Patent ID: 7096998

Claim:
In combination with a stairway, an elevator operable between a lower floor and an upper floor, said elevator comprising: an elevator mechanism having a base, a lift cylinder, a telescoping member, a lift frame secured to said telescoping member, a platform, and a power unit, said lift cylinder having a first end secured to said base and a second end secured to said telescoping member, said second end extendable between a retracted position and an extended position; said lift cylinder coupled to said power unit, said telescoping member slidably secured to said base and movable between a nested and extended position, a controller coupled to said power unit, said power unit responsive to control signals from said controller to selectively actuate said lift cylinder to move said second end of the lift cylinder between said retracted and extended positions, whereby to move said telescoping member between said nested and extended positions to raise and lower said platform, a stairway including a fixed section and a movable section, said movable section being pivotable between a closed position and an open position, said fixed section remaining fixed during shifting of said movable section, and a link arm having a first end coupled to said telescoping member and a second end coupled to said movable section, whereby said link arm pivots said movable section from said closed position when said telescoping member is in said nested position to said opened position when said telescoping member is in said extended position, said elevator mechanism being located underneath said stairway when said movable section is in said closed position.