Portable stairway

Claim 2

A portable stairway for releasable lockable installation adjacent and generally parallel to a structure to be ascended and descended, comprising: a plurality of stairway sections, each of said stairway sections including a pair of spaced, parallel stairway side frame members having a plurality of step members secured therebetween, and a safety side guard rail member mounted integrally with said stairway section for pivotal movement between an upright position upon installation and a collapsed position for storage and transportation; a plurality of outrigger supporting members equal in number to said plurality of stairway sections; means releasably lockably securing each of said outrigger support members to said structure to be ascended and descended; said stairway sections adapted to rest on said outrigger supporting members upon installation in such relation thereto that said step members are positioned in substantially horizontal planes; and means releasably lockably securing said stairway sections to said outrigger supporting members.

Claim 3

A portable stairway as claimed in claim 1, including: an end safety rail member extending between the upper end of said side safety guard rail member and said structure to be ascended and descended.

Claim 4

A portable stairway as claimed in claim 1, including: means coupling said safety side guard rail members of adjacent stairway sections together when said rail members are in said upright position to provide a continuously extending safety side guard rail member.

Claim 5

A portable stairway section for releasable lockable installation onto a scaffolding structure or the like including suitably braced vertical supporting components and connecting supporting horizontal components at at least the upper level of each scaffolding tier, said stairway section comprising: a pair of spaced, parallel stairway side frame members having a plurality of step members secured therebetween; outrigger support means including: an elongated supporting surface terminating at one end in a support tube extending normal to said elongated supporting surface; and means releasably lockably securing said outrigger to said scaffolding structure so that said elongated supporting surface extends horizontally outwardly therefrom; said stairway section adapted to rest at one end on said elongated supporting surface of said outrigger support means in such relation thereto that said step members are positioned in substantially horizontal planes; locking ring means secured to one of said stairway side frame members at the end thereof which is adapted to rest on said outrigger elongated supporting surface, said locking ring means adapted to be telescopically slidably received over said outrigger support tube when said stairway section rests on said outrigger elongated supporting surface; a safety side guard rail member secured to the stairway side frame member carrying said locking ring means, so as to be located on the outer side of said stairway section when the latter is placed in said resting position on said outrigger elongated supporting surface; and means mounting said safety side guard rail member for pivotal movement between an upright position upon installation and a collapsed position for storage and transportation; and means releasably lockably securing said locking ring means to said outrigger support tube.

Claim 6

A portable stairway section for releasable lockable installation onto a scaffolding structure or the like including suitably braced vertical supporting components and connecting supporting horizontal components at at least the upper level of each scaffolding tier, said stairway section comprising: a pair of spaced, parallel stairway side frame members having a plurality of step members secured therebetween; outrigger support means including: an elongated supporting surface terminating at one end in a support tube extending normal to said elongated supporting surface; and means releasably lockably securing said outrigger to said scaffolding structure so that said elongated supporting surface extends horizontally outwardly therefrom; said stairway section adapted to rest at one end on said elongated supporting surface of said outrigger support means in such relation thereto that said step members are positioned in substantially horizontal planes; locking ring means secured to one of said stairway side frame members at the end thereof which is adapted to rest on said outrigger elongated supporting surface, said locking ring means adapted to be telescopically slidably received over said outrigger support tube when said stairway section rests on said outrigger elongated supporting surface; a safety side guard rail member secured to the stairway side frame member carrying said locking ring means, so as to be located on the outer side of said stairway section when the latter is placed in said resting position on said outrigger elongated supporting surface; and means mounting said safety side guard rail member for pivotal movement between an upright position upon installation and a collapsed position for storage and transportation; and means releasably lockably securing said locking ring means to said outrigger support tube.

Claim 7

A portable stairway section as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means releasably lockably securing said outrigger support means to said scaffolding structure includes: an inverted channel bar supported in spaced relationship to the inner end of said outrigger elongated supporting surface; said inverted channel bar and said inner end of said outrigger supporting surface defining an open-ended slot having a laterally disposed opening; and a collar member vertically spaced from said slot, said collar having a side opening facing inwardly of said outrigger support means, each of said inverted channel bar, said slot and said collar member adapted to slidably receive therein conventional supporting components of a scaffolding structure, whereby said outrigger support means is releasably lockably secured to said scaffolding structure by slidably inserting a horizontal supporting component thereof into said inverted channel bar and simultaneously slidably inserting a vertical supporting component thereof into said slot and said collar member.

Claim 8

A portable stairway section as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means releasably lockably securing said locking ring means to said outrigger support tube includes: a locking post slidably hingedly attached to said safety side guard rail member adjacent the upper end thereof when said stairway section is installed; said locking post adapted to pivot about said hinge into a generally vertical position when said safety side guard rail member is pivoted to said upright position; and said locking post adapted to be telescopically slidably received within said outrigger support tube in a tight friction fit when pivoted to said vertical position.

Claim 9

A portable stairway as claimed in claim 4, wherein: the foot of said stairway section is supported by an inverted open-ended channel bar spaced inwardly from said stairway side frame members and adapted to receive said elongated supporting surface of said outrigger therewithin, whereby said outrigger support means is adapted to support both the upper ends of the stairway side frame members of a first stairway section and said channel bar supporting the foot of a second adjacent stairway section.

Claim 10

A portable stairway as claimed in claim 6, wherein: said locking post is telescopically slidably received within a collar member, and said collar member is hingedly attached to said safety side guard rail member.

Claim 11

A portable stairway as claimed in claim 8, including: an inverted, open-ended, elongated cap member secured intermediate its ends to the top end of said locking post, the lower end of said cap member adaPted to cover the safety side guard rail member of said stairway section upon insertion of said locking post into said outrigger support tube and the upper end thereof adapted to cover the lower end of the safety side guard rail member of the next adjacent stairway section.