Door and retractable ladder assembly
A door and retractable ladder assembly for providing access to and from an upper story of a building includes a frame that is configured to be mounted within an opening defined by a ceiling structure, a retractable ladder assembly, and a door. To facilitate improved sealing of the opening, the frame preferably includes a recess that is coextensive with and is configured to receive the perimeter of the door and an outer cavity that is configured to receive a weatherstripping material. The frame includes a plurality of frame members. The frame members can be cut at predetermined angles so that the frame includes a plurality of miter joints through which connectors configured to connect adjacently positioned frame members can extend. A section of the retractable ladder can be mounted directly to an inner surface of the door to eliminate the need for intermediate connection means.
1 . A door and retractable ladder assembly, comprising:
a frame configured to be mounted within an opening defined by a ceiling structure of a building, the frame defining a central opening for providing passage through the frame, and the frame including a plurality of metal frame members formed by extrusion;
a door mounted to the frame, the door configured to transition between a closed position to cover the central opening defined by the frame and an open position to uncover the central opening defined by the frame; and
a retractable ladder including a plurality of ladder sections, the plurality of ladder sections including a first ladder section directly mounted to an inner surface of the door, and the first ladder section including
a first rail and a second rail, the first rail and the second rail each being integrally formed and each including: (i) a base mounted to the inner surface of the door and continuously extending along an entire length of each of the first rail and the second rail; (ii) a main body extending upwardly from the base and continuously extending along an entire length of each of the first rail and the second rail; and (iii) a pair of arms, the pair of arms extending outwardly from the main body and in parallel with the inner surface of the door to define a cavity that is spaced a predetermined distance from the base and in which one or more steps are received, and
the one or more steps extending between the first rail and the second rail.
2 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom wall of the frame defines at least one of: (i) a recess that is coextensive with and is configured to receive a perimeter of the door when the door is in the closed position; and (ii) an outer cavity configured to receive a weatherstripping material.
3 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the bottom wall defines both the recess and the outer cavity.
4 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each metal frame member includes an end defining an inner cavity for receiving one or more connectors for connecting the plurality of frame members together.
5 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the end of each metal frame member is cut at a predetermined angle corresponding to another predetermined angle cut in the end of another metal frame member, such that, when assembled, the frame includes a plurality of miter joints.
6 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each miter joint of the plurality of miter joints defines an approximately 90° angle.
7 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each connector of the one or more connectors is housed within the inner cavity of two adjacently positioned metal frame members such that each connector extends through one miter joint of the plurality of miter joints.
8 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 5 , wherein the one or more connectors comprises a spring-loaded connector, the spring-loaded connector configured to interlock with two adjacently positioned metal frame members of the plurality of metal frame members.
9 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 5 , wherein each connector of the one or more connectors is received within a portion of two adjacently positioned metal frame members of the plurality of metal frame members, and wherein each end of each metal frame member of the plurality of metal frame members is crimped.
10 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 4 , wherein each metal frame member of the plurality of metal frame members defines one or more openings for receiving a fastener to mount the metal frame member to the ceiling structure of the building, and wherein the one or more openings defined by each metal frame member of the plurality of metal frame members is positioned opposite of the one or more openings defined by another metal frame member of the plurality of metal frame members.
11 . The door and retractable ladder assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom wall of the frame defines at least one of: (i) a recess that is coextensive with and is configured to receive a perimeter of the door when the door is in the closed position; and (ii) an outer cavity configured to receive a weatherstripping material.