US3842935A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Covering and stair access for openings in ceilings,roofs and similar wall structures
Assignee: Wilhelm Frank GmbH
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Filing: 1973-01-16
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-01-16
Abstract
Abstract A covering for openings in ceilings, roofs and similar structures comprises a frame adapted to be fitted into the opening with its outer periphery sealed within the opening structure. A cover panel such as a skylight cupola is pivotally mounted adjacent the top of the frame member and it is movable between a closed and a fully opened position to provide either ventilation or access through the frame. The frame also carries a foldable staircase which may be pivoted downwardly and extended outwardly to ground level to permit access through the frame from the ground level to the roof structure. In the closed position, the folded stair assembly forms aligned stair threads which define air flow passages therebetween to permit ventilation through the staircase when the skylight cupola is opened partly. In the folded and closed position, the underside of the staircase is closed by a panel which may be solid or which may be formed as an opened grid or louvre which permits the free flow of air therethrough but which provides a concealment for the staircase when viewed in any position except directly underneath.
Inventors
- 👤 W Frank
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:53
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04F; E04F11/00; E04F11/02; E04F11/04; E04F11/06; E04F11/062; E04F11/064; E04D; E04D13/00; E04D13/03; E04D13/035; E06; E06C; E06C9/00; E06C9/06; E06C9/08; E06C9/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A covering for openings in ceilings, roofs and similar structures, comprising a frame adapted to be fitted into the opening with its outer periphery sealed with the structure surrounding the opening and adapted to extend above and seal the top over the opening, and to extend at least flush with the lower part of the material surrounding the opening, a top cover panel closing the upper end of said frame and being pivoted to said frame adjacent one side thereof, and being movable to open and close the frame in order to ventilate and or to open the space through said frame, a foldable stairs having an upper end pivotally connected to said frame and being pivotal upwardly into said frame in a folded position for storage and downwardly to lower an opposite end of said stairs to the ground to define a stair passageway upwardly through said frame to the roof, a bottom panel connected to said frame closing the opening of said frame below said stairs, said panel having openings for the passage of air therethrough and means elastically connecting said panel to said stairs, said stairs holding said panel against said frame when said stairs are in a folded withdrawn position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A covering for openings in ceilings, roofs and similar structures, comprising a frame adapted to be fitted into the opening with its outer periphery sealed with the structure surrounding the opening and adapted to extend above and seal the top over the opening, and to extend at least flush with the lower part of the material surrounding the opening, a top cover panel closing the upper end of said frame and being pivoted to said frame adjacent one side thereof, and being movable to open and close the frame in order to ventilate and or to open the space through said frame, a foldable stairs having an upper end pivotally connected to said frame and being pivotal upwardly into said frame in a folded position for storage and downwardly to lower an opposite end of said stairs to the ground to define a stair passageway upwardly through said frame to the roof, a bottom panel connected to said frame closing the opening of said frame below said stairs, said panel having openings for the passage of air therethrough and means elastically connecting said panel to said stairs, said stairs holding said panel against said frame when said stairs are in a folded withdrawn position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
A covering for openings in ceilings, roofs and the like according to claim 1, wherein said pivoting stairs in the operating position has an upper end mounted so as to pivot in said frame on a pivot bearing, each pivot bearing (129) comparing two flat rods (130, 131) disposed on edge and interconnected by a cross-bolt (133), each flat rod (130) on the stair side being fastened laterally to said stair.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A covering by means of a closing cover disposed below the stairs according to claim 2, wherein the flat rod (130) on the stair side is mortised into the surface of the cover (121) pointing upward.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A covering, according to claim 1, including a flat rod (131) on the ceiling side mortised into the ceiling opening and shaped in the form of a leg of a steel profile (131, 132).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A covering according to claim 1, wherein said stairs include sections connected by hinges, and wherein the ends of the stair sections (122, 123, or 123, 124) facing each other are equipped with a buckling safety device, one of said stair sections (124) presenting a notch (139) and the other (123) presenting a tooth (140) engaging the notch in the operating position of the stairs, and the tooth being elastically pivotable in a snap-in direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A covering, according to claim 5, wherein the notch (139) and the tooth (140) are each disposed at a plate (137, 138) connected to the side plate of the respectively correlated stair section and/or the hinge (125, 126).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
A covering, according to claim 6, wherein the notch (129) is worked into one half of the hinged joint (125, 126) and the tooth (140) is formed into a tab, lug or the like of the other hinged joint half.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A covering, with foldable stair sections, according to claim 7, characterized in that said dual lever includes a free lever arm (149) protruding into the pivoting range of the lower stair section (123).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein the upper end of the stairs is connected to the stair frame (119) through at least one elbow lever (146) which assumes in the operating position of the stairs a flat attitude and which is disposed so as to be staggered in the direction (145) of the return pivoting motion to the side of the pivot bearings (129) of the stairs, the elbow lever part (127) attached to the ceiling opening or the stair casing (119) being designed in the form of a single arm and the other (148) in the form of a dual-armed lever.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
A covering, according to claim 1, each link including an end, a lever linkage for weight balancing each link end (153) on the stair side being pivoted at an eccentric pin (154) and each eccentric pin is disposed eccentrically at a disc (155) mounted in each stair side plate (136) so as to be turnable as well as movable axially and fixable, each disc being provided at its surface pressable against the stair side plate with gripping elements (16) for the side plate, the disc (155) being roughened, for the formation of the gripping elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein said bottom panel is connected by said resilient means only to said stairs at each end.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
70 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein said stairs are made up of a plurality of separate sectIons each being foldable in respect to the other in order to fold or open said stairs, including a first section pivoted to said frame and a second section pivoted to said first section, said second section being provided with a pressure tab for connecting said second section to said bottom cover panel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A covering, according to claim 1, including light means located between said top cover panel and said bottom cover panel, said bottom cover panel being a light diffuser.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein said top cover panel includes at least a part which is transparent or translucent, said air covering having at least one opening for the passage of light, said stairs being made up of a plurality of foldable sections which fold together over said bottom cover panel, said stair sections having rungs which align in the folded condition to permit passage of light and air therethrough and through said bottom cover panel when in a closed position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein said frame includes a slightly inclined outer portion extending above said roof, said top cover panel being closed against said inclined outer portion, said inner portion including a slightly downwardly inclined inner portion, said bottom cover panel being closed against said downwardly inclined inner portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
A covering, according to claim 1, wherein said frame is divided into a plurality of parts extending transversely to the direction of emergence through said opening, including an inner part supporting said stairs and said bottom cover panel and an outer part supporting said top cover panel, and centering means for centering said parts relative to each other.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
63 words
A covering, according to claim 1, including means for locking said outer covering and said stairs in a closed position in said frame including a rotatable member mounted on said stairs and a lever eccentrically connected to said rotatable member and being movable by rotation of said member to engage with said lock said stairs and said top cover panel to said frame.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A covering according to claim 1, wherein said top transparent cover panel comprises a akylight cupola, means interconnecting said skylight cupola with said foldable stairs permitting upward movement of said cupola for ventilation without movement of said stairs, and means on said stairs for locking said stairs in a closed position in relation to said frame.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |