Design and fabrication of a telescopic staircase

Abstract

This project presents a new aesthetic ladder design combining both aspects of telescopic ladders and folding ladders. The proposed design consists of three concentric cylinders capable of folding and unfolding by means of a selected mechanism. Moreover, steps project automatically from each cylinder as the ladder folds and retract during unfolding. The ladder could be attached to a hatch in the attic. To ensure a safe and fully functional structure that can withstand a certain design weight, a series of numerical simulations and prototype construction were performed. The designed ladder is capable of withstanding a man weighing 150 Kg at any position of the ladder with respect to the vertical. The ladder has a total height of 2.5 m and can be used in any inclined position. The material selected for the ladder was aluminum due to its high strength and lightweight properties.