US1455220A - Platform for ladders - Google Patents

Description

M R. MYERS PLATFORM FOR LADDERS May 15, 1923. I 1,455,221)

Filed Nov 5, 1921 61 Hornet;

Patented May 15, l92l3,

bl l T f.

MARTIN MYERS, OF GRAND EAP IDS MIOHIGAN.

PLATFORM FOR LADDERS.

Application filed November 3, 1921. Serial No. 512,557.

T 0 all Q0/1077? it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN R. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Platforms for Ladders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a platform for attachment to a ladder, and it has for its principal (object to provide novel means for attaching the platform in a horizontal position to the ladder to permit the person using the ladder to stand on the platform while working instead of on the rungs, thus insuring comfort, a better foot-hold, and guarding against accidents.

One and a veryimportant feature of the invention is to provide a platform Which is retractible, thus permitting it to be quickly and easily moved from its operative position to a position to permit a person on the ladder to ascend or descend without interference of the platform; To move the platform to its inoperative position, it is only necessary to kick it with the foot.

Another feature of the invention is the novel brackets which are employed for connecting the platform with the stiles of the ladder, these bracketsbeing novel in that they are capable of being easily and readily adjusted vertically to permit the platform to be raised and lowered as the workman ascends or descends.

Other constructional features bringing about important advantages will appear as the description goes on.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved platform and attaching brackets showing the same connected to a ladder.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. 1..

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

- Figures land 5 are views in perspective of the attaching means showing the constructionof these parts more clearly.

By referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the platform 1 is simply in the form of a comparatively short but relatively wide piece of board which is disposed transversely and horizontally in front of the ladder L. Broadly speaking, this platform can be described as being retract-ible, because it is capable of being swung toward and from the ladder to permit it to be dis posed in front of the same when in use or disposed in an entirely out-of-the-way position to permit the person occupying the ladder to ascend or descend without interference of the platform. This is a feature of the invention to be carefully considered. In order to render the platform retractible and for the purpose of adjustably connecting t with the stiles of the ladder to permit it to be raised and lowered to enable the user to make use thereof at different elevations, I employ novel attaching brackets. It may be conveniently stated here that inasmuch as these brackets are duplicates, of one another, the description will be confined more or less to the singular number, it being understood that all like numerals designate the duplicate parts. Proceeding, it will be seen that the attaching bracket includes an arm 2 which projects laterally and forwardly from the ladder and it will be further seen that the aforesaid platform is designed to rest on the upper edges of the bracket arms. One of these bracket arms small substantially U-shaped bracket the horizontal arms of which are formed with alined openings constituting hearings in which a pivot pin 42 carried by one end of the platform is journalled. With this construction, it will be seen that by simply kicking the platform, the latter can be swung on its pivot to position it in an out of-the-way place.

To permit the platform to be raised. and lowered, the brackets are adjustably con-- nected with the stiles of the ladder and although some other construction could be employed for accomplishing this result, it will be seen that each arm is equipped with spaced adjustable abutments 5 and 6 respectively. The first named abutment is formed by simply bending the metal strip which forms the bracket arm laterally as indicated at 7. The remaining abutment however, comprises a substantially l..-shaped plate which is ad justably connected with the slotted bracket is equipped with a arm 2 by means of a binding device 8 which includes a thumb nut and this arrangement permits the abutments to be moved toward and from each other to be effectively engaged with different widths of stiles. it may be conveniently stated here that a channel-shaped plate 10 is associated with a bracket arm and L-shaped abutment to prevent relative movement of these parts and the aforesaid binding device 8 serves to hold this channel-shaped plate in position. The lateral flanges of the channel-shaped plate overlie the short arm of the L-shaped abutment and upper edge of the bracket arm and in this way prevent the aforesaid relative movement of these parts.

After the abutments are engaged with the ladder, it is desired to prevent them from accidentally slipping down or becoming otherwise accidentally displaced and to accomplish this end I employ a novel clamping device or retainer which is generally designated by the numeral 11. The part of the invention just referred to can be clearly seen in Figs. 3 and iand by referring to these figures, it will be seen that the clamping device comprises a slotted plate which has its opposite ends bent laterally in the same direction as indicated at 12 and 13.

The short bend 12 is engagedwith an extension 14 of the aforesaid bracket arm and bolts and nuts 15 serve to connect these parts together to permit the clamping device to be adjusted for effective engagement with different sizes of ladder stiles. The laterally bent end 13 of the clamping device is designed, as shown, to bear against the inner sideof the ladder stile, to prevent accidental slippage of the plat-form si'ipporting arm '2. A tongue 16 is struck laterally from the free end of the endlB of this clamping device and this tongue constitutes a stop which is designed to engage the abutment 5 to limit the sliding movement of the clamping device in one direction. With this construction, it will be seen that even if the clamping device should accidentally become loosened and slip. the limited. sliding movement thereof will serve to prevent the entire device from be coming accidentally disconnected from the ladder. This feature of construction is also advantageous in that it permits the abutments to be moved just far enough apart to oermitthe device to be raised and lowered,

. yet because of the limited sliding movement of the clamping device, the supporting bracket will notbecom'e accidentally disengaged during this period of adjustment.

