Spiral escalator

Claim 1

A system for moving people between two or more floors, characterized by: coupled steps that move in a closed pattern, having inner and outer perimeters between the floors, a biaxis linkage for coupling adjacent steps to enable them to pivot about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to either the inner or outer perimeter, a track system for guiding the steps in the pattern, a pair of vertical supports that extend between the floors for supporting the tracks, means for propelling the steps along the tracks, said closed pattern having sections that spiral around the supports between the floors, in which the steps form a staircase, and substantially straight, horizontal sections which extend between the spiral sections and which are located below each floor, said track system comprising a single track along the inner perimeter of the pattern and two tracks along the outer perimeter, said two tracks being vertically disposed in the staircase and the higher of the two being horizontally disposed outward from the outer perimeter relative to the other, each step having a guide roller riding on said higher track, which roller is on an arm which extends over the lower track, a biaxis linkage for connecting said steps along the outer perimeter, said linkage being the only connection between adjacent steps and comprising a vertical pin on each step, the pins being located between the corners of adjacent steps at the outer perimeter, and an arm connected to the pins of adjacent steps which can rotate about and slide vertically on said pins, and each step having a generally triangular shape like a pie slice to provide a generally triangular space between adjacent steps in said horizontal sections of the pattern.

Claim 2

A system for moving people between two or more floors, characterized by: coupled steps that move in a closed pattern, having inner and outer perimeters between the floors, a biaxis linkage for coupling adjacent steps to enable them to pivot about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to either the inner or outer perimeter, a track system for guiding the steps in the pattern, a pair of vertical supports that extend between the floors for supporting the tracks, means for propelling the steps along the tracks, said closed pattern having sections that spiral around the supports between the floors, in which the steps form a staircase, and substantially straight, horizontal sections which extend between the spiral sections and which are located below each floor, said track system comprising a single track along the inner perimeter of the pattern and two tracks along the outer perimeter, said two tracks being vertically disposed in the staircase and the higher of the two being horizontally disposed outward from the outer perimeter relative to the other, each step having a guide roller riding on said higher track, which roller is on an arm which extends over the lower track, a biaxis linkage for connecting said steps along the outer perimeter, said linkage being the only connection between adjacent steps and comprising a vertical pin on each step, the pins being located between the corners of adjacent steps at the outer perimeter, and an arm connected to the pins of adjacent steps which can rotate about and slide vertically on said pins, and each step having a generally triangular shape like a pie slice to provide a generally triangular space between adjacent steps in said horizontal sections of the pattern.