ofa building,

said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end .of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower loor,.a panel closure adapted to beihinged to lone side ofthe opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, 'a flexible element windingon` the springfdrum, said flexible element cooperating with said mounting means and connected to the `stair-'structure wherebyj'it serves to j retain the stairway in retracted position-and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counterbalanced to assist in n operation thereof, a spring v adaptedvto be j extended between'the other end of the panel and the side of the opening above the-panel hinges, 'an `arinon said mounting, -alever pivoted at the end of the opening on which the mounting is 'pivoted, andra spring between said arm andi said lever,` said lever being adapted to swing in abutment with said end of the opening to tension said lastnamed spring as the stair structure is swung downwardly through the opening.

8. A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower floor, a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, said flexible element cooperating with said mounting means and connected to the stair structure whereby it serves to retain the stairway in retracted position and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counterbalanced to assist in operation thereof, an arm on said mounting, a lever pivoted at the end of the opening on which the mounting is pivoted, and a spring between said arm and said lever, said lever being adapted to swing in abutment with said end of the opening to tension said last-named spring as the stair structure is swung down wardly through the opening.

9. A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper oor and a position in which it is extended to the lower floor, a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, said fiexible element cooperating with said mounting means and connected to the stair structure whereby it serves to retain the stairway in retracted position and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counterbalanced to assist in operation thereof. Y

l0. A disappearing stairway adapted for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway vcomprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supportingthe stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower floor, a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, and a flexible element winding on the spring drum, said flexible element cooperati ing withsaid mounting means and connected to the stair structure whereby it serves to re tain the stairway in retracted position and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counterbalanced to assist in operation thereof.

ll. A disappearing stairway adapted for' cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper lioor and a position in which it is extended to the lower floor, .a panel closure adapted to be hinged to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, said flexible element cooperating with said mounting means and connected to the stair structure whereby it serves to retain the stairway in retracted position and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counter-balanced to assist in operation thereof, a spring adapted to be extended between the other end of the panel and the side of the opening above the panel hinges, and means for yieldingly resisting downward swinging of the stair structure when the panel is open.

l2. The combination in a disappearing stairway cooperating with a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors of a building, of a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure on one end of said opening, a closure panel hinged at one side of said opening, and means on the panel adapted to limit the pivotal movement of the stairway at a proper inclination when said stairway is extended to the lower floor.

13. A disappearing stairway adapte-d for cooperation with an opening in a ceiling between lower and upper floors of a building, said stairway comprising a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting the stair structure at one end of said opening whereby it is operable between a retracted position on the upper floor and a position in which it is extended to the lower Hoor, a panel closure adapted to be hinge-d to one side of the opening, a spring drum on the end of the panel, adjacent said mounting means, a flexible element winding on the spring drum, said flexible element cooperating with said mounting means and connected to the stair structure whereby it serves to retain the stairway in retracted position and whereby the weight of both stair structure and panel are counterbalanced to assist in operation thereof, and means for yieldably resisting downward swinging of the stair structure when the panel is open.

14. The combination in a stair structure for cooperation with a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors of a building, of a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting said stair structure at one end of the opening for movement f; between a retracted position on the upper floor to a position of use extended to the lower floor, a panel closure hinged at one side of said opening, and yielding means extended between the paneL-the mounting means and the stair structure serving to urge the stairway to its retracted position with the panel shut and operable to swing the stair structure down to an accessible position from below when the panel is opened.

15. The combination in a stair structure for cooperation with a ceiling opening between lower and upper floors of a building, of .a stair structure, mounting means for pivotally and slidably supporting said stair struc- 2@ ture at one end of the opening for movement between a retracted position on the upper floor to a position of use extended to the lower floor, a panel closure hinged at one side of said opening, and yielding means extended between the panel, the mounting means and the stair structure serving to urge the stairway to its retracted position with the panel shut and operable to swing the stair structure down to an accessible position from below 3e when the panel is opened, said panel being adapted to be depressed open from above by swinging Jglie stair structure down against the panel.

FRANK E. BESSLER.

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