Patent Application
20070000191
Spiral staircases are both functional and decorative structures which allow for access between floors of residential and commercial spaces. Spiral staircases also are favored because of the smaller amount of space they require, as opposed to straight staircases. There are many occasions in which there simply is insufficient room in a building space for a straight stairway, and no other means to interconnect two levels, except by using a spiral staircase.
However, although a spiral staircase occupies a relatively small area, it presents difficulties in construction. For instance, there are logistically problems with the use of prefabricated spiral staircase units, both in safely packing and protecting them for shipment. The carriage and delivery of prefabricated staircases also may be cumbersome and difficult, especially in getting the staircases into the rooms where they are to be installed. In fact, most standard spiral staircases will not fit into many smaller rooms, resulting in the need to order customized units, with the resulting increase in price. In addition, there are usually installation problems in properly fitting spiral staircases between floors.
To overcome these problems, there have been attempts to provide spiral staircase installations with components which can be assembled on the job. Some examples of these are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,361,918, 3,740,906, 3,964,222, 4,128,976, 4,850,164 and 5,557,893.
However, these and similar spiral staircase installations result in structures which are often not very sturdy. They may be unstable and wobbly, and even unsafe. In addition, most prior assembled spiral staircases are complicated and difficult to put together. They have many different component parts, requiring connection by bolts, screws, nails, rivets, or even welding or brazing.
It is thus the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations and disadvantages of prior spiral staircases and spiral staircase assemblies and kits.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which, when its components are assembled, results in a spiral staircase which is steady, sturdy, and safe for use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which comprises relatively few different components.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit with components which are inexpensive and easy to manufacture, lightweight, and simple to assemble.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit in which all components are easily handled for assembly and installation of the complete spiral staircase unit.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which, in its disassembled state, is easily transportable to the installation site.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which does not require the use of any screws, nails, bolts, rivets or other connecting elements.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit whose components can be configured and manufactured with a plurality of attractive design options.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which allows installation of the staircase between floors where space is limited.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a spiral staircase kit which results in the assembly of a spiral staircase which can be customized for any space.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a spiral staircase kit comprising only a few different components. A plurality of step members with donut-shaped end sections and lower support members are mounted, in offset fashion, through a vertically standing support post. Spacer sleeves separate each of the steps, whose lower support members are positioned against the vertical surfaces of the sleeves. Proper stacking of the sleeves and steps produces a sturdy staircase structure which also includes an upper landing member. The staircase can be interconnected with a handrail of choice.
Novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its design, construction and use, together with the additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The spiral staircase kit of the present invention is assembled by initially positioning the lowermost end of support post 2 within opening 38 of foot member 36. Opening 21 of sleeve 20 is positioned over post 2 and then sleeve 20, as shown in
Once step 4 is placed in the proper position on sleeve 20, the force of gravity compels the step against the sleeve, resulting in end section 13 resting flush on top of sleeve 20 and vertical surfaces 17 and 18 of lateral support members 15 and 16 resting flush against a lateral surface of sleeve 20. Step surface 12 thus becomes fixedly positioned in a transverse plane in relation to support post 2.
As previously described, since the diameters of the openings of all the sleeves and steps used in the present invention are the same, once the initial sleeve 20 and step 4 are in place, as seen in
As can be readily appreciated, sleeves 23-28 and the remaining sleeves to be used for the staircase system and the end sections of steps 6-11 and the remaining steps to be used, are then positioned, in sequence, over support post 2 and slid, alternately, down the post, each step being appropriately offset to form the spiral stairway around post 2. The weight and positioning of step upon sleeve upon step ensures that the steps of the present invention are rigidly maintained around and against support post 2.
After all steps have been placed, sleeve 30 is positioned over and slid onto support post 2. Opening 35 of end section 34 of landing member 32 is then centered over support post 2 and the landing member is slid down onto and positioned on the post, its side surface resting against sleeve 30, to maintain the landing in place.
Handrail 30 with support balusters 32 are provided for additional support and, of course, safety of the user. Lower step support 29 piece is added to provide additional support and stability between lowest step 4 and the floor surface.
It is contemplated that the steps of the present invention, as well as the handrail and balusters, can be configured and fabricated to a design of choice. While the components of the spiral staircase kit can be made of metal or any other sturdy material, it has been found that the use of lightweight wood has several advantages. It is easy to work with and can be fashioned into many different design configurations. The support pole and spacer sleeves can be made of plastic or similar PVC type material. Use of such material as components guarantee the lightweight nature of the individual components and the ease of transportability and ultimate assembly.
It is thus seen that the spiral staircase kit of the present invention results in a spiral staircase which can be assembled to connect adjacent floors in virtually any building space. It is lightweight for assembly purposes and results in a rugged and sturdy staircase unit, whose very weight assists in the stability and rigidity of the staircase. The. staircase components are relatively inexpensive and simple to manufacture and the staircase is easily assembled and presents an attractive, as well as functional spiral staircase system.
Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
