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US4550534A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Attic staircase

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1983-08-23
•
Granted: 1985-11-05
•
Expires: 2003-08-23
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Abstract

Abstract A sealing cover for an attic floor well opening and attic stairs is provided and consists of a dome made of insulated material, a seal made of weather stripping mounted around bottom edge of the dome, a device for holding down the dome over the attic floor well opening and compressing the seal around perimeter of the attic floor well opening making the dome draft free and another device for raising up the dome from the attic floor well opening so that a person may gain access through the attic floor well opening via the attic stairs.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenneth E. Mariano
  • 👤 George Spector

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 22:36
CPC Classifications
E; E04; E04F; E04F11/00; E04F11/02; E04F11/04; E06; E06C; E06C9/00; E06C9/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 284 words
A sealing cover for an attic floor well opening and attic stairs which comprises: (a) a dome made of insulated material, covering the attic floor well opening, pivotable at one side to close and open the attic floor well opening; (b) a seal made of weather stripping mounted around bottom edge of said dome; (c) means for holding down said dome over the attic floor well opening and compressing said seal around perimeter of the attic floor well opening making said dome draft free; and (d) means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening so that a person may gain access through the attic floor well opening via the attic stairs, wherein said means for holding down said dome over the attic floor well opening comprises: (a) a flexible strap mounted on the dome inner surface with grip formed at bottom end and a transverse aperture near the handle thereof; (b) a hook mounted in the attic floor well opening below said dome so that when said strap is stretched down via the hand grip handle said transverse aperture can be placed over said hook, wherein said means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening is a spring hinge mounted between the bottom edge of said dome and the attic floor opposite said strap so that when said strap is removed from said hook said spring hinge will pivot said dome to an open position, wherein said means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening further comprises: (c) a leaf spring pivotally connected between a top center point within a groove in said dome and a second hinge on the attic floor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 284 words
A sealing cover for an attic floor well opening and attic stairs which comprises: (a) a dome made of insulated material, covering the attic floor well opening, pivotable at one side to close and open the attic floor well opening; (b) a seal made of weather stripping mounted around bottom edge of said dome; (c) means for holding down said dome over the attic floor well opening and compressing said seal around perimeter of the attic floor well opening making said dome draft free; and (d) means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening so that a person may gain access through the attic floor well opening via the attic stairs, wherein said means for holding down said dome over the attic floor well opening comprises: (a) a flexible strap mounted on the dome inner surface with grip formed at bottom end and a transverse aperture near the handle thereof; (b) a hook mounted in the attic floor well opening below said dome so that when said strap is stretched down via the hand grip handle said transverse aperture can be placed over said hook, wherein said means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening is a spring hinge mounted between the bottom edge of said dome and the attic floor opposite said strap so that when said strap is removed from said hook said spring hinge will pivot said dome to an open position, wherein said means for raising up said dome from the attic floor well opening further comprises: (c) a leaf spring pivotally connected between a top center point within a groove in said dome and a second hinge on the attic floor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 60 words
A sealing cover as recited in claim 1, wherein said strap further comprises a rigid bar having a hole, said rigid bar slideably mounted within said strap, the hole aligns with the transverse aperture in said strap so that when said strap is removed from said hook said rigid bar helps push up said dome via the hand grip handle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 50 words
A sealing cover as recited in claim 2, wherein said seal further comprises a gasket formed transversely on the inner edge of said seal so that when said dome is in a closed position said gasket will sealingly engage the transverse edge of the attic floor surrounding the well opening.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2604675A Cited
US2725003A Cited
US3807528A Cited
US3896595A Cited
US4180142A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-11-04 1989-05-06 1989-11-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-11-04 1993-05-06 1993-11-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-11-04 1997-05-06 1997-11-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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