US1783686A - Folding ladder - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1936. s. F. WILLIAMS FOLDING LADDER Filed March 17, 1928 IN VEN TOR.

634M022 I'M 2W BY wz/m m/ A TTORNEY UNITED TA-T S- SAMUEL r. 'wILLIAMsoF slur DIEGO, CALIFORNIA to another andwhich may be stored in a Patented Dec. 2, 193i) lATENT oFFIcs FOLDING "LADDER,

Application med March 17, 1928. seriai'ms'. 2621 565. J

My invention relates to folding ladders and the objects of my invention are: first, to

provide a ladder of this type which is convenient .forcarrying about from one place small space; second, to provide a ladder of this class which is safe when opened for use; third, to provide a ladder of this class which is self-supporting and may be used as a stepladder; fourth, to provide a ladder having detachable supports which may be collapsed when not in use; fifth, to provide a ladder of this class in which the latch means is placed at the normal upper end so that. it cannot be inadvertently or unknowingly released; and sixth, to provide a ladder which is light yet strong in structure, durable and easily manipulated.

of this application in which:

With these and other'objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construe-y tion, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth 'in' the appended claims, reference being had to the.

accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part view on an enlarged scale of parts of the f ladder taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. '5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken-along the line 55 of Fig. 2. I

Similar charactersof reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views". of "the drawings.

The side rails. 1,' rungs l2, pivot pins 3, sockets 4, support 5, latch 6, reinforcings 7 a and 8, form the principal parts and portions of my folding ladder.

'clined inwardlywith respect to the rails 1 form with, the ladder a four-point support.

The "side rails 1 are i made preferably of suitable lengths" 0f.v U-shaped channel iron, I the concave surfaces ofwhich face inwardly. The rungs 2 are also made of U shaped channel; iron the length being chosenyto suit the"- width of 'ladder. required and the width" of the channeliron being such thatzthe'ends of the .rungs' may be' pivoted within 'the side.

railsxby means of the pivot" pins '3,as illustrated in; Fig. 5. The rung 2a at the top of the ladder is made of somewhatnarrower channeliron so as, to providespace for the latch member 6 which, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, occupies the position between the side. rail 1 and'the rung. 2a, beingTpiVOtedby:

means ofthe pin 6a to the innerside'wall of the rail-atitsone end and having atjits 5 the ladder-is opened up such that the rungs occupy a substantially horizontal position,

vthe slot 66 of the catch member 6 willengage the lug 2b, the catch occupying the} oblique position shown-in'Fig. 1, thereby locking .the'

ladder rigidly in'anopen position. )In orfree'end a slot 66 which isadapt'ed' to engage v the lugjQb secured to the side of the upper .rung 2a. intermediate it's ends. ThusWhen 70 der to preventthe 111g 26 from-hindering the ladder from being, completely collapsed, I

provide the slot 1a in the'side wall of the rail1 so that when folded the lug 2]) may be accommodated thereinas. shown in Fig. 2.

In this position the catch 6 will occupy a substantiallyv vertical position between. the

frung. 2a and the side rail 1. Rigidly. secured to theupper rear ends of the side rails, preferably by means of rivets 4:0, I provide-the sockets e havin'g'a substantiallyflat base portion 4a andfobliquely positioned integral .socket portions 45.

The socket portions 4?), while being in-'- also extend slightly rearwardly thereof sd thatwhen the supports 5 are inserted therein they extend rearwardly of the side rails and The supports 5 are preferably in the form of rods orpipes and they are pivotally secured together by means. of a pin 50; at a point approximately two-thirds the distance from theirlower endsso that when inserted in the sockets ab they effectively brace each other and when removed therefrom they may be collapsed so as to occupy a minimum space. The reinforcing members 7 are inserted in the lower end of one side rail and the upper end of the other side rail and provide stops for the lower and upper rung so that when opening up the ladder the rungs cannot describe agreater are than ninety degrees. Knobs 7a are provided at the lower end of the ladder for presenting a rounded supporting surface. Substantially Wedge shaped reinforcing members 8 are provided at the other'end of the side rails the object thereof being to prevent accidental deformation of the channel shaped rails. The portions of the'side rails extending above the upper rung and below the lower rung are made slightly less than the length of the rung in order that in folding the ladder the ends .of the rails in which the ends of the reinforcing members are inserted will lie substantially flush against the inner ends of the reinforcing members 7. By placing the latch member 6 at the normal upper end of the ladder, any accidental dislodgment of the latch unknown to the user is prevented, and the ladder is therefore much safer than would be the case, were the latch placed lower down.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of partsand portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, comb-ination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended'claims. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure' by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding ladder, a pair of channel shaped rails, a plurality of rungs, the ends of said rungs adapted to extend within said channel shaped rails and'pivoted thereto, an upper rung of width narrower than said other rungs, arcatch member pivotally secured to the upper end of one of said guide rails and adapted to engage a lug positioned intermediate the ends of the upper rung for holding. the ladder in open position, said rungs being adapted to be wholly enclosed within said guide rails when the ladder is in its folded position, said upper rung forming with the adjacent channel wall a space for receiving said catch member.

2. In a folding ladder, a pair of channel shaped rails, substantially channel shaped rungs pivotally secured at their ends to said rails, the ends of therungs extending within said rails, an upper rung of said ladder being of a width narrower than said other rung and provided with a lug at one side intermediate its ends, a substantially flat catchimember pivotally secured to the upper end of one of said rails at a point above said upper rung, the free end of said catch member being provided with a slot adapted to engage with said lug and hold the ladder in open position, said catch member being adapted to fold between said upper rung and the side wall of said rails when the ladder is in a closed inoperative position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego, California, this 9th day of March, 1928. it

SAMUEL F. VILLIAMS.

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