In use, the aforesaid abutments of the brackets are adjusted to properly fit the stiles of the ladder and the binding devices 8 are tightened to hold the parts in'such position". The slidable clamping plates 11 are then engaged with the inner sides of the stiles and the binding devices 15 which are associated therewith are tightened. In attaching the device to the ladder, it will be necessary, in order to maintain the platform in a truly horizontal position, to space the abutments sufficiently far apart so as to permit one edge only of each abutment to engage the stile. Hence, when it is desired to raise or lower the platform, the clamping devices 11 are simply loosened and the entire devices moved up or down the desired distance. The supporting brackets of course are arranged opposite one another so as to render the platform level and in practice, suitable means (not shown) may, if desired, be employed. for holding the left'hand end of the platform engaged with the bracket at this side to prevent accidental swinging of the platforn'i. This retaining means for the platform, however, is not essential, as the weight of the person standing on the platform will ordinarily prevent accidental swinging of said platform. W hen it is desired to ascend or descend, the platform is simply pushed with the foot to swing it on its pivot and it will thereafter not interfere with a person going up or down the ladder. After the abutments or jaws are once ad justed to engage a certain size of ladder stile, they need not be further touched, because only the clamping devices 11 need be moved. This will be understood because, as before stated, the abutments remain vertical with respectto the inclined vertical edges of the ladder stiles and bytilting the brackcts after loosening the clamping devices 11, the brackets can he slid up or down.

Although the inventionhas been specifically described, I wish it to be understood that within the scope of the invention as claimed, minor changes in size or arrange= ment of parts may be resorted to if desired. Furthermore, as the invention will doubtless be understood from the foregoing description and drawings by persons skilled in this art, a more lengthy and detailed description is thought unnecessary.

, I claim 1. The combination with a ladder, of a pair of brackets adjustablv connected with the stiles thereof and extending forwardly therefrom to provide supporting arms, and a platform supported on and pivotally connected with one of the arms of said brackets.

The-combination with a ladder; of a pair of supporting brackets connected there? with and extending forwardly therefrom,

one of said brackets being provided with a bearing, a platform adapted to extend across 7 the upper edges of sa1d brackets, and a pivot pin carried by one end of said platform and jcurnaled in said bearing. a

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of brackets for attachment tothe stiles of a ladder, means for adjustably connecting the brackets with the stiles, said means permitting the brackets to be ad j usted to a substantially horizontal position when the ladder is rested in an inclined position against a building or the like, and a platform pivotally connected with one of the brackets, said platform being capable of being swung clear of the rungs to permit free ascent and descent.

l. A. device of the class described comprising a pair of supporting brackets, each bracket embodying spaced abutments for engagement with the stile of a ladder, a platform to be supported on the upper edges of the bracket arms, and means for pivotally connecting said platform with one of said arms.

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of supporting brackets embodyingspaced adjustable abutments adapted to engage the forward and rear vertical edges of a ladder stile, means for preventing relative vertical movementof said abutments, a platform adapted to be supported on the arms of said brackets, and means for pivotally connecting one end of said platform with one of said bracket arms.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 together with adjustable clamping devices associated with said brackets and adapted for engagement with the inner sides of the ladder stiles to guard against accidental disconnection with said abutments.

7. In a device of the class described, a strip of metal bent between its ends to provide an abutment for engagement with one edge of a ladder stile, the portion of said bracket extending beyond said abutment constituting a supporting arm for a platform, said arm being formed with a slot adj acent the abutment, a second abutment adjustably connected with the arm through the medium of a bolt passing through said slot, and a safety device associated with said bracket and co-operable with the inner side of the stile to prevent accidental displacement of the bracket from the ladder.

8. In a device of the class described, brackets for connecting a platform to a ladder, and safety devices for preventing accidental displacement of the brackets, each device comprising a slotted plate having one end bent at right angles to engage the stile of the ladder, said laterally bent end having a tongue struck therefrom and bent at right angles thereto, said tongue forming a stop which is adapted to engage the bracket for the purpose described.

9. A pair of brackets for connection to the stiles of a ladder, each bracket embodying an abutment for engaging one edge of the adjacent stile, and an arm extending beyond the stile, a bearing mounted on one of the bracket arms, a platform supported on said arms and equipped with a pivot pin journaled in said bearing to permit the platform to be swung away from the rungs of the ladder to permit free ascent and descent, a pair of abutments engaged with the opposite edges of the stiles, said abutments being adjustably connected with the brackets, channel-shaped members co-operative with the abutments for preventing relative vertical movement thereof, and safety devices adjustably connected with said brackets and engaged with said stiles to prevent accidental displacement of the brackets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MARTIN n. MYERS.-

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