Abstract: This invention relates to an elevator shaft structure in a building about an elevator to aid escape from the elevator upon a power failure; and it includes a structure defining an elevator shaft for an elevator cab which provides a rear shaft wall with a stairway extending outwardly from the rear wall for travel between the floors and, in the elevator cab, a rear door is provided for escape from the elevator onto the emergency stairway.

Abstract: A moveable stair apparatus 10 is described for allowing access from a lower floor 103 to a loft or upper floor 101 in a building or between the upper floors 101 and 102 in the building. The moveable stair apparatus includes a plurality of equally spaced apart moveable steps 12 mounted on a girder assembly 11 with a plurality of vertically extending posts 15 mounted to the steps and also a pair of parallel hand rails 16 mounted to the posts. A first pivot pin 18 is secured to the girder assembly to allow pivotable movement of the moveable stair apparatus to a lower floor 103 in a stairway position or to a second floor 102 in a catwalk position.

Abstract: A residential building, particularly a residential building having a timber skeleton, is described, which has walls that extend at right angles to each other and are arranged in accordance with a square-field grid plan having a grid line spacing A.

Abstract: A multiple-dwelling structure comprising upper and lower individual dwelling units in stacked relationship, both upper and lower units being positioned directly above the garage areas for both units. The garage areas for each unit are positioned essentially adjacent one another, but on a graded surface such that the level of the garage area associated with the lower dwelling unit is approximately one-half story below the level of the garage area associated with the upper dwelling unit. Both dwelling units are on a split-level plan. Each dwelling unit is connected to its respective garage area by an individual passageway or stairway that is unique to the respective dwelling unit and independent of the stairway interconnecting the garage area and the living area of the other dwelling unit.

Abstract: A method of and means for erecting precast slabs in building construction wherein the slabs are supported on prefabricated temporary generally rectangular walkthrough self-stable shoring frame assembly. A generally U-shaped base member is assembled with a staff structure which may be in the form of an inverted U-shaped arrangement in which upstanding arms on the base member are telescopically adjustably connected with depending arm extensions of the staff member. Diagonal, adjustable struts may connect cooperating units of the shoring frame assembly. Combination slab lifting and shoring frame locating pin-like fingers are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides prefabricated building units for constructing buildings.Each unit consists of a structure having the shape of a right prism comprising a lower frame, an upper frame and uprights having a V-shaped section. In general a building unit also comprises an upper wall and a lower wall connected to the top portion of the upper frame and lower frame respectively. Each of these walls forms with the frame which supports it an empty box open at the bottom. The joining by bolting together superposed and/or juxtaposed building units constitutes the fabric of a building.

Abstract: The outer metallic stairway, particularly made of aluminium, for multistage buildings or buildings of a rather important height, to be used for allowing the occupants of a multistage building to evacuate this one is essentially fixed and supported by means of four uprights forming a column of support that are mounted vertically in a square or rectangular arrangement, the flights of stairs being fixed to at least two of the sides of the support column, the uprights being connected to one another at different levels and at least on the level of the landings by means of four horizontal tie-bars, one of which on a level with a story landing being extended beyond a second upright for supporting said landing on a whole side or to be fixed to an existing landing and to support the flight of stairs fixed to it that descends from said landing, and two of the four tie-bars that are provided on the level of an intermediate landing being extended beyond one of the uprights in order to form a part of the supporting frame

Abstract: A precast concrete stairway module comprising a concrete wall assembly which is C-shaped in plan view, providing a side wall and two end walls, a concrete stair flight extending from an edge of one side wall to a mid-height position of the other side wall. The stair flight assembly is moulded integrally with the wall assembly and comprises a landing at each end and a flight of stairs therebetween. An access opening is provided in the wall assembly.

Abstract: A staircase for use particularly in buildings with two or more floors. The method of construction includes the step of first suspending a landing frame between floors. The landing frame has at least one straight side for connection to the flight assemblies. The flight assemblies are identical in design, with the steps welded between two stringers. The flight assemblies include bars mounted to the inside of each stringer at the top and bottom to locate the flight assemblies. These bars locate and structurally support the flight assemblies between the floor and the landing.

