Knockdown ramp construction

Abstract

A knockdown ramp construction has a plurality of quadrangular platform members of uniform length, width, and height arranged in adjacent stacks of different heights. Vertically adjacent platform members are coupled to one another by removable couplers which preclude relative horizontal movement between adjacent platform members. An inclined riser member atop the uppermost platform member of each stack provides a smoothly inclined upper surface for the ramp. Separable connectors connect adjacent stacks of platform and riser members to one another, thereby precluding relative movement of the stacked members in directions away from one another.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A knockdown ramp construction comprising at least one platform member having substantially flat, parallel, top and bottom surfaces terminating at corresponding edges in a perpendicular wall; and a wedge-shaped riser member having a substantially flat lower surface and an inclined upper surface, said lower and upper surfaces being joined by a wall perpendicular to said lower surface and having a height corresponding substantially to that of said wall of said platform member, said upper surface of said riser member being inclined at such angle as to enable the top surface of said platform member and the upper surface of said rise member at its maximum height to be at substantially the same level when said walls of said members abut one another.  
     
     
         2 . The construction according to  claim 1  wherein said platform member has selected length and width dimensions and wherein said riser member has a width dimension corresponding substantially to the width dimension of said platform member.  
     
     
         3 . The construction according to  claim 2  wherein said riser member has a length dimension different from the length dimension of said platform member.  
     
     
         4 . The construction according to  claim 3  wherein the length dimension of said riser member is less than that of said platform member.  
     
     
         5 . The construction according to  claim 1  including connector means removably connecting said wall of said platform member to said wall of said riser member.  
     
     
         6 . The construction according to  claim 5  wherein said connector means comprises a base supporting at least two spaced apart, upstanding retainers, said retainers being spaced apart a distance sufficient to enable two walls of said base member and said riser member to be accommodated between said retainers when said two walls abut one another.  
     
     
         7 . The connector means according to  claim 6  including two pairs of said retainers supported by said base.  
     
     
         8 . The construction according to  claim 6  wherein said connector means has a selected thickness and wherein the walls of said platform member and said riser member are notched at their lower surface to accommodate said base of said connector means.  
     
     
         9 . A knockdown ramp construction comprising a plurality of identical platform members vertically stacked one upon another, each of said platform members having substantially flat, parallel, top and bottom surfaces terminating at corresponding edges in a perpendicular wall, the number of said platform members being sufficient to enable a plurality of stacks of said platform members to be arranged side-by-side, the number of said platform members in each adjacent stack being different by one whereby one of said adjacent stacks has a height greater than that of an adjacent stack; and a wedge-shaped riser member atop the uppermost platform member of the shorter of said adjacent stacks, said riser member having a substantially flat lower surface and an inclined upper surface, said lower and upper surfaces of said riser member being joined by a wall perpendicular to said lower surface of said riser member and having a height corresponding substantially to that of said wall of the uppermost platform member of the adjacent stack, said upper surface of said riser member being inclined at such angle as to enable said top surface and said upper surface to be at substantially the same level when said walls of said members abut one another.  
     
     
         10 . The construction according to  claim 9  including coupling means interconnecting vertically adjacent ones of said platform members for preventing relative horizontal movement therebetween.  
     
     
         11 . The construction according to  claim 10  wherein said coupling means comprises at least one pair of aligned sockets in the uppermost and adjacent lower platform members and a coupling accommodated in both sockets of said pair thereby inhibiting relative movement of said uppermost and adjacent lower platform members transversely of one another.  
     
     
         12 . The construction according to  claim 9  including connector means removably connecting said perpendicular wall of said adjacent lowermost platform members thereby inhibiting relative movement of said adjacent stacks.  
     
     
         13 . The construction according to  claim 9  wherein said connector means comprises a base supporting at least one pair of upstanding retainers, said retainers being spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the combined thickness of two of said perpendicular walls.  
     
     
         14 . A knockdown ramp formed from a plurality of uniform height platform members each of which is quadrangular and has flat upper and lower surfaces joined at their opposite edges by a vertical wall, said platform members being arranged to form a plurality of stacks adjacent one another with the number of platform numbers in each stack thereof in one direction of said ramp being one fewer than the number of platform members in the adjacent stack, the arrangement of said stacks being such that the adjacent stacks are in stair-step relation; a wedge-shaped riser member having a substantially flat lower surface and an inclined upper surface rising uniformly from one side edge to the opposite side edge of such riser member at such inclination that the height of said riser member at said opposite edge thereof corresponds to that of the adjacent platform member; first coupling means coupling vertically adjacent platform members together to prevent lateral movement relative to one another; and second coupling means connecting each riser member to the underlying platform member to prevent lateral movement of each said riser member relative to the underlying platform member.  
     
     
         15 . The ramp according to  claim 14  wherein said first coupling means and said second coupling means correspond to one another.  
     
     
         16 . The ramp according to  claim 15  wherein each of said coupling means comprises a pair of vertically aligned sockets in vertically adjacent ones of said members and an insert snugly accommodated in each of the sockets of said pair of sockets.  
     
     
         17 . The ramp according to  claim 14  wherein each stack of said platform members has a lowermost platform member, and connector means connecting each of said adjacent lowermost platform members to one another to prevent lateral relative movement in a direction to separate said adjacent lowermost platform members from one another.  
     
     
         18 . The ramp according to  claim 17  wherein said connector means comprises a base supporting at least one pair of upstanding fingers spaced from one another a distance corresponding substantially to the combined thickness of said vertical walls of two of said lowermost platform members.  
     
     
         19 . The ramp according to  claim 14  including one of said riser members at that end of said ramp which is shorter in height, said one of said riser members having its vertical wall abutting the vertical wall of the adjacent lowermost platform member, and wherein said abutting vertical walls are maintained in abutting relation by said connector means.  
     
     
         20 . The ramp according to  claim 14  including one of said riser members at that end of said ramp which is greater in height.