Abstract:
An attic scuttle for providing a means of accessing the attic which is easily installed, fire-rated, and forms a tight, insulating seal. The attic scuttle includes a sleeve with a perimeter wall, and a hinged door positioned within the base portion of the sleeve for facilitating access to the attic from a room below.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to attic hatchways and more particularly pertains to a new attic scuttle for providing a means of accessing the attic which is installed with ease, is fire-rated, and forms a tight, insulating seal. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of attic hatchways is known in the prior art. More specifically, attic hatchways heretofore devised and utilized arc known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,059; U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,845; U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,862; U.S. Pat. No. 6,014,841; U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,054; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 335,982. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new attic scuttle. The inventive device includes a sleeve with a perimeter wall, and a hinged door positioned within the base portion of the sleeve for facilitating access to the attic from a room below. 
     In these respects, the attic scuttle according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a means of accessing the attic which is installed with ease, is fire-rated, and forms a tight, insulating seal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of attic hatchways now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new attic scuttle construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a means of accessing the attic which is installed with ease, is fire-rated, and forms a tight, insulating seal. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new attic scuttle apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the attic hatchways mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new attic scuttle which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art attic hatchways, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a sleeve with a perimeter wall, and a hinged door positioned within the base portion of the sleeve for facilitating access to the attic from a room below. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new attic scuttle apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the attic hatchways mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new attic scuttle which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art attic hatchways, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new attic scuttle which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new attic scuttle which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such attic scuttle economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle for providing a means of accessing the attic which is installed with ease, is fire-rated, and forms a tight, insulating seal. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle which includes a sleeve with a perimeter wall, and a hinged door positioned within the base portion of the sleeve for facilitating access to the attic from a room below. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle that is prefabricated, making it simple to install. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new attic scuttle with a latching, fire-rated door for safety, and insulated thereby inhibiting thermal exchange between the attic and the room. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a new attic scuttle according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the latching portion of the door of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a new attic scuttle embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the attic scuttle  10  generally comprises a sleeve  12  that includes a perimeter wall  14  which is designed for facilitating access to the attic  68  from a room  69  below. 
     A door  16  is positioned within the sleeve  12 . The door  16  is designed for selectively restricting access to the attic  68 . The door  16  is hingably coupled to the perimeter wall  14  of the sleeve  12  for facilitating movement of the door  16  between a closed portion and an open position. 
     The sleeve  12  includes a flange  18  that extends outward from a bottom end  22  of the perimeter wall  14  of the sleeve  12 . The flange  18  is designed for coupling to the joists  24  of the building for securing the sleeve  12  to the joists  24 . 
     The door  16  includes a latch assembly  25 . The latch assembly  25  is positioned proximate a peripheral wall  27  of the door  16 . The latch assembly  25  is for selectively securing the door  16  to the sleeve  12 . 
     The latching assembly includes a catch member  26  for selectively engaging an aperture  28  in the peripheral wall  27  of the sleeve  12 . The catch member  26  inhibits opening of the door  16  when the catch member  26  engages the aperture  28 . 
     The catch member  26  includes an angled face  32  for facilitating retraction of the catch member  26  into the door  16  when the door  16  is closed. 
     A plurality of handles  34  is operationally coupled to the latching assembly. Each of the handles  34  is rotatable for selectively retracting the catch member  26  from the aperture  28  for permitting the door  16  to be opened when one of the handles  34  is rotated. 
     The door  16  includes a plurality of recesses  36  with each of the respective handles  34  positioned within such that each of the handles  34  is positioned flush with an exterior surface  38  of the door  16  for preventing the handles  34  from being caught on an object when the door  16  is opened and closed. 
     The peripheral wall  27  of the door  16  defines an interior space  42 . An insulating material  44  is positioned within the interior space  42  of the door  16 . The insulating material  44  is designed for inhibiting thermal exchange from the attic  68  to the room  69 . 
     The sleeve  12  includes a lip  46  that extends inward from the bottom end  22  of the perimeter wall  14 . The lip  46  is designed for supporting the door  16  when the door  16  is in a closed position. 
     A plurality of sealing members  48  each is coupled to one of the sleeve  12  and the door  16 . Each of the sealing members  48  is positionable between the sleeve  12  such that they are designed for inhibiting environmental communication between the attic  68  and the room  69  when the door  16  is in the closed position. 
     A lid member  52  is for selectively coupling to a top end  54  of the sleeve  12 . The lid member  52  is designed for inhibiting environmental communication between the attic  68  and the room  69  when the lid is coupled to the top end  54  of the sleeve  12 . A plurality of tabs  56  extend downward from a perimeter edge  58  of the lid member  52 . Each of the tabs  56  is for abutting against an outer surface  62  of the sleeve  12 . The tabs  56  prevent the lid member  52  from inadvertently sliding off of the top end  54  of the sleeve  12 . 
     At least one trimming member  64  is for coupling to the bottom end  22  of the sleeve  12 . The trimming member  64  is designed for aesthetically concealing the transition between the sleeve  12  and the joist and wall boarding  66  of the room  69 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.