Patent ID: 6155005
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
A lift-assisted entrance adapted to provide shielded access, from a ground level to a below-ground entryway to a building, said below-ground entryway having a foundation wall and said building having an exterior wall and a plurality of architectural features, said lift-assisted entrance comprising:a first side wall and a second side wall, each of said first side wall and said second side wall having a lower edge, a front edge, a top edge, and a rear edge, said lower edge being cap of being joined to said foundation wall and said rear edge being capable of being joined to said exterior wall of said building, said top edge being substantially parallel to said lower edge and said rear edge substantially parallel to said front edge;a front face, said front face having a lower front face edge, said lower front face edge being capable of being joined to said foundation wall, a first front face side edge coupled to said front edge of said first wall, a second front face side edge coupled to said front edge of said second side wall, and at least one door, said door being substantially vertically oriented and hingedly connected to one of said first front face side edge or said second front face side edge such that said door opens outward; anda roof, said roof including a pivotable roof section, a stationary roof section, and a pivot means;wherein said top edge of said first side wall and said second side wall has a front top edge and a rear top edge and said pivotable roof section is coupled to said front top edge and said stationary roof section coupled to said rear top edge so as to position said stationary roof section lower than said pivotable roof section,wherein a pivoting rear edge of said pivotable roof section is pivotably coupled by said pivot means, said pivot means including a first pivot means coupled to said pivotable roof section and to said front top edge of said first side wall at a first pivot point located at a predetermined distance from said first front edge and a second pivot means coupled to said pivotable roof section and to said front top edge of said second side wall at a second pivot point located at said predetermined distance from said second front edge,wherein a first stationary roof edge is immovably coupled to said rear top edge of said first side wall and a second stationary roof edge is immovably coupled to said rear top edge of said second side wall,wherein an installation edge of said stationary roof section is capable of being coupled to said exterior wall of said building,wherein, when said pivotable roof section is in a closed position, a front-facing edge of said stationary roof section has a lip extending upward to mate with said pivoting rear edge of said pivotable roof section and a front-facing edge of said pivotable roof section is releasably coupled with said front face, so as to form a water-tight joint between said stationary roof section and said pivotable roof section and between said roof and said front face and said first side wall and said second side wall.