Foldable stair assembly
A foldable stair assembly and emergency escape stairway kit. The foldable stair assembly includes a first tread section hingedly attached on a first end to a first end of a second tread section. Each of the first tread section and second tread section includes two or more treads attached to left and right rails. A mounting bracket is attached to on a distal end of the left and right rails of the second tread section. Flexible straps are attached to distal ends of the left and right rails of the first tread section.
1 . A foldable stair assembly for a railcar comprising:
a first tread section and a second tread section each having a proximal end and a distal end, a left rail extending from the proximal end to the distal end, a right rail extending from the proximal end to the distal end opposite the left rail, and two or more treads extending from the left rail to the right rail, the distal end of the first tread section being hingedly attached to the proximal end of the second tread section;
a mounting bracket attached to the distal end of the second tread section, the mounting bracket including:
an elongate section having a first end secured to the left rail of the second tread section adjacent the distal end of the second tread section and a second end secured to the right rail of the second tread section adjacent the distal end of the second tread section, and
a first hook disposed adjacent the first end of the elongate section and a second hook disposed adjacent the second end of the elongate section, the first and second hooks dimensioned and configured for engaging a pressure plate of the railcar when the foldable stair assembly is deployed in an operable condition for allowing egress from the railcar; and
flexible straps attached to the left and right rails adjacent the proximal end of the first tread section, the flexible straps dimensioned and configured for engaging one or more grab handles of the railcar disposed above the pressure plate.
2 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein locking hinges are attached to the first and second rails between the first tread section and the second tread section.
3 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 2 , wherein the locking hinges are selected from the group consisting of switch buckles hinges and spring-loaded locking hinges.
4 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly weighs less than about 20 kilograms.
5 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a total step height from ground level to top level ranging from about 100 to about 150 centimeters.
6 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has an overall width ranging from about 80 to about 100 centimeters.
7 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a tread width ranging from about 50 to about 65 centimeters.
8 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a folded height ranging from about 90 to about 115 centimeters.
9 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a folded width ranging from about 25 to about 35 centimeters.
10 . The foldable stair assembly of claim 1 , wherein the two or more treads of the first tread section has three treads and the two or more treads of the second tread section has two treads.
11 . An emergency escape stairway kit for a railcar comprising:
a foldable stair assembly comprising:
a first tread section and a second tread section each having a proximal end and a distal end, a left rail extending from the proximal end to the distal end, a right rail extending from the proximal end to the distal end opposite the left rail, and two or more treads extending from the left rail to the right rail, the distal end of the first tread section being hingedly attached to the proximal end of the second tread section;
a mounting bracket attached to the distal end of the second tread section, the mounting bracket including:
an elongate section having a first end secured to the left rail of the second tread section adjacent the distal end of the second tread section and a second end secured to the right rail of the second tread section adjacent the distal end of the second tread section, and
a first hook disposed adjacent the first end of the elongate section and a second hook disposed adjacent the second end of the elongate section, the first and second hooks dimensioned and configured for engaging a pressure plate of the railcar when the foldable stair assembly is deployed in an operable condition for allowing egress from the railcar;
flexible straps attached to the left and right rails adjacent the proximal end of the first tread section, the flexible straps dimensioned and configured for engaging one or more grab handles of the railcar disposed above the pressure plate; and
a storage container for the foldable stair assembly.
12 . The emergency escape stairway kit of claim 11 , wherein the foldable stair assembly weighs less than about 20 kilograms.
13 . The emergency escape stairway kit of claim 11 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a total step height from ground level to top level ranging from about 100 to about 150 centimeters.
14 . The emergency escape stairway kit of claim 11 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has an overall width ranging from about 80 to about 100 centimeters.
15 . The emergency escape stairway kit of claim 11 , wherein the foldable stair assembly has a folded height ranging from about 90 to about 115 centimeters and a folded width ranging from about 25 to about 35 centimeters.