Patent US3662859A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3662859A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stairway elevator
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-09-21
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1990-09-21
Abstract
Abstract In a stairway elevator unit riding on tubular tracks mounted on the steps of a stairway, a carriage riding on the tracks and carrying a car frame, the car frame and carriage being driven by a motor powered winch which winds or unwinds a cable anchored at the top of the stairway, so as to raise or lower the elevator unit, the car frame being supported on the carriage by a support assembly, the position of which is controlled by the cable so as to support the car frame upward and outward from the inclined track when the cable is taut, and to drop the car frame downward and inward toward engagement with the inclined tracks when the cable is not taut. The support mechanism comprises an idler pulley normally supported by the cable, the idler pulley being mounted on an idler shaft, and a two member toggle controlled by the idler shaft and pivotably interconnecting the car frame and the carriage shaft. A channeled track member rigidly attached to the car frame rides on the carriage shaft such that when the cable is taut, the toggle holds the carriage shaft in position at the rear of the channel member, thus carrying the car frame in a forward and elevated position; when the cable is not taut, the toggle positions the carriage shaft to the front of the channel member, thus carrying the car frame in a backward and lowered position, engaging wedge members of the car frame with the tubular track so as to lock the car frame on the track and hold it securely. Movement of the car frame downward with respect to the carriage also activates an override safety switch which, when activated, prevents further drive by the motor.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry K Flinchbaugh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:09
CPC Classifications
B; B66; B66B; B66B9/00; B66B9/06; B66B9/08; B66B9/0807; B66B9/083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
An elevator structure adapted for an inclined stairway, comprising: a. a rail assembly mounted in said stairway, comprising at least one rail extending lengthwise along said stairway; b. a car frame having wedge members normally displaced from said rail; c. a carriage mounted on said rail assembly, for carrying said car frame; d. support means having a retractable member interconnecting said car frame and said carriage, for retractably supporting said car frame on said carriage; e. drive means for moving said car frame and said carriage having a normally taut cable, one end of said cable being anchored at the top of said stairway; f. said retractable member normally held in a position by said cable when said cable is taut such that said car frame is maintained at an elevated position with respect to said carriage and said rail assembly, whereby said wedge members are displaced from said rail, and said retractable member lowered to a lower position when said cable is slack such that said car frame is lowered with respect to said carriage, whereby said wedge members engage said rail and lock said car thereto; and g. said car frame comprising a pair of wedge members, each member having a flange extending downward from said car frame toward said rail, said flanges having bottom edges aligned parallel to said rail, a first flange being positioned to the right of the center axis of said rail and a second flange being positioned to the left of said center axis, the distance between said flanges being less than the outside diameter of said rail.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
An elevator structure adapted for an inclined stairway, comprising: a. a rail assembly mounted in said stairway, comprising at least one rail extending lengthwise along said stairway; b. a car frame having wedge members normally displaced from said rail; c. a carriage mounted on said rail assembly, for carrying said car frame; d. support means having a retractable member interconnecting said car frame and said carriage, for retractably supporting said car frame on said carriage; e. drive means for moving said car frame and said carriage having a normally taut cable, one end of said cable being anchored at the top of said stairway; f. said retractable member normally held in a position by said cable when said cable is taut such that said car frame is maintained at an elevated position with respect to said carriage and said rail assembly, whereby said wedge members are displaced from said rail, and said retractable member lowered to a lower position when said cable is slack such that said car frame is lowered with respect to said carriage, whereby said wedge members engage said rail and lock said car thereto; and g. said car frame comprising a pair of wedge members, each member having a flange extending downward from said car frame toward said rail, said flanges having bottom edges aligned parallel to said rail, a first flange being positioned to the right of the center axis of said rail and a second flange being positioned to the left of said center axis, the distance between said flanges being less than the outside diameter of said rail.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The elevator structure as described in claim 1, wherein said rail means is comprised of a pair of tubular rails.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The elevator structure as described in claim 2 wherein said carriage means comprises a pair of front wheels mounted on a front axle and a pair of rear wheels mounted on a rear axle, each of said wheels riding on one of said tubular rails, and said car frame comprises a pair of said wedge members corresponding to each of said carriage wheels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
The elevator structure as described in claim 2 wherein said rails are connected to said stairway by track saddles, each of said track saddles having a portion thereof extending above the level to which the lower tips of said wedge members fall when said cable is slack, thereby blocking downward passage of said car frame when said cable is slack.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The elevator structure as described in claim 4, wherein said support means comprises such a retractable member corresponding to each rail.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The elevator structure as described in claim 1 having safety switch means rigidly mounted on said car frame, said switch means comprising a pivotable member adjacent to but normally not contacting said carriage when said cable is taut, said pivotable member being displaced upward by contact with a fixed carriage member such as to close said switch when said cable is slack and said car frame is lowered with respect to said carriage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
303 words
An elevator structure for inclined stairways comprising: a. a rail assembly having tubular parallel rails running up and down said inclined stairway; b. a carriage assembly riding on said rail assembly, having at least one carriage shaft; c. a car frame supported on said carriage assembly, having pairs of wedge members depending downwardly, each of said wedge pairs being positioned above, but normally not contacting, a respective rail; d. a drive assembly having a cable connected at one end to a cable anchor mounted at the top of said stairway and at the other end to a cable reel on said car frame; e. an idler pulley mounted on an idler shaft, said pulley engaged by and held up by said cable when said cable is taut; f. a toggle, having two members each pivotably connected to said idler shaft, said first member also pivotably connected to said carriage shaft, and said second member having a receiving surface displaced from the connection to said idler shaft; g. a contact member rigidly mounted on said car frame adjacent to said second toggle member, said receiving surface pivotably receiving said contact member; h. a U-shaped support member rigidly mounted on said car frame having an upper portion slideably supported on said carriage shaft, and a front portion and a rear portion, and mounted at a distance from said contact member such that said carriage shaft is positioned against the rear portion of said U-shaped member when said cable is taut, thereby holding each of said wedge pairs above its respective rail, and such that said shaft is positioned against the front portion of said U-shaped member when said cable is slack, in which latter case said car frame is dropped relative to said carriage such that each of said wedge pairs wedges against said rail.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
303 words
An elevator structure for inclined stairways comprising: a. a rail assembly having tubular parallel rails running up and down said inclined stairway; b. a carriage assembly riding on said rail assembly, having at least one carriage shaft; c. a car frame supported on said carriage assembly, having pairs of wedge members depending downwardly, each of said wedge pairs being positioned above, but normally not contacting, a respective rail; d. a drive assembly having a cable connected at one end to a cable anchor mounted at the top of said stairway and at the other end to a cable reel on said car frame; e. an idler pulley mounted on an idler shaft, said pulley engaged by and held up by said cable when said cable is taut; f. a toggle, having two members each pivotably connected to said idler shaft, said first member also pivotably connected to said carriage shaft, and said second member having a receiving surface displaced from the connection to said idler shaft; g. a contact member rigidly mounted on said car frame adjacent to said second toggle member, said receiving surface pivotably receiving said contact member; h. a U-shaped support member rigidly mounted on said car frame having an upper portion slideably supported on said carriage shaft, and a front portion and a rear portion, and mounted at a distance from said contact member such that said carriage shaft is positioned against the rear portion of said U-shaped member when said cable is taut, thereby holding each of said wedge pairs above its respective rail, and such that said shaft is positioned against the front portion of said U-shaped member when said cable is slack, in which latter case said car frame is dropped relative to said carriage such that each of said wedge pairs wedges against said rail.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |