US1630747A - Combination stepladder and chair - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1927.

A. I. JOHNSON COMBINATION STEP LADDER AND CHAIR Filed Sept. 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 192 May 7 A. 2. JOHNSQN COMBINATION STEP LADDER AND CHAIR BSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1926 NE? a72fo7? l atented May 31, 1927.

outrun STATES AUGUST I. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION STEPLADDER AND CHAIR.

Application filed September 13, 1926. Serial No. 135,036.

The object of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel structure which, when opened, may be employed as a chair or as a low step ladder having a support for a pail or the like convenient to a person standing on the structure; and which, when closed, takes up very little space.

Although in its most fully developed form my invention contemplates theuse of-a combined chair back and pail support-,at is evident that some of the advantages of my invention may be realized in a simple step ladder construction. Therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, thepresent invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel collapsible step ladder that will take up very little space when collapsed or folded up. I

Again, while the, capacity of the ladder to collapse and the. combined back and pad support are best employed together, my lin proved chair back and pail support may be used on stepladders, whether they be collapsible or not; and therefore, viewed in another of its aspects, my invention maybe said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel device that will serve both as a pail support on a step ladder or as a chair back when the ladder 1S being used as a chain, l

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will herelnafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims: but-,for a full understanding of my invention and of .its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherem:

l igin'e l is a side ElBVtIUOIl of my 1mproved device ready for use as a chair or step ladder, the element forming the back of the chair being shown 111 dotted l1nes in a position it occupies when serving-as a sup port for a pail; Fig. 9 is a rear view of the device, the brace for the seat back and pa l support being shown in full lines in oneposition and indotted lines in another position; Fi 3 is "vertical section on a plane ex- 17 tending from front to rear through the device opened as shown in l gs. 1 and 2; Fig. l is aside view of the device, w1th the back and pail support removed, showing the de- Vice in its folded condition; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the detachable back and pail support.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a,

short ladder section, that may conveniently be similar to the corresponding part of any usual step ladder; and? is a rear leg section or support, which may also take any usual or preferred form, such as that of the corresponding part of any ordinary step ladder. Above the members 1 and 2 is a horizontal member -lthat serves as the top of the step ladder and as the seat when the device is used as a chair. The member 3 is secured to the members 1 and 2 by means of hinges, constructed that the member 3 may be swung upward about its hinge with the leg device or support '2, and bring the ladder section 1 beside and parallel with the me1nher 2, as shown in Fig. l. These hinges may take various forms. In the arrangement shown, there are two sets of these hinges, one on each side of the device. Each set of hinges may conveniently consist of a single double hinge comprising a long cent'al leaf 4 and shorter leaves 5 and 6 at the ends thereof. The leaves a are secured to the underside of the table or seat 3;= the leaves are secured to the rear of the ladder section 1; while the leaves (5 are securedto the rear side of the brace or leg section Thus the long leaves a pass over the top of the leg or brace section 2. If desired, each of the leaves a may have thereon a projecting shoulder '7 to form with the corresponding hinge leaves 6 a pocket into which the upper ends of the side bars of the member 2 fit when the structure is opened. The ladder section and the brace section may be connected together by meansof a pair of metal bars 8 pivoted at their ends to these sections. These bars must of course be so located that they willpermit the openlng and shutting of the ladder; the position of these bars, and their lengths, depending upon the angles of the sections 1 and 2 and the distance between the same at the top. When the ladder is open, the bars hold it against spreading too far. i

Further rigidity may be given to the structure, when opened, by means of a brace 9 that may conveniently take the form ofa light rod bent into the form of a V hung from its apex, by means of a clip 10, from the underside of the table or seat 3 near the front end of the ladder. The free ends of the rod 9 are bent laterally at right angles as indicated at 11, so as to permit them to be inserted in sockets 112 fastened to the side bars or pieces of the leg or brace section 2.

hen the ladder is opened and the ends of the brace 9 hooked into the sockets 12, the structure is locked against collapsing or spreading; but, When it is desired to collapse the structure, the hook ends of the brace 9 may easily be withdrawn from the cooperating sockets so asto permit the three main sections of the device to be swung relatively to each other.

The utility of comparatively low step ladders, such as are illustrated, is greatly enchanced by so designing the ladders that they may be used as chairs. I have therefore provided the ladder with an additional section that will constitute a back to a chair of which the table section dfoi' ns the seat. Furthermore when one of these short ladders is being employed for the purpose of washing or doing otheroverhead work that requires the use of a pail or of a thing that must be reached from time to time, it is very desirable that there be a support for such pail or other device. I have therefore formed that section that constitutes the back of a chair in such a manner that a portion thereof may be transformed into a horizontal platform raised from the table or seatof the structure, for supporting a pail or other device at, a considerable elevation above such table or seat.

The combined. back and pail support may of course take various forms. In the arrangement shown, this device comprises a pair of uprights 14 and 15 rigidly connected by a crosspiece 16, extending between them at about their middle. Between the upper ends of the members lat and 15 is a panel 17 about halt of which projects above the upper ends of these men'lbers. The panel is provided, near its side edges, midway be'- tween the top and bottom, with elements having suitable trunnions 18 that project outwardly beyond the sides of the panel. These trunnions extend into or through sockets or bearings 19 located on the rear side of the supporting frame made up of the pieces 14:, 15 and 16.

At the rearedge of the seat or table 3 areone or more seats or sockets, opening upwardly, into which the cross bar 16 of the combined back and pail support may be set. In the arrangement shown there are two strong metal clips 20, fastened to the rear portion of the table or seat 3. the bar 16 being adapted to rest in these clips,with the lower portions of: the'bars l i and 15 bearing against the rear edges oli the side bars or pieces of the leg or brace section 52 oi the ladder. H y

WVhen the ladder is to be stored away, the back section is detached, and the ladder collapsed as shown in Fig. 4:; but when it isto be used either as a ladder or a chair, or both, it is opened as shown in Figs. 1

andZ, and, the back section is applied thereto.

a platform or a support at a considerable distance above the seat or table 3; so that a pail resting on this platform, is within convenient reach of a person standing on the ladder The pail support must be held against displacement out of its horizontal position, when used as a supporting device. This may conveniently be accomplished by attaching to the rear side of the panel 17 a brace rod 521 similar to the brace 9; the rod 21 being bent into a V-shape and being hung from its apex from the upper portion of the panel 21, by a suitable fastening device 22. The tree ends of the rod 21 are bent laterally, as indicated at 23, to provide portions to enter sockets in some stationary part of the ladder structure, when the panel 17 is swung into a horizontal position. The sockets necessary for this purpose may conveniently he formed as partot the clips 20, as indicated at 2st. lVhen the panel is swung into a horizontal position, the two arms of the brace 21 are pressed together so as to permit the free ends to he brought into the space between the sockets 2%. Then,

upon releasing the arms after the ends 23 have been brought into registration with the sockets, the ends 23 will enter the sockets and thus lock the panel in a horizontal positionuntil the brace is again disconnected;

. While I have illustrated and described with particularity onlya single preferred form o'l my invention, I do not desire to be limited to. the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but. intend to cover all forms and ar angements which come within the definitions of my inven tion constituting the appended claims.

l. A step ladder having a member projecting above the top along one edge of the latter, said member having a movable part adapted to be swung between an upright position and a horizontal position, a rod bent into a V -and hinged at the apex to said movable part near, a irec and lot the latter, and sockets on the ladder in position to receive the ends 01' said red when said movable part is in itshorizontalposition and lock said part in thatposition.

2. A step ladder having a top large enough to constitute a chair seat, sockets at the rear edge of said top, a chair back detachably y fitted in said sockets, said chair I'll near opposite sides of the ladder and eX- 10 tending past said leg'member, one of the end leaves of each hinge being secured to the ladder member and the other end leaf of each hinge being secured to the le member.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifi- 15 cation.

AUGUST I. JOHNSON.

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