The invention relates to a step apparatus for removable attachment to the wheel of a vehicle, com- prising a first support element resting on the upper part of the wheel, a second support element resting against the exterior side surface of the wheel, and at least one step element attached to said elements.

This type of apparatus is known from German Offenlegungsschrift 37 00 002, for example. The appar¬ atus disclosed therein is, however, very complicated. Additionally, the step construction of the apparatus is such that it can be used for climbing only to a certain height, in other words, to the level remaining below the top surface of the wheel.

Other devices essentially based on the same principle are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patents 4 782 916, 4 911 264 and 4 947 961. These are all very complex devices with one step, intended for large vehicles. Especially the last-mentioned device has a particularly complex construction which is intended for long term work and which furthermore has a strap fasten¬ ing and difficult cotter attachments.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the problems mentioned above and to provide a step apparatus which is suitable especially for vans and cross-country vehicles and which facilitates the loading and unloading of goods onto and from a roof rack or the like as much as possible. Additionally, the ap- paratus should be easily mountable to rest age st and attach to the tyre.

This object is achieved with the step apparatus of the invention which is characterized in that said support elements are arranged to be linked together in a scissors-shaped construction which in the open opera-

tional position is intended to rest and press against the wheel by the action of the load.

The invention is thus based on a simple scis¬ sors-shaped construction, which by the action of the torque caused by the weight of the operator is pressed against the wheel (tyre) of the vehicle and enables easy and fast collapsing and which can be formed from two essentially similar basic components preferably produced from a pipe profile by welding and/or by bending, for example. Thus, the step element or elements are prefer¬ ably made into one construction with both support ele¬ ments, which makes the apparatus extremely simple as a whole. The apparatus is suitable, with minor altera¬ tions, for most vehicles, also for those equipped with mudwing extensions, and inexpensive in comparison with other vehicle accessories.

In the following the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a step appar¬ atus according to the invention attached to a wheel of a vehicle,

Figure 2 shows the arrangement in accordance with Figure 1 viewed in the longitudinal direction of the wheel,

Figure 3 shows collapsing of a step apparatus according to the preceding figures into transport and storage position, and

Figures 4 and 5 show a modification of the step apparatus according to the preceding figures.

The step apparatus shown in Figures 1-3 comprises a first support element 1 and a second support element

2. The support elements 1 and 2 together form a "fork", which has, approximately in the middle of these ele- ments, been linked with link means 3, e.g. with bolts,

to form a scissors-shaped construction having two extreme positions. One extreme position is an open operational position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and the other is a transport and storage position as shown in Figure 3, in which the above-mentioned forks are "within each other" so that branches la, lb and 2a, 2b are disposed substantially on the same level.

The first support element 1 is intended to rest on the upper part of a wheel (tyre) T and it is sub- stantially horizontal in the operational position. Angle parts 4 are provided at the ends of the spaced-apart branches la and lb of the support element, said ends resting against the tyre T. Said angle parts enable the support element 1 to rest against the upper part of the wheel (tyre) T on its interior side surface while the branches la and lb are pressed against the tread of the tyre T.

The second support element 2, on the other hand, is intended to rest against the exterior side surface of the tyre T and it is disposed in the operational position at a slight angle to the vertical plane forming an angle less than 90 degrees with the support element 1. This extreme position, which enables the apparatus to be pressed against the tyre T in operation, has been accomplished by means of a bar 5 connecting the lower surfaces of the branches la and lb of the support ele¬ ment 1, which prevents the support elements 1 and 2 from opening beyond this extreme position. Another alternat¬ ive is naturally to attach the bar 5 between the branches 2a and 2b of the support element 2. The branches of the support element 2 rest against the tyre T at two points, on both sides of the rim R, and the branches 2a and 2b have been slightly bent at these points so that they conform well to the side of the tyre T. Sideward bending is also possible, if necessary.

A step element is provided in the first support element 1 by means of cross-members 6 and 7 which con¬ nect the branches la and lb. Hence the support element 1 and the step element 6, 7 form an integral solid construction and they are disposed substantially on the same level.

Correspondingly, a step element 8 is connected to the branches 2a and 2b of the support element 2. In the operational position the step element 8 is disposed at a level essentially parallel to the first step ele¬ ment 6, 7. In this example, the step element 8 is formed by joining the transverse extensions 9 of the branches 2a and 2b with cross-members 10 and 11, which correspond to the cross-members 6 and 7. Hence also the step ele- ment 8 forms an integral solid construction with the support element 2.

The step element 8 is located in the operational position considerably higher than the top surface of the tyre T, in this case approximately half the tyre height above said top surface. As a result, the loading and unloading of goods onto and from the roof of the vehicle is considerably easier than when prior art step appar¬ atus is used.

In Figure 2, which shows the step apparatus attached to the tyre of the vehicle viewed in the longitudinal direction of the wheel, the inner mudwing of the vehicle is indicated with the letter M and the side plate with the letter S.

Figure 3 shows how the step apparatus is col- lapsed so that the support elements 1 and 2 are disposed substantially on the same level.

The construction shown in Figures 4 and 5 dif¬ fers from the solution in Figures 1-3 only in that the first step element 7' has been slightly lowered under the level of the first support element 1' . This con-

struction is suitable for vehicles that have larger wheels, and thus climbing on the first step element becomes easier.

In the above, the invention has been described by means of two exemplary embodiments, but a person skilled in the art may vary its details in many differ¬ ent ways within the scope of the attached claim. Thus, a larger number of step elements may be attached to the second support element, for example, by extending also the length of the branches of the support element. The second step element or elements may also be articulated to the second support element so that they can be folded i to the same level with the second support element, and thus the whole step apparatus can be folded into one level. The support elements may also be separate, con- nectable to one another in a suitable manner so that they remain linked together in the operational position (one support element has lugs and the other has corres¬ ponding sockets, for example) . The bar determining the extreme position of the support elements may also be replaced with other stop means or with appropriate configuration of the support elements themselves. The surfaces of the support elements that rest against the tyre can be roughened and conform to the contour of the tyre to improve attachment. The step elements may be attached in a telescopic manner. The support elements may have several points of articulation, which allows wider usage in connection with different tyre sizes. The support elements may also form an open or closed frame. Alternatively, the step elements may also be made of a grooved, apertured or reticular plate, for example. Also a third step element may be added above the second step element of the construction, either fixedly attach¬ ed to the second support element or telescopically fitted thereto.