Patent ID: 6439342
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: A47B,E06C

Abstract:
An auxiliary step means adapted to be stored in a space under a counter, and adapted to be slidingly deployed from said space, comprising:a transversely disposed, vertical front wall; a transversely disposed, vertical rear wall positioned in parallel, longitudinally spaced apart relation to said vertical front wall, said vertical rear wall having a transverse extent equal to a transverse extent of said vertical front wall; a pair of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart vertical side walls having leading ends secured to opposite ends of said vertical front wall; a horizontally disposed top wall having a longitudinal extent substantially equal to a longitudinal extent of said vertical side walls and having a transverse extent substantially equal to the common transverse extent of said vertical front and rear walls; a transversely disposed folding line formed in said top wall said folding line dividing said top wall into a leading section and a trailing section; rotating means for rotating said trailing section about said folding line until said trailing section is disposed normal to said leading section and said vertical rear wall is disposed in a horizontal plane; support means for supporting said vertical rear wall in said horizontal plane; a first step provided by said horizontally disposed top wall when the auxiliary step means is deployed; a second step provided by said vertical rear wall when disposed in said horizontal plane; a first, longitudinally extending, vertical brace wall having an upper edge secured to a first edge of said trailing section of said top wall and a trailing edge secured to a first edge of said vertical rear wall; a second, longitudinally extending, vertical brace wall having an upper edge secured to a second edge of said trailing section of said top wall and a trailing edge secured to a second edge of said vertical rear wall; said first and second brace walls maintaining said vertical rear wall in normal relation to said trailing section of said top wall; said first brace wall having a free leading edge in substantial alignment with a vertical plane that passes through said folding line and said second brace wall having a free leading edge in substantial alignment with said vertical plane; and said rotating means including an arcuate slot formed in a preselected one of said vertical side walls, said arcuate slot having a lowermost end formed in said preselected vertical side wall at a preselected point therein in substantial alignment with said vertical plane and said arcuate slot having an uppermost end in open communication with an upper edge of said preselected vertical side wall.