FIELD FORMABLE STEP NOSE SYSTEM
A step nose is formed having a tread portion and a riser portion, formed initially as a flat strip, the tread portion having a receiving slot formed therein, and the riser portion having a hook formed as part thereof. The tread and riser portions are stretchable with respect to one another so as to enable the hook to interlockingly engage the slot when the tread and riser portions of the flat strip are bent towards one another to thereby form a step nose ready for installation. Machines are further disclosed for forming the flat step nose strip into an assembled state by bending the tread and riser portions and interlocking them together.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/164,341, filed Mar. 27, 2009, entitled, “Improved Step Nose System,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELDThis disclosure relates to stair case systems and particularly to an improved step nose and step nose system mountable on stair step edges.
RELATED ARTExtrusions for application to staircase step noses to enhance visibility and/or aesthetics in theatres and other venues are known.
SUMMARYThe following is a summary description of an illustrative embodiment of an improved step nose system and components thereof. It is provided as a preface to assist those skilled in the art to more rapidly assimilate the detailed design discussion which ensues and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the claims which are appended hereto in order to particularly point out the invention.
In an illustrative embodiment, a step nose strip is formed having a tread portion and a riser portion, formed initially as a flat strip. The tread portion has a receiving slot formed therein, and the riser portion has a hook formed as part thereof. The tread and riser portions are stretchable with respect to one another so as to enable the hook to interlockingly engage the slot when the tread and riser portions of the flat strip are bent towards one another so as to form a step nose ready for installation. The system may further include an end cap and a barbed harpoon connector for attaching the end cap to the step nose strip. The harpoon connector is inserted in respective oppositely disposed openings in the end cap and the step nose strip and thereafter firmly locks the two components together.
Illustrative embodiments are further disclosed of machines for forming the flat step nose strip into an assembled state by bending the tread and riser portions and interlocking them together. In illustrative embodiments, such a machine may comprise a first roller and a plurality of cooperating guides for initially bending the step nose strip and thereafter feeding it to a wheel having a circular flange thereon which cooperates with the first roller to stretch the riser portion of the step nose downwardly and inwardly. A roller or mandrel at the end of the machine is positioned to push the hook portion of the riser portion into the slot, thereby completing assembly.
Step nose strips formed according to various embodiments have the advantage that they may be bent and interlocked into final shape in the field, an operation which is facilitated by the disclosed bending machines.
An illustrative embodiment of an improved step nose lighting system 11 is illustrated in
In one embodiment, shown in
As shown in the cross-section of
In the embodiment illustrated in
A hook 43 is further formed at the interior end of the riser portion 31, while a hook receiving slot 45 is formed on the interior end of the tread portion 29. As may be seen, the slot 45 is defined by a projecting lip 47. The lip 47 has an inner surface 49, which projects upwardly at a slight angle to the horizontal.
The hook 43 and slot 45 are dimensioned such that, as the riser portion 31 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 51 in
-
- d1=0.400 d4=0.400 d6=1.700 d2=2.125 d5=0.400 d7=1.025
where d1 is a height of the tread portion 29, d2 is a width of the tread portion 29, d4 and d5 are the widths of the respective generally rectangular openings 33 and 41, d6 is a width of the riser portion 31, and d7 is the width of the reflective strip 27. Such dimensions may of course vary in different embodiments.
- d1=0.400 d4=0.400 d6=1.700 d2=2.125 d5=0.400 d7=1.025
An advantage of step nose constructed according to the illustrative embodiment is that long lengths of flat strips such as shown in
In one embodiment of the system, respective ends of a folding step nose section 13 are finished by attachment of respective right and left end caps 15, 16. As seen for example in
The end caps 15, 16 are preferably attached by respective “harpoon” end cap connectors, e.g. 17, 19, which are inserted in the top end most cells and lower end most cells of the strip 13 and end connectors 15, 16.
As shown in
In one embodiment, one harpoon connector 17 attaches the tread portion of an end cap 15 to the tread portion 29 of the step nose 13, while a second harpoon connector 19 attaches the riser portion 31 of the end cap 15 to the riser portion 31 of the step nose 13. In this manner, a very secure connection and attachment of the end caps to the step nose 13 is achieved. In the illustrative embodiment, a harpoon connector is inserted into each of the openings 33, 41 in step nose 13 and into oppositely disposed openings in each end cap 15, 16.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
A machine 71 for performing the operations necessary to interlock the tread and riser portions 29, 31 in the manner shown in
Adjacent the first roller 73 is mounted a separator wheel 85, which is mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. The separator wheel 85 has a circular flange 87 thereon. Across from the separator wheel 85 are positioned two rollers, a pinch roller 91 and a deflection roller 93. These rollers or wheels 91, 93 each are rotatably mounted on respective vertical shafts 95, 97. In the illustrative embodiment, the axes of these shafts 95, 97 are offset slightly such that the deflection roller 93 is inset slightly towards the wheel 85. The shafts 95, 97 are attached to a second horizontal arm 99 of an undercarriage 100. The wheel 85 is further rotatably mounted to a third arm 101 of the undercarriage 100, which is in turn rigidly attached to a central post 103 rigidly attached to a flat rectangular base 105.
Operation of the machine 71 is illustrated in
As the step nose 13 is fed manually into the machine 71 and past the first roller 73, the first roller 73 and the lip 87 of the wheel 85 cooperate to stretch the riser portion 31 downwardly and inwardly as shown in
In another embodiment, the feed mechanism may be automated, for example, by employing an electric motor and drive shaft to drive the large wheel 85. One such embodiment may be configured to allow an electric drill to drive the large wheel 85. In some embodiments, teeth may be provided, for example, on the lip 87 and/or on the first wheel 73 to better grip the step nose 13 and assist in feeding it through the machine 71.
