Patent Application
20190257137
None
N/A
This invention is directed to portable buildings such as storage sheds, storage barns, etc.; and, more particularly, to a door ramp for use with such structures for moving items into and out of such structures.
Portable storage buildings are structures used as sheds or barns and can range in size from 10′×16′ or smaller, up to 16′×44′ or larger. The buildings are roofed structures constructed of wood and/or metal and can include skids located beneath the building by which the structure is movable from one location to another.
The buildings are used to house or store a variety of items including, for example, lawn and riding mowers, small tractors and other earth moving equipment. The buildings can also serve as workshops for wood, metal working, equipment repair, and hobby crafts, as well as to store tools and various other implements and items. Regardless of the size of the building, it will typically have at least one door and/or window.
A problem with conventional portable structures is the inability to store or house large or heavy pieces of equipment which, like a riding mower, for example, may conveniently fit within the building but which also needs to easily pass through an entryway for the structure. Larger buildings used as garages and barns may have side-by-side hinged door arrangements by which both doors can be pulled open to expose a large enough entryway that a vehicle or large piece of equipment is readily moved into the structure. Garages often have over-head door installations, usually electrically powered, by which a door is raised and lowered to provide an entry into the facility. These conventional arrangements have certain drawbacks with regard to portable structures. For example, portable structures are not necessarily wired for electricity. Also, the framing required to support side-by-side or overhead doors may increase the cost of fabricating the structure so it is not as economical as it could be.
The present disclosure is directed to a ramp door for use with portable buildings. In a raised, closed position, the door cover covers an opening formed in the side of a portable building, the opening being sufficiently large for items to be stored in the structure to be readily moved or driven into the building. In an extended, lowered position, the door ramp provides an angled or sloping surface by which items can be readily carried, loaded, or driven into, or out of, the structure.
The ramp door is hingedly connected to the structure to lower and raise the door and a mechanism is provided by which a user can do so in a controlled manner. A panel is mounted to the interior top portion of the door and extends outwardly as the door is fully lowered to rest on the ground and complete formation of a ramp by which items can be brought into or removed from the building.
In use, the ramp door can be easily opened and closed by a minimum number of people to provide access to the building.
The ramp door is a permanent part of the building and does not have to be removed if the building is relocated.
The ramp door is of a wood and/or metal and/or fiberglass construction and is reinforced, if necessary, depending upon the items being stored in the portable building.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
The accompanying figures, together with detailed description which follows, form part of the specification and illustrate the various embodiments described in the specification.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description clearly enables one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it will be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring to the drawings, a portable building B includes sidewalls S, a roof R, a floor F (see
An improvement to portable building B comprises a door ramp indicated generally 10 and which is installed in an opening O (see
To raise and lower door 12, the base of the door is hingedly attached to the sidewall in which opening O is formed, the bottom of the door being hinged to a frame piece 17 adjacent floor F. As shown in
Two handles 16 are attached to the outer surface of door 12 along opposites of the door. The handles are attached to the exterior or outer face 120 of the door at a height that allows one or two people to each conveniently grasp a handle and pull on it to lower or open door 12, or push on it to raise the door back to its closed position.
A mechanism indicated generally 18 allows door 12 to be lowered and raised in a controlled manner. One end of a rope/chain/wire 20 is connected to the interior or inner face 12i of the door, on opposite sides of the door as shown in
In this latter regard, the improvement of the present invention further includes a panel 32 which extends across the width of door ramp 12. Panel 32 is hinged to the top of the door as shown in
This feature helps prevent damage to items being stored or removed from potable building B by eliminating any bumps which might otherwise occur; or skewing of items because of any differences in heights between one side of the ramp and the other when the door is in its lowered position.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects and advantages of the present disclosure have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained.
