Improvements in Flights of Steps or Stairs, applicable for Vineyards or Hills, and for other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July., 1897-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1897
"Improvements in Flights of Steps or Stairs, applicable for Vineyards
or Hills, and for other purposes.
I, ADOLPH FUCHS of No. 4 Burgstrasse Dattenburg on the Rhine in the German
Empire Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
My invention consists in an adjustable flight of steps or stairs which is preferably
made of iron and is of special utility in vineyards or hills planted with vines, in
mines and in other places. The steps or stairs are jointed together to suit any angle
or inclination and the bannisters are also so arranged that they are capable of
automatically adjusting themselves in every position.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation.
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing various constructions applied to one flight of
steps and fig. 6 is a front elevation of same.
Figures 3 shew in side elevation partly in section and in front elevation one
construction.
Figures 4 are similar views of a modification.
Figures 5 are similar views of another modification
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are side elevations.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of a modified form.
Figure 8 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 9 is a detail view in front part sectional elevation and
Figures 10 are detail views in front part sectional elevation and side elevation.
The steps are mounted on each side on two adjustable iron rails or bars A and B,
which have holes inade therein at regular distances and situated between these two
sets of bars A and B is a number of connecting bars C of T section forming rising
pieces (see figures 2, 3 and 6) or the rising pieces may be made of channel iron as
shewn at N Figures 2, 4 and 6. These rising pieces are connected above to the
bars A by tread bars H having screws and nuts thereon and of the section, shewn in
Figures 2, 3 and 6 or by tread bars I shewn in Figures 2, 4 and 6 or by tread bars K
of the section shewn in Figures 2, 5 and 6 and the rising pieces are connected below
to the lower bars B by the bolts E see Figures 2 and 6.
The tread bars H, I and K are reversible so that they may be used again when they
are worn out on one edge.
The slotted clamping bars F (Figures 2, 7, 8 and 9) serve to fix the steps or stairs
when in position. The bannisters or balustrade supports L (Figures 2, 7, 8, and 9)
always take a vertical position automatically.
In constructing the stairs or steps as shewn with reference to the middle part of
Figure 2 to Figure 8 and to the detail view Figure 4, the rising pieces N of channel

page_text: iron are made with a triangular shaped bracket N M (Figures 2, 4 and 6) and the
treads or steps proper are mounted on same. If desired the slotted clamping bars F
figures 2 and 8 may be used in both directions with this construction thereby forming
a lattice. The arrangement may be reversed that is to say the right hand end of the
triangular bracket may be bolted to the lower bar B and the left hand end bolted to
the upper bar A leaving the lower end of the rising piece free and this modification is
so simple that it does not require a special drawing.
In applying steps or stairs of this kind it is.not necessary to consider the angle at
which they have to be fixed but merely the length of same, see the two arrangements
on Figure 1x-y.
The constructions HG (Figures 2 and 7) or K, G, (Figures 2 and 9) of the required
and
length, are laid on the ground, the vertical rising pieces and the slotted clamping
bars F are fixed in position by screwing up the nuts and the steps are filled with
gravel or mortar which may be kept in place by corrugated or other sheet iron P.
Under such circumstances the rising pieces C may sometimes be dispensed with.
Simple steps or stairs constructed in this manner may be employed for scaling
steep banks and they are of special utility when one considers that they are easily
transferable from one place to another and applicable by a mere adjustment without
structural alteration of any kind.
Referring to Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, it will be seen that each bannister or
balustrade support L together with the support for the step is constructed of one bent
piece of metal of channel or other suitable section which is connected to the upper
and the lower adjustable side rails or bars A and B by means of bolts E. The shorter
horizontal arm of each support L is made to support the tread and the longer and
vertical arm supports the balustrade as shewn. The slotted clamping bars F and the
washers are as shewn particularly in Figures 9 and 10 so made as to fit together
with as much friction as possible to prevent displacement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
1. A jointed flight of steps or stairs consisting of upper and lower adjustable side bars
or rails A and B connected by rising pieces C or N and capable of being fixed at any
inclination by means of slanting slotted clamping bars F and in which the two sets
of side bars are also connected by tread bars H, I or K and by bolts E substantially
as shewn and described.
2. A jointed flight of steps or stairs consisting of upper and lower adjustable side
bars or rails A and B connected by rising pieces C or N and capable of being fixed
at any inclination by means of slanting slotted clamping bars F and in which the
two sets of side bars are also connected by tread bars H, I or K and by bolts E and
provided with bannisters or balustrade supports L capable of assuming their proper
position notwithstanding the angle or inclination of the side bars or rails substantially
as described and shewn
3. In a jointed flight of steps or stairs of the kind described the use and
employment of triangular bracket shaped supports M N substantially as described
and shewn.
4. In a jointed flight of steps or stairs of the kind described the use and
employment of corrugated or otherwise shaped sheet metal for risers or rising pieces
substantially as described and shewn.
5. In a jointed flight of steps or stairs of the kind described the combination of
rising pieces C or N and corrugated or otherwise shaped sheet metal P substantially
as described and shewu.
6. In a jointed flight of steps or stairs the combination of adjustable side bars or
rails A and B and balustrade supports L bent to form the supports for the treads
substantially as described and shewn.

page_text: 7. The constructions of adjustable flights of steps or stairs shewn on the
drawings.
Dated this 27th day of Tal., 1907
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane London W.C. Patent Agents.