Abstract: A spiral staircase having at least one straight section and at least one curved section wherein the steps are supported at one end thereof on a wall and at the other end are suspended from a handrail and wherein the handrail is formed from straight sections having a substantially uniform height above the steps.

Abstract: A single, bi-level or multi-level structure is built having a foundation; spaced, parallel side walls extending upwardly therefrom; a roof connecting the upper edges of the side walls; and a horizontal partition extending between the side walls divides the structure beneath the roof and is initially left open, through which a mobile home is subsequently introduced into the structure to complete the lower level. The distance between the side walls is preferably greater than the width of the mobile home, and an inner wall or partition extends the length of the structure between one of the outer walls and the mobile home, whereby storage space, a separate entranceway, and a flight of stairs to the upper level may be provided. The mobile home itself includes a special floor plan and a higher ceiling space than in conventional mobile home units, into which a sprinkler system and heating and air conditioning ductwork is installed.

Abstract: A stairs and method of constructing same is disclosed for multifloored buildings having walled stairwells. Each run of stairs comprises parallel spaced apart stringers having horizontally extending ends for mounting platform members and a plurality of spaced apart risers secured to the stringers intermediate the ends for supporting tread members. The platform and tread members are made of reinforced concrete and contain threaded inserts to receive bolts for mounting them to the stringer ends and risers. A parallel set of stringers are temporarily supported in position prior to the construction of and being secured to the walls of the stairwell by jacks or the like positioned between platforms positioned on the ends of the stringers and the underside of the ends of an adjacent set of stringers.

Abstract: A two-level mall of shops is so sited that an approach is made approximately midway between the two levels. Preferably anchor stores are located at both ends of the mall and across from the central entrance. Mall shops are entered by moving up or down a half-level from the entrance to even out the advantage of "main" floor shops. At the ends of the mall, a level change is so encouraged by the layout that shoppers who walk down the length of the mall at one level will likely walk back along the other level. The middle specialty store and mall shops may be multiple level and thus gain advantage of supplemented potential for attracting passing trade.

Abstract: A domestic building room module is provided which converts a living room into a smaller room plus another room which may be a bedroom, comprising fixed wall structures enclosing a lower floor and an upper floor, the said upper floor being spaced from the lower floor at a height not exceeding one-third of the height of the wall structures, the said upper floor containing a portion rotatable about a horizontal axis to form in a horizontal position an upper floor portion of the module and in a vertical position to form a wall dividing the room and whereby in the vertical position a portion of the lower floor is exposed, and drive means to effect the said rotation.

Abstract: Row houses wherein each house consists of four elongated parallelepiped prefabricated units having their longitudinal axes perpendicular to the front of the houses, the kitchen with the entrance hall (including a powder room) being disposed in two lower units at the front of each house and the living room being to the rear and also defined by the two lower units of the house. A stairway included to one side of the living room leads to a landing on a second floor consisting of two further units which are parallel to and superimposed on the two units which make up the lower floor. At the landing there are entrances to three bedrooms defined by the two second floor units and to a bathroom at the head of the stairway in the unit including the landing. The lower units are on a foundation which defines a basement having a furnace to provide central heating and an entrance from the first floor by a stairway disposed between the kitchen and living room which leads from the first floor to the basement.

Abstract: A multi-storey building is erected over an appreciable area on which it is either not desired or possible to build directly. The building consists essentially of a load bearing frame which spans the area without any intermediate supports and on which the storeys of the building are erected. The frame comprises a number of axially spaced arches and two series of staggered giant steps between each pair of neighbouring arches, the two series being on opposite sides of the apex of the frame and each step being formed by at least one concrete slab and being fixed to its adjacent arches. The storeys of the building are formed by a large number of individual accommodation units which are erected on both sides of the frame. Each accommodation unit is formed in part by one or the giant steps, and usually, each unit will be overlapped to some extent by the unit which is erected on the next step up the frame so that the storeys will appear to be generally staggered up each side of the frame towards the apex.