A second embodiment of a machine 171 for interlocking the tread and riser portions 29, 31 is illustrated in
Adjacent to the first roller 173 is mounted a separator wheel 185, which is mounted to rotate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis. The wheel 185 has a circular flange 187 thereon. As seen in
Across from the wheel 185 is positioned a mandrel 191. As may be seen in
Illustrative dimensions of an illustrative machine 171 are shown in the top view of
Operation of the machine 171 is illustrated in
As the step nose 13 is fed into the machine 171 and past the first roller 73, the riser portion 31 enters the space between the flange 187 and circular plate 190 (
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
Claims
1. Step nose system apparatus comprising:
- a step nose strip having a tread portion and a riser portion;
- the tread portion having a receiving slot formed therein; and
- the riser portion having a hook formed as part thereof, the tread and riser portions being bendable and stretchable with respect to one another so as to enable the hook to interlockingly engage the slot.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hook is formed at an interior end of the riser portion, while a hook receiving slot is formed on an interior end of the tread portion, the slot being defined by a projecting lip having an inner surface which projects upwardly at an angle to the horizontal.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an end cap, and a barbed harpoon connector for attaching the end cap to the step nose strip.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said harpoon connector is inserted in respective oppositely disposed openings in the end cap and the step nose strip.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a machine for forming the step nose strip into an assembled state.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said machine comprises:
- a first roller and a plurality of cooperating guides for initially bending the step nose strip;
- a wheel having a circular flange therein and positioned to cooperate with the first roller to stretch the riser portion of the step nose downwardly and inwardly; and
- a mechanical element positioned opposite said circular flange to push the hook portion of said riser portion into said slot.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said element comprises a roller.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said element comprises a mandrel.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a flexible web interconnecting said tread portion and said riser portion.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tread portion comprises a central rectangular opening and first and second rectangular openings disposed adjacent to and on opposite sides of said central rectangular opening, each of the three rectangular openings extending through the length of the step nose strip.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said riser portion comprises first and second rectangular openings disposed adjacent one another and each extending through the length of the step nose strip.
12. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the harpoon connector has a plurality of barbs on opposite edges thereof and wherein the distance from a tip of one barb on one edge to the tip of a barb on the opposite edge is slightly greater than the width of the respective end cap and step nose-openings into which the harpoon connector is to be inserted and wherein the tips of the barbs bend backwards upon insertion to enable insertion of the connector into the respective openings and thereafter “bite” into the respective end cap and step nose openings.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, after interlocking, the tread and riser portions are disposed at angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to one another.
14. Step nose system apparatus comprising:
- a step nose strip having a tread portion and a riser portion;
- the tread portion having a receiving slot formed therein; and
- the riser portion having a hook formed as part thereof, the hook and slot being shaped and dimensioned such that the hook may be forced into mating relation with the slot when the tread and riser portions are bent towards one another.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hook is formed at an interior end of the riser portion, while a hook receiving slot is formed on an interior end of the tread portion, the slot being defined by a projecting lip having an inner surface which projects upwardly at an angle to the horizontal.
16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein, after interlocking, the tread and riser portions are disposed at angle of less than ninety degrees with respect to one another.
17. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an end cap, and a barbed harpoon connector for attaching the end cap to the step nose strip.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said harpoon connector is inserted in respective oppositely disposed openings in the end cap and the step nose strip.
19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a machine for forming the step nose strip into an assembled state.
20. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said machine comprises:
- a first roller and a plurality of cooperating guides for initially bending the step nose strip;
- a wheel having a circular flange therein and positioned to cooperate with the first roller to stretch the riser portion of the step nose downwardly and inwardly; and
- a roller positioned to push the hook portion of said riser portion into said slot.
21. A machine for forming a step nose strip into a bent installable form wherein the step nose strip has a riser portion with a hook formed as a part thereof and a tread portion having a receiving slot formed therein, the machine comprising:
- a first roller and a plurality of cooperating guides for initially bending the step nose strip;
- a wheel having a circular flange thereon and positioned to cooperate with the first roller to stretch the riser portion of the step nose downwardly and inwardly; and
- a mechanical element providing a surface disposed opposite said circular flange, said surface cooperating with said flange to cause interlocking of said hook with said slot
22. The machine of claim 20 wherein said element comprises a roller.
23. The machine of claim 20 wherein said element comprises a mandrel.
24. The machine of claim 22 wherein said surface is conically shaped.
25. Step nose system apparatus comprising:
- a step nose strip having a tread portion and a riser portion;
- an end cap; and
- a barbed harpoon connector for attaching the end cap to the step nose strip.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said harpoon connector is inserted in respective oppositely disposed openings in the end cap and the step nose strip.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the harpoon connector has a plurality of barbs on opposite edges thereof and wherein the distance from a tip of one barb on one edge to the tip of a barb on the opposite edge is slightly greater than the width of the respective end cap and step nose-openings into which the harpoon connector is to be inserted and wherein the tips of the barbs bend backwards up on insertion to enable insertion of the connector into the respective openings and thereafter “bite” into the respective openings.
28. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a flexible web interconnecting said tread portion and said riser portion.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said tread portion comprises a central rectangular opening and first and second rectangular openings disposed adjacent to and on opposite sides of said central rectangular opening, each of the three rectangular openings extending through the length of the step nose strip.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said riser portion comprises first and second rectangular openings disposed adjacent one another and each extending through the length of the step nose strip.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 2, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 30, 2010
Inventors: Dennis Pearson (Foothill Ranch, CA), Steve Ramelot (Huntington Beach, CA), Thomas E. Peot (Riverbank, CA)
Application Number: 12/716,044
International Classification: E04F 11/16 (20060101); E04F 21/00 (20060101);